Results 821 - 840 of 975
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Author: Aixen7z4 Ordered by Date |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
821 | How high is your self-esteem? | Rom 12:3 | Aixen7z4 | 97841 | ||
Yes. | ||||||
822 | How high is your self-esteem? | Rom 12:3 | Aixen7z4 | 97840 | ||
Amen. | ||||||
823 | And not so low that ...? | Rom 12:3 | Aixen7z4 | 97839 | ||
Yes! And on the other hand, not so low that ...? | ||||||
824 | How high is your self-esteem? | Rom 12:3 | Aixen7z4 | 97838 | ||
Was that self-esteem or ambition? I thought you would have called it ambition. But I agree; it is the way the world operates. Happily, we know that we are not to be conformed to their ways. I think he says those who want to be great should change their minds and become servants instead. It is enough for the disciple that he be like his master. And the master, he came not to be ministered unto, but to minister. |
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825 | How high is your self-esteem? | Rom 12:3 | Aixen7z4 | 97837 | ||
Hello. I have heard of that book, but I have not read it. I have read reviews of it. See, for example, http://www.behindthebadge.net/articles/a60.html I am glad that you got help from it. From the review above (which includes quotations) it seems to have its strengths, and also some weaknesses. That is the problem with most books, no doubt, and it is one of the reasons I have not written more. I know this does not sound right (some have told me so) but I depend primarily on the Bible for my practice. I was trained in psychology and I believe some of the things I learned are true. But that is only because they are also found in the Bible. I use some of their tools and techniques, but only in so far as they are in line with Scripture. I wish the churches were using the Bible as they ought to; they could help the people a lot. It is really unfortunate that they don't. They tell people what to do but they do not show them how it's done and they do not help them to do it. That statement is too general to be always true and it is not meant as a criticism. It is meant to get their attention. I have written a proposal to encourage them to teach people how to put the word into practice. You can read it at http://hishows.bizland.com/PROPOSAL.htm I could write a book to describe my own methods, but I keep refining them as I learn more from the word of God. I can give only a brief description as appears at http://hishows.bizland.com/therapraxis.html So, I do not recommend any book in therapy except the Bible. Even so, I am careful to point out specific passages with their contexts. I emphasize that the word of God calls for action (See Matthew 7:24;John 13:17). The idea is that God wants us to do certain things. Even a child is known by his doings. I model it, have the client to copy it, and encourage them to practice and practice and practice it. Isn't it interesting that the practice of assigning books to be read by a client is called bibliotherapy. Now we have to look for another word to describe an assignment to read the Bible. We use the term therapraxis to emphasize that the solution to life's situations comes from not only reading but practicing the word of God. I would advise that you take from that book only those things that correspond to the word of God and do them. The things which you learned, received, heard, and saw in me: do these things, and the God of peace will be with you. Then you will have good success. |
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826 | Searching for the truth | Ps 34:11 | Aixen7z4 | 97799 | ||
Comments: Heaven is a wonderful place. The main thing about it is, that tJesus is there. And we want to be with him! He also longs to have us there (John 17:24). It is the ultimate destination where every Christian will be whether through death or the Rapture. Some "Christians will fight tooth and nail to the very last breath to resist death"? Christians usually look forward to being in heaven and they are not afraid of death. They say, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" They say, "The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ". They believe that it is better to die, because it means they will be absent from the body and present with the Lord. Sometimes they can't quite make up their minds about leaving, though, because they believe they are needed here, to lead others to the Savior, and to answer questions like this. |
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827 | Christians ambivalent about death? | Phil 1:23 | Aixen7z4 | 97786 | ||
Comments: Heaven is a wonderful place. The main thing about it is, that tJesus is there. And we want to be with him! He also longs to have us there (John 17:24). It is the ultimate destination where every Christian will be whether through death or the Rapture. Some "Christians will fight tooth and nail to the very last breath to resist death"? Christians usually look forward to being in heaven and they are not afraid of death. They say, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" They say, "The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ". They believe that it is better to die, because it means they will be absent from the body and present with the Lord. Sometimes they can't quite make up their minds about leaving, though, because they believe they are needed here, to lead others to the Savior, and to answer questions like this. |
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828 | How high is your self-esteem? | Rom 12:3 | Aixen7z4 | 97749 | ||
Paul seems to say it should not be too high, and it should not be too low. We should think soberly and realistically. We should be able to accept the fact that God has given us a certain gift, and use it well for him. Our self-concept should be based on what we are in him. We should not take credit for our gift, or be puffed up because of it. After all it is just that; a gift. We should use it, not for self, but for others, and for the glory of the Lord who gave it. You are aware of others who have low self-esteem. You are aware of others who are haughty. It might be good to ask sometimes, "Lord, Is it I?" The Lord might provide an answer through your brother. Don't be too proud or too shy to let him wash your feet. Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. |
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829 | How do I (you, we) come across? | Rom 12:3 | Aixen7z4 | 97744 | ||
It would not be easy to reveal how we would help someone with self-esteem problems in a forum such as this. For one thing, we would be exposing ourselves to criticism from people who had one course in psychology fifty years ago and do not understand what we are saying. That would not be profitable. It might just be useful here to say that God has made us, body and soul and spirit. If we care about our bodies, enough to have a blood pressure taken on a regular basis, we might do well to consider having our psyches checked from time to time for self-esteem. But I can understand that you feel fine and do not see the need to visit that kind of doctor. If you ever feel the need for psychological help, may I suggest that you choose your doctor very carefully. I would not expect a worldly psychologist to be recommending that you live a life centered on Christ. After all, he is not doing it himself. But there are some consecrated practitioners in this field who would do just that. You would want to choose someone who has a philosophy of life, and a faith, that is compatible with yours. For a person such as you, Hank, it would not be difficult to adjust the self-esteem if it ever got out of whack. From this distance it seems to be fine. But if you were concerned, before he did anything about it, the psychologist would measure it. I doubt very much that you are as nutty as you say, though I do detect slight indications of a healthy sense of humor. It is my professional opinion that you are fine, and that your heart is strong for the Lord. Stay well. Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy body prospereth. |
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830 | explain tithes acording to malachai 3:10 | Mal 3:10 | Aixen7z4 | 97741 | ||
One of these days I hope to write a long article on the subject of Tithing. It will be full of scripture references and it will be hopefully convincing. The aim will be to encourage us to take hold of the freedom for which Christ has made us free and to shake off the present bondage that has been imposed on us. It will say that Tithing is a relic of the Old Testament economy and is not for today. It will say that the Christian should consider all that he has as belonging to the Lord, and not just one tenth of it. It will say that Christians should give to the church gladly and freely as the Lord prospers them, after taking care of their personal and family needs. It will try to differentiate between needs and wants. It will say that the church should use what is given to meet the needs of those who minister and those who who are not able to work to meet their own needs. It will say that the church needs to reexamine its priorities and to spend the people's money the way the Lord intended. It might even say that there are too many church buildings and that those buildings are too large and too fancy. It might suggest that Christians return to a simpler form of life and spend less on fancy cars and clothes. It might suggest that our focus and our spending be more on spiritual things and less on material things. But the basic point will be that tithing should be eliminated from our vocabulary. It will suggest that the directions for our giving be taken from New testament passages such as Matthew 6:19; Luke 12:15; Acts 4:32; 1 Corinthians 9;2 Corinthians 9; Colossians 3:2; 1Timothy 6:10; James 2:8; etc. My article will suggest that Malachi 3:8 be replaced with Romans 12:1 in our thinking. Or perhaps I should say that each of these passages should be looked at again, and in their proper context. We realize that something is wrong when we are being asked to give and we find it hard, when we have needs, spiritual and material, and they are not being met. It will become clear that the governmental system of taxing those who have to meet the needs of those who serve and those who have not is working better than our own system of requiring tithing and seeing old ladies go hungry. Then we may realize that the tithe was the tax in Old Testament economy, when the civil government was a theocracy. But that article will have to wait for a while. I am not sure the church is ready for it. Besides, I have no desire to be controversial. |
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831 | Tithing question | Mal 3:10 | Aixen7z4 | 97740 | ||
One of these days I hope to write a long article on the subject of Tithing. It will be full of scripture references and it will be hopefully convincing. The aim will be to encourage us to take hold of the freedom for which Christ has made us free and to shake off the present bondage that has been imposed on us. It will say that Tithing is a relic of the Old Testament economy and is not for today. It will say that the Christian should consider all that he has as belonging to the Lord, and not just one tenth of it. It will say that Christians should give to the church gladly and freely as the Lord prospers them, after taking care of their personal and family needs. It will try to differentiate between needs and wants. It will say that the church should use what is given to meet the needs of those who minister and those who who are not able to work to meet their own needs. It will say that the church needs to reexamine its priorities and to spend the people's money the way the Lord intended. It might even say that there are too many church buildings and that those buildings are too large and too fancy. It might suggest that Christians return to a simpler form of life and spend less on fancy cars and clothes. It might suggest that our focus and our spending be more on spiritual things and less on material things. But the basic point will be that tithing should be eliminated from our vocabulary. It will suggest that the directions for our giving be taken from New testament passages such as Matthew 6:19; Luke 12:15; Acts 4:32; 1 Corinthians 9;2 Corinthians 9; Colossians 3:2; 1Timothy 6:10; James 2:8; etc. My article will suggest that Malachi 3:8 be replaced with Romans 12:1 in our thinking. Or perhaps I should say that each of these passages should be looked at again, and in their proper context. We realize that something is wrong when we are being asked to give and we find it hard, when we have needs, spiritual and material, and they are not being met. It will become clear that the governmental system of taxing those who have to meet the needs of those who serve and those who have not is working better than our own system of requiring tithing and seeing old ladies go hungry. Then we may realize that the tithe was the tax in Old Testament economy, when the civil government was a theocracy. But that article will have to wait for a while. I am not sure the church is ready for it. Besides, I have no desire to be controversial. |
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832 | How high? How low? How? | Rom 12:3 | Aixen7z4 | 97717 | ||
You did a good job there. Your diagnosis and your prescription were right on. You observation is also keen, that "it is not that simple always". | ||||||
833 | How do I (you, we) come across? | Rom 12:3 | Aixen7z4 | 97716 | ||
Please be kind to the psychologists. I am one of them, and we are trying to help the people. You are willing to accept the possibility that there are Christians with low self-esteem? Please consider that we are telling the truth when we say that many people come to us with actual self-loathing. True, we may sometimes label them, but here I am quoting them. And we are trying to help them. You believe that there are "self-centered snobs who are overly endowed with egotism"? These people are like that in spite of the fact "the message of the Bible is to lead a life centered not on self but on Christ". We would like to help them as well. You are doubtless correct in noting that Jesus "gave few discourses ... designed to enhance self-esteem". The implication is that people have a natural capacity for, and inclination to, self-love. Again, that may be true. We think that neglect and abuse, emotional and physical, may be mitigating against that natural tendency and leaving people feeling badly about themselves. We try to help them to overcome these effects. But we are concerned about the "self-centered snobs" as well. Perhaps it is to them that Paul is saying, "Don't think too highly of yourself", but they're not listening. We would like to help them. By the way, there are some of us who practice as Christian psychologists because we believe that we need to help each other to obey the Lord's commands. Not simply to remind them, but to help them. If they say they are thinking too lowly, then we can give them a hand up. If they admit that they think too highly then we can help them to think soberly. But if a person says "I'm perfect", then we cannot help them. When you say there are people with low sel-esteem and people who are snobs, you must be either despising them or wishing they would get help. Please do not discourage us from trying to help. When you say that the most worldly psychologist would endorse the idea of leading a life centered on Christ, I am mystified. Do you really believe that? Perhaps we can think of the question "How high is your self-esteem?" as being analogous to one asking "How high is your blood pressure?". There is an optimum level or range, and in both cases we can be too high or too low. It might be good to check it. |
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834 | How high? How low? How? | Rom 12:3 | Aixen7z4 | 97688 | ||
Ah, EdB, you make it sound so easy. Part of my motivation for asking the question was a conversation I had with a client yesterday afternoon. She confided that she has been saved for 12 years. And yet, up to this point she has thought of herself as worthless. The fact that she was abused as a child and also in her marriage has something to do with it. It is apparent that some of our brethren are like that sister was, walking around with low self-esteem. Others are haughty, arrogant, even proud. Some answer the telephone with, "Can I help you", giving the impression they are only here on this earth to give help. So I guess I think the matter is not quite that simple. And I should have known. Why did Paul think it necessary to "say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think"? It seems to me that some think too highly and some think too lowly. Or am I wrong about that? |
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835 | How do I (you, we) come across? | Rom 12:3 | Aixen7z4 | 97625 | ||
I agree. So now please tell us: How high is your self-esteem? Do you think of yourself as a king or as a servant? Do you combine them both? And then what do you get? Romans 12:3 is in the context of fitting into the body, the church. Does it not matter then, how you come across to people? The question has the serious goal of helping us to have a proper self-concept and to carry ourselves accordingly. |
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836 | How high is your self-esteem? | Rom 12:3 | Aixen7z4 | 97596 | ||
It's hard to know what to think. For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. So what do we do? We would like to serve. We would like to feel fulfilled. We would like to use our gifts for the benefit of others. But even as we attempt to do so we are aware that some will accept us and some will not. It will affect our self-esteem. We dare not be proud, because we have learned that God resists the proud. We must be clothed with humility. And yet we are told that we are the sons of God. As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ we are, each of us, the child of a king. A royal priesthood. He has made us kings and priests to God. Yet, you see your calling, brethren that God has chosen the weak things, the base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not. No flesh should glory in his presence. There is no boasting. Our salvation is not of ourselves. It is a gift of God. Our spiritual gift is a gift from God. That's why it is called a gift. What do you have that you did not receive? If you received it, why do you boast about it? If you are different, isn't it because God has made you different? Yet it has been said that there are three versions of you: 1. What you think of yourself. 2. What others think of you. 3. What you really are. Some of us have very low self-esteem, based in part on what others have said of us. But is that not an affront to God? Some of us think very highly of ourselves. But what if it is too high? What if it equals pride? Some of us have yet to learn what God has built into us. Yet this latter seems to be the focus of the scripture saying that we should think soberly. We should recognize and accept what God has made us. How high then should be your self-esteem? |
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837 | Get behind me, who? | Matt 16:23 | Aixen7z4 | 97590 | ||
This seems to have taken us back to the case of Jesus and Peter. A believer may be confident that he is being led by the Lord and moving in his will. He is prayed up, tuned in, with antenna adjusted when another believer intervenes to take him aside and turn him aside. This reminds me of something in Pilgrim's Progress, but we need not choose it over scripture. I do not know whether Peter had been sent by Satan or to what extent he was there identified with Satan, but our Lord's words to him were strong. I do not know whether his salvation was in question. But something caused Jesus to look at him and say, "Get thee behind me, Satan!" I trust that after this discussion the Spirit of the Lord would have taught us to at least be careful. I agree that a true believer in the Lord Jesus Christ cannot be demon-possessed. The extent to which we can be influenced by him or used by him, I would prefer not to know by experience. It says, "The Spirit that lives in us wants us to be his own completely." But God shows us even more kindness. So place yourselves under God's authority. Resist the devil, and he will run away from you. Come close to God, and he will come close to you. |
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838 | Get behind me, who? | Matt 16:23 | Aixen7z4 | 97585 | ||
O, Brother Makarios, You are the one with the maturity and knowledge of the Scriptures. You always bring a blessing with your posts. I did consider that a female who came into my office with a certain walk and talk and smile had been sent by Satan. I understand that he does those things, and recalling the story of Potiphar's wife with Joseph, I partly believe it. I have mentioned a brother who rebuked me for picking up children to take to church. I was stunned by that and also by other actions from him. The sum of it caused an entire little church to crumble. When I suggested later that Satan had been using him, he agreed. He confessed that he had yielded to the evil one and repented with bitter tears. The fact is, I had been warned that the brother had a history of causing problems in the churches. He seemed to have a weakness that the evil one exploited. Yes, I believe he had been sent to us by Satan. I believe that false apostles and false prophets are sent to us by Satan. I believe Scripture tells us (especially John in 1 John) how to recognize them. When someone lies to me or to the public, I think of John 8:44 and I say it was Satan who had sent him. What do you think? Concerning Peter's statement, do you not recall the story of Ananias and Sapphira? Act 5: A certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira, his wife, sold a possession, and kept back part of the price, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet. But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart ... ... to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back part of the price of the land?" I hope not to lose my reputation of being level-headed, but I believe that Satan is very active in this world. Whenever there is conflict involving Christians, I look for him. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. |
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839 | Get behind me, who? | Matt 16:23 | Aixen7z4 | 97577 | ||
Thank you for sharing all of these wonderful references and insights. Surely, one must be thoroughly convinced, and that by the word of God itself, that one is doing the will of God, before considering that someone who comes to rebuke them might be of the devil. We should consider that one who opposes us may not have been sent by Satan. Also, the person who agrees with us may not have been sent by God. There is scriptural example suggesting it can be either way, both and neither. I am impressed that no one but Jesus used the words: “Get thee behind me, Satan!” and after considering the matter this long I think we might be wise to leave that prerogative to him. But Peter did ask, “Why has Satan filled your heart …?” and there might be occasions when we might copy that. That might be within the scope of the command to be gentle with those who disagree with us. What if they had been sent by Satan? By being meek and gentle and patient, we might be able to instruct those that oppose us (not to say themselves) if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who may have been taken captive by him at his will. It might also give us a chance to see if we are wrong. |
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840 | Get behind me, who? | Matt 16:23 | Aixen7z4 | 97465 | ||
So true, Makarios. Bad advice with good intentions. And that is just the point. They are acting on behalf of Satan without realizing it. And Satan uses many devices. They may even present themselves as rebuking us when we are convinced by scripture and all that we are doing the Lord's will. Please do not miss my point. I was once rebuked for picking up children for church. A brother informed me that I was being too proactive. I should let the Holy Spirit lead those children, and if he was doing that they would walk to the church. I accept that yours may be a better question, but the original one still remains in my mind. Perhaps we can attempt to answer both. How do you respond to someone when you think that Satan is using him? Do you say, "Get behind me, Satan!"? |
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