s8nfighter

In Luke 17 Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when they might see the kingdom of God. His response may have shocked the Pharisees for he said, "The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, 21 nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you."(NIV) When we realize this simple fact, that the kingdom of God is within each and everyone of us; we will no longer need to seek the kingdom of God nor try to draw attention from the kingdom of God by our actions. We will then be much more able to serve the rest of the kingdom of God outside ourselves. There are some churches and non-profit organizations which use visability as a tool to draw money, so much so that most of the money they bring in is spent to remain visable therefore negating any good works they may do. We all want to be part of something big and good. I don't think that is a sin, but we go about it the wrong way. An avalanche starts out with one quiet snowflake moving forward bumping into the next. These organizations are an avalanche in reverse. They start out with a lot of movement and fizzle. You want to be part of something big and good, be that first snowflake and bump into your neighbor. Darrell

Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. God hates sin because sin is what separates us from Him. There is no pain greater than watching a child suffer in sin. Love does not diminish for a child caught up in sin but the distaste for sin which is causing the pain increases. If we are to be like the Father in this way are we not called to love the sinner but hate the sin? The doctrine of sinless perfection is not what Jesus is refering to here. What he is refering to is best described in 1 Corinthians 13. "1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." (NIV) Darrell

I agree with the saying, "In order for evil to succeed all that is required is for good people to do nothing." The underlying principle is not found in just these two verses but in the entire bible. What sets apart the verses of 39-42 and verse 5:44 amd 22:39 is the order in which good enters into the equation. I am not saying that all evil can be averted by first doing good, we know that evil still abounds, but I will go out on a limb and say that most evil acts come from desparation and those desparate acts can be nullified with compassion first. We all know the difference, if someone is getting beat up and I see it I would be the first to help. If I see someone stealing from another I have chased after them and caught them. Yes this is proper action. But on the same hand I have not called nor retaliated against someone who stole from me, but I did quit helping them out, and told them that I have done all I could do and all that remained for me to do was pray for them. And I never quit praying for them. Two years later they are in church, with a year of sobriety. I don't know too many people with a full stomach that would steal a plate of food. And when I hesitate to forgive someone because they have stolen either my time or money that I have invested in them, I remember the investment that God made in me while I was still a sinner. What a chance He took. Before we judge another we first must ask, "Was the risk that God took worth it?" Darrell

A quote from Christ's own words Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Darrell

38 "You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' 39 But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. "Do not resist an evil person" indicates that the first person was in the wrong. "If someone sues you" indicates that the second person is in the wrong. In both cases vengence is done away with. In the first case Jesus says that you should not seek vengence in court, and in the second case he is saying offer double payment instead of going to court. I don't think that we should take this to the extreme and put ourselves in harms way and therefore putting God to a test as Jesus also warns in chapter 4:6 "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: "'He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'" 7 Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'" I we take Jesus' words as an adage he is saying that we should not provoke a fight and that we should look to the more honorable way out. Darrell

The purpose eye for an eye and the law which it pertains to is for civil obedience. The punishment was to insure that an injured party recieve justice, vengence equal to and not exceeding loss. Loss had to be proven to a court and in death cases at least two witnesses must testify. The law as stated was to govern judicial action because all matters of dispute were to be brought before the court. Darrell

It all comes down to being trusted. For years I have done business on a handshake. Some people think i am either crazy or just plain stupid for doing business without half down and a contract. When they ask if I worry about not being paid my reply is, "Not if I do a good enough job, and if I don't do a good job then I don't expect to be paid." If we all obeyed this command, I wonder if there would be any need for lawyers. Darrell

Oh I have heard both sides of this question before and have studied the bible through and through and long ago I dismissed this issue. Not because I have been divorced and remarried but because of the God I serve. Jesus says, you break only one part of the rule and you are guilty of breaking all of the commandments. Oh I know there are some of you who have not sinned at all and therfore found not guilty of anything, unless you really take to heart what Jesus says in the verses prior. Jesus also says that there is only one sin which is not forgiven and that is the denial of the Holy Spirt. You tell one lie are you a liar for life, steal one pen are you a thief for life, speak out in hatred against someone are your guilty of murder for life? Guilty yes and forgiven yes. How does this differ from marriage? David commited all these acts and according to scripture God forgave his sins, are we seperate from this kind of forgivness because of the year we live in? How many limitations can you put on the love of God who sent His only Son to die for sinners who don't know him? Darrell

God's original intention for marriage was to be the reflection of the perfect relationship He desires with us. That perfect relationship was destroyed when sin intered, and how can a mirrored image of imperfection be any better than the image it reflects? Seek ye first the kingdom of God and all these things will be given to you. The "law" which is imperfect allows for divorce, yes. It does not regulate it but only highlights the imperfections in our relationship with one another. The law from Deuteronomy 24 says that a divorce decree may be issued for uncleanness, (some texts say lack of favor, others say for any reason at all) but the original was "ervaw" which means: improper behaviour exposed, nakedness, or shame. Kind of sounds like how we are going to stand before the LORD on judgement day, naked and all our deeds exposed. The reflection of the perfect relationship according to Jesus shown in marriage is the one He offers now in Luke 6: 38 If you give, you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use in giving

6 So they are no longer two, but one. Here is the key. In order for two of anything to become one the stronger cannot be so rigid as not to break the other, or itself. The two must also be united in the same goal or all is lost in the struggle to determine the direction. This cannot and never will be accomplished by ceremony or by law. The same love which seperates Christians from the law of sin seperates a couple from the law of divorce. The same love which gives us the desire to honor God instead of sin also gives us the desire to honor our wife or husband. As for me a ceremony didn't do this nor a peice of paper did this, but it is the Holy Spirit which resides within me and Marie that we see as mere pebbles instead of boulders things which break up some marriages. I wish I could recall all of a poem I read about marriages, but the core of it was that in a marriage neither leads nor follows, but the two together go. How many have chosen this way? I don't know, but I do know I am greatful that Marie and I have such a relationship. Darrell

I don't believe Jesus was supporting either one of the Rabbi's positions. The first thing Jesus eluded to was the condition of the heart. The hardness of the heart was the reason God divorced the nation of Israel, The condition of the heart was the reason God regretted making mankind and destroyed the earth with a great flood. The condition of the heart was the reason He sent His one and only Son to us. The restoration of the heart is the reason He sent the Holy Spirit to guide and counsel us. There are marriages held together by the law wich are not worth two cents and there are second marriages like mine and my wife's which you cannot buy for any amount of money. Darrell

Yep you are right, the spirit of our age is very accepting of poor behavior. And as long as the news continues to give the poor actions of our so called selebrities top billing it is only going to get worse. There seems to be more coverage of wealthy women who's claim to fame is nudity, drugs, alcohol, divorce, child abandoment than there is of any good deed ever done. These things were done in the dark just twenty years ago, now we have "My space" where these types of behavior are lauded, seemingly with parental concent. Agape love can combat evil only if it rewards good and does not ignore evil. This does not mean turning our backs on the sinner but with love, and God's words of instruction the sinner is helped to overcome the sin which dwells within. When God took away my desire to drink, which I did plenty of, He didn't stop there. There was a lot of sin which I had to overcome, and I am not perfect yet, but there is a goal to which I strive because of my love for Christ. Darrell

Whether a person studies pronogr@phy or God's word it is the diet of the soul. I was in a discussion with a teacher about whether or not abstanance or safe sex should be taught in school. I explained it to him this way. When I was eighteen I had to have 10 teeth pulled out. I had brushed everyday before going to bed so that was not the problem. The problem was the diet I had as a child, that was the cause of my rotting teeth. Same could be said for pronogr@phy. What is the better diet of the soul? What is wrong with prostitution? Aside from all the STD's, the chance of an unwanted pregnancy, the lack of commitment between two people, it goes against God's word, the fact that it takes away from the family, or the fact that it reduces something beautiful between husband and wife to just an act of self-gratification, I see nothing wrong with it. Darrell

God has provided us with a very pleasant way to enjoy one another as husband and wife. The difference between what God has provided and what is forbidden is the guilt, shame, worry, discovery, or regret of the act of making love. Darrell

Matt. 6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (NIV) Adultery is merely the end result of continued ****. The desire of the heart is what is most often fullfilled by our actions, and if left unfullfilled the emptiness which remains is filled with bitterness, jealousy, eny, and hate. Service had just began and as usual the pastor asked if there were any prayer requests. One of the Sunday School teachers requested prayer for a family who had little food left to make it through to the end of the month. As the congregation began to pray all I could think about was how hungry those five children must be. So I tapped my wife on the shoulder and pointed to the door. We left, went home, and made a quick shopping list. And as we were driving to the store I noticed the new pick-up trucks with boats hitched to the back of them waiting for church to be out so they could be driven to the river. So I told my wife to stop. I said look around. This is what we give up when we do things like this. Are you sure you still want to do this? With no thought at all she said, "Yes." We loaded the back of our van full of groceries and delivered them to the family. I will never forget the expression of that little five year old girl when she said, "Wow, Is all this for us?" We all desire somthing and it is our actions which point to that desire. James 3:13-18 13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. 17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness. (NIV)

17 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. God gave Moses His law with the Spirit of the law intact, but when he came down off the mountain and shattered the first two tablets, which were written with God's own finger the Spirit of the law was also broken. God then instructed Moses to rewrite the law by his hand and what was given then was the letter of the law. The overreaching theme here is the restoration of the Spirit of the law wich supercedes the letter of the law. The Spirit of the law can be found in these two commandments Matt. 22:37 Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' NIV Darrell

There are two ways to look at this parable. The first one is obvious the second is a little more complicated. Because everyone else has chosen the obvious I will choose the second. If Jesus is speaking of the Holy Spirit (The one sent to convict the world of sin first and later to become our Counselor and constant companion) we must confess our sins and repent before we reach the judgement seat. When we settle up before getting to court, the Holy Spirit is no longer our adversary but our guide to righteous behavior. Repentance turns our adversary, our foe into a friend and a counselor. John 14:23Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. 25 "All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. (niv) Darrell

Conflict with a brother or sister in Christ should be resolved either by justice or by grace. Justice if we live by the law, grace if we live by grace. If a brother sins against us and asks to be forgiven, how many times should we forgive him? It is a two sided coin and I have been on both sides, either asking to be forgiven or being asked to forgive. 2 Peter chapter 1 describes not only how our relationship to one another should be but it also promises this: 2 Peter 1:10Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We should go as far as possible to resolve any conflict with one another because that conflict may come between us and the Lord. The only situations which cannot be resolved are those denied. Bill Clinton said, "I never had sex with that woman." and after a TEN MILLION DOLLAR trial and a SIXTY MILLION DOLLAR law suit the situation still remains unresolved. California governor Schwarzenegger faced almost the same problem while he was running for office. He publicly appologized and when asked later about his wrongful conduct he simply said, "Old news." and left. Cost nothing. One admitted guilt and asked to be forgiven the other denied any guilt. Darrell

There are two seperate parts to this. The first part is the law of murder given to Moses for man punishable by man, (the council or the Sanhedrin). The second part given to us by the Spirit of God, punishable by God and reserved as an eternal punishment. The second part is not punishable by man and the therefore the least feared law. Which by the way is how come we are in such a mess today. How would we act differently if we actually believed that angry attitudes towards others are viewed by God as murder? I can answer that with several questions. How would we act differently if we believed that Christ was on His way for the second time, that the time is near? How would we act differently if we knew that John 3:16 [/b]"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son." and 1 John 3:16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." Do we believe that these are the words from the same God. One declaring that we must have love for his Son and the other declaring that we must have love for one another? I often wonder why so many people know John 3:16 but have nerer heard of 1 John 3:16. Do you really think God cares how we treat one another? Do you really think that God expects us to care when our brother is in need? Don't you really think that Jesus was only kidding when he said that it would be as in the days of Noah when he comes again, people doing what is best only for themselves and not caring about others? Darrell

Yes there are some forms of worship which forsake the LAW. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. Have you ever wondered about this verse? It really does go against the once saved always saved and anything goes belief. It actually goes back to Jeremiah 31 when the LORD says "33 "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the Lord. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest," declares the Lord. "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more." niv Through the Holy Spirit we now know the laws of God and because of the grace of our Savior we should obey those laws out of love and not fear of the law itself. And as long as the Holy Spirit is in us no one church can effectively abolish the Old Testament from Christian faith. Christian legalism filled church? Wow I have not seen that. Altough it is described quite well by the words of Christ himself. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn the other cheek. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. 30 Give what you have to anyone who asks you for it; and when things are taken away from you, don't try to get them back. 31 Do for others as you would like them to do for you. 32 "Do you think you deserve credit merely for loving those who love you? Even the sinners do that! 33 And if you do good only to those who do good to you, is that so wonderful? Even sinners do that much! 34 And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, what good is that? Even sinners will lend to their own kind for a full return. 35 "Love your enemies! Do good to them! Lend to them! And don't be concerned that they might not repay. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to the unthankful and to those who are wicked. 36 You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate. Luke 6 nlt I have seen many churches full where the words of Christ in the next few verses of Luke 6 have been turned around to promise great monitary returns when Christ is speaking of forgiving one another. To me that is like saying that God is some sort of slot machine in Vegas that pays out all the time. 37 "Stop judging others, and you will not be judged. Stop criticizing others, or it will all come back on you. If you forgive others, you will be forgiven. 38 If you give, you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use in giving

I noticed something when we had candle-light service. As I touched my candle to the one lit on the alter; for that moment when the flame of one candle passed to the other there was a greater llight shining than one by itself. And as I moved my candle away from the one on the alter the light did not diminish from it's original power. Life is like that, our light should shine as an attraction, but it doesn't stop there, it also should be passed to another without the fear of losing any power. We can use church as a place to let our light shine or as instructed we can come together whith the purpose of lifting up one another (passing our light to one in need) by stoping and talking to each other and helping where we can. And that little tingly feeling you get when you lite someone elses life up is just like that brighter glow when the two candles meet. We start doing this in church and we wont't have to spend thousands of dollars to send our teens to Aquire the Fire only to watch the flame-out in two months. Two days ago a young mother took her own life afther killing one of her daughters and placing two others in the hospital in critical condition. One of her neighbors was quoted as saying that the family was a very religious family, going to church every Sunday. Another neighbor said that although they have been neighbors for almost four years they never met. I live in a small town of only 30,000 people and wonder how she could been so alone and what problems could have been so great that she could not share them with her family at church or whith her neighbors. Are we so busy letting our light shine that we do not have time to say to another, "Hi, nieghbor. How are you today?" And when we do ask that question, take the time to listen. "How are you?" is not just another form of greeting as the world does, it is, for us, a genuine question of concern. Darrell

The whole thing is about verse 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. For many years now we have been taught that once saved always saved, and you don't need to do a thing to receive a reward in heaven. This is contrary to 12 through 15 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. 13 "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. 14 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. It is more than just being salty or well lit, it is about being used for the purpose of God's will, and pleasing God. In order to do that we must reach out to people not show off to people. There are enough show offs in the world already and we don't need to add to that. Because Jesus suffered for our sins in order to remove the need to be a slave to sin and the law we really do not suffer. Because of his resurection we now live with the Holy Spirit within us and if we obey the Holy Spirit we are no longer concerned with the things of this world which drive so many people to envy, anger, ****, deciet, cheating, stealing, etc. etc.. We no longer look to self gratification but God being gratified through us only if our light is not hidden in self seeking rewards of this life. But we are yoked with Christ and with His help the burden is light enough to be a help to others instead of just bragging about how God has been such a help to us. Paul puts what I have just said better in Galatians 6 14 As for me, God forbid that I should boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world died long ago, and the world's interest in me is also long dead. (nlt) Darrell

The word persecute means to follow, to persue or to chase after usually with ill intent. Blessed are those who are persecuted in "My Name". Chased after because of Christ. I believe what Jesus is saying that although some will pursue with ill intent others will see something different and chase after you also. Here are two examples of this: I work construction and what you have heard about construction workers most is true. One day four workers were passing around some papers and for a joke they called me over to look at them. These were downloads from an explicit sex site on the internet. When they showed them to me they didn't expect the recation I gave them . I simply said, " These pictures are of lousy taste. And if you don't think so go and share them with your children." Example two. A few months later a young man called me to say that he was having trouble with drug addiction and needed my advice. I asked him why he called me he said that there was something different about me, and that the things I spoke of I lived, and he wanted part of that. The things I do I do because there is a heaven and there is a hell and there is a reward for being obedient to God's word. A reward not here but reserved for life eternal. Darrell

I need to start witht the second question first because that is where I was. The so called chronic sinner like me, Saul, and the tax collector had trouble knowing, understanding, seeing, hearing, or even believing God because of judgement from ourselves, others, and the judgment we believed we deserved from God. It was when I understood that Jesus was the one and only one I needed to forgive my sins that I was able to turn my life around. With the words "Your sins are forgiven" I discarded the alcohol which had once given me temporary relief from guilt. In Genesis chapter six God admits to the only mistake he ever made (the creation of mankind) because (Genesis 6:5The Lord saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time.) I must ask, "If that had changed with the flood would God have needed to send His Son to be crucified?" "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' Found guilty and forgiven is much much better than being found innocent and self-righteous, because forgiveness comes from LOVE. So I would say that is how we obtain the pure or clean heart that Jesus describes, by first realizing that our own righteousness is but filthy rags and that as, David says, it is against God that we have sinned and it is God who creates a clean heart by forgiving us of our sins. Darrell

Righteousness only puts me at odds with myself when my actions do not line up with the morals the Holy Spirit has installed within me. (John 14:17 niv He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world at large cannot receive him, because it isn't looking for him and doesn't recognize him. But you do, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.) I am at peace with the world because I first do what I am called to do. Ephesians 6 tells us to put on the full armor of God. As a Christian I take action where I can and when I have done all I can do then I stand firm in prayer. I also like what Paul says in Galatians 6:14 As for me, God forbid that I should boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world died long ago, and the world's interest in me is also long dead. (niv) Darrell