Hmm… was just only looking for articles and stuf…
Hmm… was just only looking for articles and stuff to read. I’m so tired of all this and i haven’t even begun saying what i wanna say. Its been a really smooth time in my life, alot of pondering and thinking each day. Its scary how the days are just whooshing by and then i’m going to be done with army, or shld i say started with sch? Theres no fear no jitters prob cos i haven’t reach the time yet but when i do i think i’ll be in a mess again.
Its silly how circumstances don’t really affect your character at all? cos out of that character a behaviour springs forth. And though circumstances change a behaviour. It is very very long before it starts moulding your character. Don’t tell yourself you’ll have time to read bible when you’re done with exams, don’t tell yourself you’re too tired today cos tommorrow will be no different, being free will be no different, having holidays will be no different. It may be different for a while, but it won’t matter once it settles into a routine. Sometimes when i sit in sunday sch its just weird. I feel like i can follow a thought process but i cannot really generate it. Predicting what is going to be said or what direction the whole conversation is taking is really obvious and easy but generating it is a whole different ball game. I stay in the younger class because i really don’t want to move to a different age group and also i feeel something for them there. Like i have something to give but i haven’t found out how to give. Its just a very confusing time for me in service and all. Music is just being steady and stagnant. Its tough enough to innovate by itself, but theres always this added dimension of other people’s opinions. And it is constantly pressed on you. I wish to offend nobody, and also to remain at peace with all. So forgive me if my speech seems to gnaw at your personal space or character, i’ll do my best to change how i say it.
Also, I wish people would just be less critical and more solution based. Assigning blame is unproductive, destructive comments are unproductive and grudges are unproductive. I feel there is always never enough a person could have done to change something that is bothering them or has gone wrong already. Submitting to circumstances with much murmuring and complaining without actively seeking to solve the situation at hand is terrible to say the least. The facts are all there already.. its what you choose to do that really matters. To respond in love or to obey your flesh and pride. To refuse to lower your pride continually to be a humble vessel of God’s message to people who are hard to reach.
Matthew 7
Do Not Judge
Things That Count with God
(A) 1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. 3And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? 4Or how can you say to your brother, “Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? 5Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
6“Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.
Keep Asking, Seeking, Knocking
(B) 7“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! 12Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
Christ reproves rash judgment.
We must judge ourselves, and judge of our own acts, but not make our word a law to everybody. We must not judge rashly, nor pass judgment upon our brother without any ground. We must not make the worst of people. Here is a just reproof to those who quarrel with their brethren for small faults, while they allow themselves in greater ones. Some sins are as motes, while others are as beams; some as a gnat, others as a camel. Not that there is any sin little; if it be a mote, or
splinter, it is in the eye; if a gnat, it is in the throat; both are painful and dangerous, and we cannot be easy or well till they are got out. That which charity teaches us to call but a splinter in our brother’s eye, true repentance and godly sorrow will teach us to call a beam in our own. It is as strange that a man can be in a sinful, miserable condition, and not be aware of it, as that a man should have a beam in his eye, and not consider it; but the god of this world blinds their minds.
Here is a good rule for reprovers; first reform thyself. (Mt 7:7-11)
And i will not stop at there. To say simply to settle your own problems before you bother others is silly because the end of it is to edify and admonish one another so that..
Hebrews 10
Hold Fast Your Confession
19Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21and having a High Priest over the house of God, 22let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. 24And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
EXHORT
EXHORT’, v.t. egzhort’. L. exhortor; ex and hortor, to encourage, to embolden, to cheer, to advise. The primary sense seems to be to excite or to give strength, spirit or courage.
1. To incite by words or advice; to animate or urge by arguments to a good deed or to any laudable conduct or course of action.
I exhort you to be of good cheer. Acts. 27.
Young men also exhort to be sober minded.
Exhort servants to be obedient to their masters. Tit.2.
2. To advise; to warn; to caution.
3. To incite or stimulate to exertion.
EXHORT’, v.i. To deliver exhortation; to use words or arguments to incite to good deeds.
And with many other words did he testify and exhort. Acts.2.
Its easy to be right with the LORD and then come to a brother to tell him he has a plank in his eye. But are YOU going to help him remove it? or simply point it out? By pointing it out you have started the first step to stiring up good works, but there is more to do… you can assist in removing it.. and if that is not enough, you can get him a pair of goggles so he does not get another splinter in his eye. By that, i mean following up with him, encouraging him to be accountable to you or a senior person who is steady in his walk. There are endless possibilities but most are happy to just stop at pointing it out. Worse than that, when things are said that are not a solution to people who are not part of the problem or solution.
1 Corinthians 2:3-5 (New King James Version)
3I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. 4And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human[a] wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
Speach should not be of human wisdom… but of Godly wisdom, bcause human words only seerve as a temporary fix at best and permanent damage at worst.
Colossians 4:5-7 (New King James Version)
5Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. 6Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.
Speach must always be tactful and graceful. Not sladerous or damaging, the worst being speaking the truth unkindly and unlovingly
Titus 2 (New King James Version)
Qualities of a Sound Church
1 But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: 2that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience; 3the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things– 4that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.
6Likewise, exhort the young men to be sober-minded, 7in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility,[a] 8sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you.[b]
9Exhort bondservants to be obedient to their own masters, to be well pleasing in all things, not answering back, 10not pilfering, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.
Our speach MUST be founded in God’s word. For no other word does hold weight.
Telling someone off shloud not mean that he do exactly as you say, but exactly as God says. It might differ from what you had in mind but as long as it is not expressly spoken against in the bible, not stumbling to other believers, christian liberty should be allowed to be exercised. Not to frustrate others, but to exercise your liberty with love and consideration for others.
phew… said a whole lot. Sigh. Spent quite a while here over 4 hours on and of… going to sleep now. zzzzzz