Bible Question (short): Isn't this like church? |
Question (full): This is wonderful. It feels like church, and I am overwhelmed. If I was younger and less experienced I would think I needed another church. But I have learned. That’s the way it is. If I was not a believer, I do believe that I would find this unbelievable. If there is anyone reading this who is shocked and disappointed in all this, I pray that you read on and take courage. If you are one of those who do not feel it, then please carry on as usual. It is ironic that I recently started a thread on this forum asking for ideas for handling insults. I guess this is the response, a practical lesson. Pity is I have to handle it before I have had a chance to learn. I guess it’s like they say in church: “Don’t pray for patience because what you are really asking for is tribulation. You know, ‘tribulation worketh patience’”. So, let tribulation have its perfect work. I suppose this is of the Lord. So let it be. I did want to learn something. And I do need to learn. What gives a human being the boldness to intrude on a conversation with his pronouncement that it is inappropriate? I have seen it so often, but it seems I can never understand. Is it the understanding that man is to have dominion? Is it the spirit that leads a man to take command of all he sees? Does he assume he has been given command? Or has he? I still ask, “Was that a moving of the Holy Spirit?” I am beginning to think it was. They say God works in a mysterious way. And some of us are blind to all of this, and all we know is love. And sometimes our actions are inappropriate, and our benefactors are there to correct us. But we would like to learn from our mistakes. What was inappropriate? (I am tempted to cut and paste the spark here, that set off all this fireworks). 1. It was inappropriate. Period. Because Brother A said so. 2. It was inappropriate because the post was demeaning. And condescending. Brother B had thought so. 3. It was inappropriate because it constituted an advertisement. But this last was the unkindest cut of all, coming from the one the post had been addressed to. And the post had included an invitation to my house. The response, if I understand it, is that he does not like my house. But first of all, it was inappropriate to invite him to my house while we were meeting at Brother L’s house. And I was trying to practice hospitality. But he does not like my house. I should fix up my house before I invite him back. Isn’t this like church? I wonder, if Jesus was there, what he would say. Jesus lives at my house. |