That depends on if you are hiding the fact that you are a christian and are looking strictly for a christian mate. If you do not specify that you are looking for a christian mate and start dating women of the world you could be setting yourself up for trouble. My thoughts are to stick with what works.
The same verse is in Matt. 17:20 except they use a mountain in that one, which is the one I was most familiar with. I always thought that the mountains, mulberry trees they were talking about were obstacles in our lives. Whether it be addictions, habitual sins, whatever, if we have just a little faith that Christ can bring us through these things we can overcome anything in our lives.
Welcome my fellow Kansan, I was beginning to think I was the only one here. I hope you enjoy everything this site has to offer. I have met and talked to quite a few awesome men and women of God here, so dive right in!!!!!!!!:applause:
I'm sorry but I must disagree with you on this one. This medium and any and all mediums where Christians gather are to be used to witness to those who are lost. We may not be the first or the last voice of opposition to their beliefs but we must at least be a voice. What happens when christians stop voicing opposition to the views and ways of satan? You have the society we live in today. One plants, one waters and yet another reaps. If we stop speaking out these people will never have a chance to come to their senses.
This is a Christian forum therefore by nature it is a place to speak of the things of God. Yes, none of us is "equipped" but luckily God does not call the qualified, He qualifies the called.
And yes we are here to build families,and a community, a Christian community. It is our duty as Christians to try and bring as many lost souls into that community as possible.
How else is iron supposed to sharpen iron. We unfortunately have to deal with these types of people in every aspect of our lives and as it says in Acts 1:8
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
And in 2 Timothy 1:7
For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but one of power, love, and self-discipline.
If we do not speak up and speak out for God who will.
God is wanting to reach out to each and every one of us.
2 Peter 3:9 says,
The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.
I guess my point in all of this is that I hope and pray that we don't lose sight of our main purpose as Christians, which is to reach out to the lost and let the Lord use us to bring as many souls into the Family of Christ as possible.
Loved your posts and agree with you completely. Some very good and biblically backed advice that I for one will take to heart. The great thing is, that it doesn't just work for dating/marriage it works for every concern in our lives. Thank you and I will continue to follow your posts.
I hate to say this, but I am not sure if we are following the Spirit of Christ here lately. There have been some very misguided souls on the site recently but they are here for a reason. Even if they were sent here by satan to try and cause dissension within our group I firmly stand on the knowledge that God can and will turn whatever satan uses to try and destroy into something to bring glory to God. Is it not or duty as Christians to try and help these misguided souls. Perhaps it is because I am involved in prison ministry and deal with murderers, rapists, thieves, drug dealers, and child molesters on a weekly basis that I am more tolerant of these types. I have met people in prison that have some of the most disturbing and out there views you can imagine. I have also seen the miracle of God transforming these men's hearts and minds through the love of Jesus Christ. Yes there are those whose hearts are unfortunately hardened to the point of no return, but from my experience most are just either uninformed or have been given the wrong information.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 says : All scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is TRUE and to make us realize what is WRONG in our lives. It CORRECTS us when we are wrong and TEACHES us to do what is right. God uses it to PREPARE and EQUIP his people to every good work.
God may be sending these unfortunates here to us for us to help them through him. And I could be totally wrong here too. We are to hate the sin but love the sinner.
By the way I was once one of those people, having done a year in prison 14 years ago for smuggling guns and drugs.
When God saved me I did not even believe he existed. I'm eternally grateful that there were people that did not write me off as a lost cause. Glory be to God that I am truly a new creation in Christ, and that is my prayer for all those lost and confused souls out there.
God is good, all the time!!!!! Another amazing example of how God can take the things that satan would use to bring us down and turn them around to use for His glory. God knew that you would be open to listening to that young man and put you in his path. Sometimes, lending a sympathetic ear is the best witness we can give. Sounds like the Holy Spirit was already telling this young man what he needed to do, he just needed to say it aloud to another. And God chose YOU! God Bless You!
Darn, you figured us out!!:laugh: If you're going to go fishing you have to use what bait you think the fish will bite. And just like with fishing, those super fancy, romantic first dates are artificial bait. It might look good but once you take the bait it's not what you expected. Some guys will promise you the world and then you'll be lucky to get a happy meal.
One thing you can say for them though, they have great imaginations:ROFL:
I just want to applaud Linnie41, thank you for rebuking this misguided soul. We all need to be in prayer for him and others who share this same view. I can guarantee you that nothing bad ever comes from God ie: miscarriages. This and other things like it I firmly believe come from satan in an attempt to draw us away from our relationship with God.
You say that a baby does not have a soul until they take that first " breath of life" , isn't the mother in fact breathing those breaths for the child until it can do so on it's own. Should we also kill anyone who is on a respirator since they can no longer breathe for themselves.
As for your use of sripture, 2 Timothy 3:16 says that all scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. It is not until we fallable humans with a religious toxicity take those scriptures and pervert them to fit our own twisted viewpoints that they can become dangerous.
I will certainly be praying for you my brother. God Bless.
