We all make errors and should not allow our pride to over come us. In this matter Jesus himself said he who loves his brother it will show. Do we not give good gifts to each other? Would we give a brother a snake for a gift? Even in the world they give their children good gifts. So, why would some of our brothers question some one elses salvation. Or attack his church by bad mouthing it. We are all brothers and sisters in christ right?
Hey Dgr... you are so right.. thanks for posting this.. you know... I had to go back and search deep in my collection for this song by Helen Baylor.... Sometimes I have thoughts as you posted, and this song always comes to my mind, so I'm sharing it... now.
It's a song called "Live and Let Live".
Livin' in this crowded world....................................
Gets more confusing every day...............................
Can you tell me where has love gone?..........................
Are We too naive to see what's giong on?................. When will all the madness end? Has everybody gone insane? No respect for human lives........................................ We're out of control, and we've got to make a change...... If we could only try to find right from wrong................... That's the only way We can all get along.......................
Why can't we just live and let live?................................
Do we have to fight with each other? ........................
Why can't we just live and let live?........................... Oh, what I'd give.....................................................
If we could turn things around.....................................
I know we can find a way.
Nations on the brink of war.........................................
People dying needlessly.............................................
It's never worth the price that we pay............................
To treat our lives so carelessly.....................................
Kids are carrying guns to school...................................
Wondering if they'll stay alive......................................
But' we've got to make it right......................................
Why can't we try to be.............................................
A little more kind......................................................
Before we all run our of precious time..........................
We could make this world so much better.........................
Overnight and wonderfully..........................................
If everyone would just learn to live...............................
Their lives unselfishly................................................
Why can't we just live and let live?................................
Must we always fight with each other?............................
Brother, brother, live and let live..................................
We've gotta turn things around....................................
I know we can find a better way...................................
Why can't we just live and let live?................................
Must we always fight with each other?...........................
Brother, brother, live and let live.................................
I know we'll turn things around....................................
Together we'll find a way..........................................
And yes... to your questions, we ARE brothers and sisters in Christ, but we're all at different places in our experieinces with God, and the power of fellowship, the power of love and the power of trust with one another, and our faith in God. For some of us.. well, we have to exhibit a lot more patience and endurance... We've been called to "love" no matter what and against all odds (meaning indifference sometimes....) ~ GraceMae
Among other things that I've learned here is to be more patient to one another. It's not our culture differences that hinders us from understanding each other but pride. No one is righteous, not even one; in the eyes of God we have that righteousness of being his children through His free gift of salvation.
So we ourselves are the one whose going to answer to God
about all the things that we've done & left undone. God wants us to live in peace & show our love for one another no matter what. Especially to our enemies, in doing this we will heap burning coals on their heads.
May the peace of God be with you all my dear brothers & sisters!!! :peace:
Ms. Grace, that's a beautiful song. Thanks for sharing. I agree with Patau, most of the time it's not our cultural differences that keep us from getting along, but our own silly, foolish pride and trying to getthe last word in. Well put you'll. God bless!
You know...I believe that the sole cause of all strife is...
...lack of LOVE.
If you are not happy with yourself...if you do not Love yourself, then how can you Love anyone else? That anger that you feel (beginning with yourself) is sent outwards towards others. When you feel like you've been ostracized (usually because you don't play well with others), you find or start a group that believes the same way that you do. This group is usually made up of angry people that hate the world. Their beliefs are not within the mainstream of society (they are either far...far left or far...far right of the mainstream). You can spot them because they will disagree with just about everybody and they eventually get ugly.
Again, it is all from lack of Love. Love was not given them and therefore they feel that they do not need Love from anyone and they will not weaken themselves by giving Love to anyone.
Their voices are sharp and double edged. Their smiles are that of a crocodile just before feeding and their tears come from the same beast. Many are Lost and I believe unsaveable, but some can be turned (with much Love and patience...a lot of patience).
We are called to know our Faith, so as to know what to answer when questioned. We all need to "Dig" more in the Soil of Christianity...in Church History (from the Beginning until Now) so in order to understand how mankind has affected Her.
God knew Perfectly well how it would all turn out and He made provisions for it. The Holy Spirit is not schizophrenic...it does not give one person a truth and another a different truth. The Church was given The Full Deposit of Truth...of The Faith and was told to Hold On To It and keep it Safe and to pass it on to �Trustworthy� Elders. The Holy Spirit was also given Her to insure this.
There are over 30,000 churches today...each preaching The Gospel and each having some piece of that Full Deposit of Faith missing. Are we to bash each other over our heads because of this? No...it is only with Love and Understanding that we will be once again United as One Church. LOVE is the Key...my Sisters and Brothers.
Let's sing an "AMEN" to that... an "AMEN" so aloud that resound from star to star ... let's ask the Lord for the company of a chorus of angels singing to Him, the Almighty God... Who is Love Himself...
How many times we have spoken here... and there... and for ages... about that need of loving each other? We are only repeating what we have been told...
How many times left for us to feel the pain in our hearts because of the vulgarity of lack of Love, and his attacks?... Oh, a lot of times left yet... We know that. But God is faithful to be with us every time.
Yes, there will always be "wolves among the sheep"... but no one of them can stop that Love that God has spread all over His creation... that Love that He has placed in our hearts...
Kain kills Abel. This is not just a story. It tells us loud and clear how we - fallen and cut off from God�s presence - feel about and treat our brothers and sisters.
That was BC. And After Christ? Not much has changed, only we do not kill eachother. We turn our back and start a new church.
Humans, and that includes christians, have a problem with loving eachother. Jesus the Christ did not mention this so many times to his disciples for nothing. It is the main problem in this world. We all love God but loving eachother the way we love ourselves....? We mostly laugh because deep within ourselves we are convinced that is impossible.
The best we can do, and that is actually what we are constantly doing, is love our own. Own friends, own church, own opinion, ....
Love, peace, patience and other words are in theory perfect. No one can deny it. But in our day-to-day-grey, we utterly fail. Actually, no one has succeeded yet.
As christian brothers and sisters we should get along, yes! But we only "get along" because we go to different churches. In order to prevent any more killings, I strongly suggest that we keep it that way.
I'm finding this to be a great place to make friends. I am mystified by those who would rather argue their dogma than teach others to follow Jesus. I respect the people here who both challenge me and encourage me. I like having differences and discovering new ways to look at what I believe. On the other hand I will speak out against those who want to bring conflict and attempt to disarm them. I usually use multiple syllabication and proper hermeneutics and apologetics. I think it's always better to be studitious and wise than foolish and flatulent.
"I'm finding this to be a great place to make friends. I am mystified by those who would rather argue their dogma than teach others to follow Jesus. I respect the people here who both challenge me and encourage me. I like having differences and discovering new ways to look at what I believe. On the other hand I will speak out against those who want to bring conflict and attempt to disarm them."
Took the words right out of my mouth, Thunder.
"I usually use multiple syllabication and proper hermeneutics and apologetics."
Those words are FAR to large to come out of my mouth, though. :laugh:
