Results 1 - 5 of 5
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Might it be fear? | Prov 1:29 | Aixen7z4 | 120720 | ||
Bless you, momma. And thank you for infusing your response with Scripture. This is the most interesting of the responses we get. Our ministry offers services to churches, but it is a task to get through, or through to, the gatekeepers. A wise sister told us yesterday: "Some pastors will not allow anything into the church unless they can say it was their idea in the first place". I suppose that there is a pride in having originated an idea. Now, the challenge for us is, how do you help them anyway? And if the problem is pride, then how do you help them with that? We will work on that. But my immediate impression is that only time and circumstances will take care of that. We are working today with a church where the pastor has told us in the past that he has no further need for us. But he now has circumstances to deal with. He called this week for an emergency meeting, and today he is out of town and has left the church in our hands. Interesting that we would not have thought his problem was pride. He is a good man, and we were simply bewildered with his response. But we tried to maintain an inactive positive relationship. We have a theory that, in spite of appearances, our basic problem is fear. What do you think of that? The scripture I have in mind is Genesis 3:10. |
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2 | Might it be fear? | Prov 1:29 | Mommapbs | 120724 | ||
Greetings! And what causes us to fear? - that we are somehow unworthy - naked - what are we trying to "cover up?" How about negative pride? In our heart of hearts we must come to that point of brokenness, the realization that we are "uncovered." We recognize the Fall of man within ourselves and this fear of discovery prompts us to do what is "wise in our own eyes." Instead of going to God and seeking His mercy and righteousness, we use fig leaves (self effort) to "justify" ourselves. Yes, fear is a great motivator to "cover-up." But WHAT needs to be covered? Praise God for the shed blood of Jesus which covers ALL my sin! This alone makes me worthy and frees me from fear! Perfect love, God's love, cast out fear. Sadly, pride keeps many believers captive to fear; they have not fully appreciated the love of God in Christ (Romans 5:8) Blessings on your day, mommapbs |
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3 | But I say, Have they not learned? | Prov 1:29 | Aixen7z4 | 120745 | ||
My dear sister: I think there is so much wisdom in what you say. I have pondered each of the statements and thought of scriptures associated with it, so I know that there is much truth there. I have also been looking at definitions of pride to try to understand it better. It is also interesting to consider what fear is really made of, and what are the objects of our fear. Sometimes it seems that we fear other emotions, such as jealously and a sense of inferiority. I suppose it is natural to fear pain. It takes maturity to face pain and bear it. Still, my real interest is in determining what we can do to help ourselves in that situation. We can try to ease their fears and pain, but then the surgery must be done, and we so need their permission to do it. Look at the response of compudex at 11:27 for example. What can you say to such a person? Romans 14:4 does not usually work. 1 Corinthians 12:21 has been tried unsuccessfully. Galatians 5:15 does not seem to slow us down at all. After church today I had to counsel with a deaf man and then walk with him to his home. He was in a wheel-chair. He was not ashamed to ask for help. He had come to the church to seek it. Nor was he too proud to accept it. And sometimes it seems that that is what is needed: we must be brought low. Then we do not mind looking up to people who are more qualified in a certain area, or stronger than we are. Till that time, we prefer to try to knock them down to our level. Your reference to brokenness seems apt. I have often prayed that the Lord will keep me broken now, so that calamity is not necessary to produce it. I like your reference to blindness too, because it seems it must be confusion that causes us to hurt each other and ourselves. We are just thrashing around. The word of God puts an end to confusion, but then we are back where we started. How do you minister to someone who is not responsive to the word of God? A colleague suggested recently that we simply have to forget these people. There are enough people who are ready to accept help, he says; we can wait till the proud ones get ready. And I suppose there is much truth in that as well. Those who (think they are) whole do not (feel the) need for a physician. That is what Jesus said. But he also wept over Jerusalem. It is difficult to look at people perishing for lack of knowledge. And the fact is, we have what they need. Someone has suggested it is just one facet of the human condition, and I suppose that is true. People might more easily accept help from an angel, perhaps, than from another human being. But he who became flesh and dwelt among us is the same one who said while here, “Come unto me … and I will give you rest”. Some thought he was presumptuous to say things like that. And some think we are presumptuous if we offer to lead them to him. But haven’t our Christian brethren learned to not say that? |
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4 | But I say, Have they not learned? | Prov 1:29 | Mommapbs | 120749 | ||
See this post by Makarios 106095 - we will all give an account of ourselves to the Lord. Indeed, Christ is Lord of the living and the dead(Romans 14:9). Yes, it is God's will that none perish and all come to repentance, (2 Peter 3:9) yet as God also gave man the freedom to choose the knowledge of God or not, we too join Jesus as He weeps for those who "would not." Lk 13:34 We, as ministers one to another have the HEALER, but apart from Him we cannot heal. Apart from Him, we cannot even "help." (John 15:5) But as the Lord gives you opportunity, continue to do as you did today, be there to help. May the Lord open your heart to understand HIS heart; His love and compassion for those who reject Him; may you share a portion of His grief; may you be given a fresh insight into the Grace and Mercy that you have received. Blessings, mommapbs |
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5 | But I say, Have they not learned? | Prov 1:29 | Aixen7z4 | 120783 | ||
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