ok, I'll jump in here. First of all I think the problem goes deeper than just race for Christians. Look at all the seperation between denominations. It seems we have such inferiority complexes that we will use anything to try and elevate ourselves over the next person. Myself, I prefer to attend a church that is ethnically diverse. There are so many testimonies and points of view, not to mention, awesome brothers and sisters in christ that we miss out on by segregating ourselves.
Before I was saved I did Native American ceremonies for about six years. Had I not done that I would have never known that they worship the same God we do, just have a different name for him( tunkashila, which means Holy Grandfather).
I also am involved in prison ministry, I host a prayer and share group every Tuesday night inside the prison here( I mean an actual prison not just a county jail). In this prayer group we have whites, blacks, and hispanics all coming together in love for God and each other in an enviroment that strongly discourages this kind of racial mixing. Almost all gangs within a prison are racial. I absolutely love our groups' sessions because of the diversity we enjoy. It does sadden me though that the group that I work with ( we have teams in prisons all over the world) at least in Kansas is made up mostly of retired, gray-haired, white men. I think we could be much more effective for Christ if we were more ethnically diverse.
A question that I have is this; what does everyone think of dating/ marriage with those of other races? I at this point do not know of anything biblically against it. I would just like to get other christians view points on it.
Lastly, I firmly believe that when we recieve our resurrection bodies there will no longer be any "races" we will all just be children of God, so why not start being that now. Why wait?
Personally, I think all the different denominations are probably the best trick satan ever came up with. Yes, I said satan! Think about it, if we all quit fighting amongst ourselves and focused on fighting satan and the forces of darkness, they wouldn't stand a chance!!! Why is it that man has this inherent need to feel superior to his neighbor? My idea of God is better than your idea of God, Nahhhhhhh!
Sometimes we sound like a bunch of kids on the playground.
What is happening now has happened before, because God makes the same things happen over and over again.
Have you ever heard the phrase " there's nothing new under the sun ". I think that's what this verse is talking about. Take heart in knowing that whatever it is that you're going through, others have already been through it and with God's help made it through.
The part about God makes things happen over and over again. I wonder if he does that in the hopes that someday we'll get it right!!!!:excited:
One thing to remember is that loving someone and being "in love " are two totally different things. Being "in love" is the emotional part at the beginning of a relationship when we are riding on the emotional high of being in a new relationship. This can last up to six months, then the emotional rollercoaster starts to slow down and our true feelings star to come through. Too many of us these days want that constant emotional high of being " in love". We commit to each other and a lot of times marry ( guilty!!!!) during this period only to wake up 6 mos. later going What did I do ?. How many times do we hear the phrase " I'm just not in love with you anymore"? Well duh! We aren't supposed to live on those emotional highs forever but too many people keep searching for that next " in love " feeling, going from one relationship to another without ever experiencing true love. We should never commit to someone without being together for at least 6 mo. to a year. I hate to say it, but I don't think you can really get to know a person through just emails. It takes that one on one, face to face bonding to be sure.
Just wanted to give a shout out to God, today is my 13th sobriety birthday!!!! 13 years clean and sober, all because of His grace. Hallelujah:yay::applause::peace::prayingm:
I am going to start on 2 favorite scripture to share
Posted : 11 Jun, 2009 05:52 PM
My 2 favorites are Psalm 40:2-3
He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire.
He set my on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.
He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see what he has done and be amazed.
They will put their trust in the Lord.
And the ones that hit me the most, being an ex-offender myself, and I use these alot when I go back into the prisons to minister are.
1 Timothy 1:15-16
This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners -- and I am the worst of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and recieve eternal life.
One other point is that it would be a lot easier for a younger person to find someone their own age who had never been married than it is for those of us who are more "seasoned" shall we say. We all make mistakes, and none of us are second best to anything cause God don't make junk!!!!!!!!!!!
I don't think whoever it was that chatised you really had a right to do that, I believe thats the Holy Spirits job. If you know you weren't doing anything deceitful then brush it off and go on. I tried some of those same sites also but did not feel comfortable on them. I feel at home here!!!
