A Very Timely Quote & a word for all of us...

""You may create enemies because of your position, but you should never create enemies because of your disposition."

In light of a lot of the recent exchanges, I felt inclined to share this your for your consideration. Not as one "above others", but one intimately involved with my own past failures in this area, both with lost, brethren, wife, kids, etc.

Sometimes even if we are "right" in what we say, we are "wrong" in God's eyes (the eyes of truth that see all) in how we say it. Let's not think we can be exempt from being "Sons of Thunder" in need of rebuke for "not knowing what spirit we are of". I have failed many, many times here before, & am not exempt from it if I do not keep close to the Lord in truth & keep a close guard over my heart & my tongue (or pen, or keyboard).

And also, when we share things in an abrasive, harsh, or unkind, ungentle, unloving (all manifestations of pride within) way, even if we have light in an area, the darkness coming through from our heart overshadows it & nothing is ever really heard/received anyways.

Let's remember that the Lord was meek, gentle, loving, gracious, self-controlled, humble, patient, understanding, etc. If we are not these things, then "what we think we know" matters very little really. And some things are important to be known & shared. But let's not let our "zeal" blind us to our pride/disposition either.

I hope this is only received as an exhortation/admonition to love, grace, mercy & truth. This truth (of the quote) is universal to ALL OF US (regardless where we stand on a number of doctrines/issues, many of which are important too - I'm not minimizing that fact!).

I would quote 1 Corinthians 13 here, but we all can go read it ourselves. It's important that Paul told the Corinthians how important it was to earnestly covet the gifts, especially to prophesy, for the edification of the Body! But also immediately spoke of the more excellent "way" of love & how without it we are just clanging cymbals & noisy gongs. Truth we should all revisit in our secret place often & look at our own hearts, lives, words, & "ways".
God Bless,
Jeff

Jwff this a good word I particular applly to myself. In a forum like this we are behind our keyboards. Our post do not necessarily convey the tone of our voice. This is why I try to use adjectives in my posts such as respectfully or in kindness or in gentleness to convey the tone of my posts. Maybe this might be helpful to others.

Respectfully posted.

Blaine

Amen. Another thing I have found is that you dont have to be involved with every thread. If a thread comes along on a subject that has been discussed many times before ( almost every subject has been discussed many times before:) then you should just let it be discussed and maybe post your own thread that is edifying to others.

I am a great believer in posting our thoughts as opposed to just reacting to others posts or cutting and pasting long pieces about what others say. Cutting and pasting used to be frowned upon here back in the day, kinda like you are letting someone else speak for you when you can speak for yourself.

God bless all of my brothers and sisters and may the peace of the Lord rain down............bro Frank

Very good word, Jeff.

The more spiritual one is the more love and patience and understanding they will show to all men, especially those of the household of faith.

Lord, give me more love (more of You).

Brother Frank I don't even know how to cut and paste. Many times that is a blessing to me in this forum.

Bro. Blaine

Hi Blaine,

I was referring to posting long dissertations from other sources rather than engage a brother with your own thoughts. Then it can just become old battles between warring factions...........bro Frank

I hope you don't mind if I reply to you, passerby.

Yes, "Jerusalem above" is a burdensome stone for all people. The stone that the builders rejected has become a stumbling stone (Jesus Christ). People have to come to terms with the King of Jerusalem above, not for their physical destiny but for their eternal destiny. It is all about eternal destiny not physical wars on earth.

God is calling all men to repentance now. They ignore the Lord expressed through His Church (Zion above) to their peril.

Zechariah is prophecying about the kingdom of God and about Jesus Christ. It is not about us or any nation, it is about Jesus Christ. Always has been, always will be. Satan is after those who know about the words of life (the gospel).

The Jews are not a burdensome people to everyone. The righteous Gentiles risked their lives to save many of them in world war 2. And will do the same thing, again if need be. Not just Jews but anyone.

All the people of the earth will not gather against the Jews because Christians will not gather against anyone but the "people of the earth (fleshly people) are gathering against the elect, the Church as Satan despises Jesus Christ and those who love Him. It is the Church that we read about in Revelation that is being persecuted by Satan.

The prophecies in the OT pointing to things in the NT, speak of Christ and His Church. No longer is it about physical nations on earth, but about the Bride and the Bridegroom.

Many things come clearly into view when you keep Christ and His Church, central. That is what the NT is all about. "The old had passed away".

Brothers, respectfully, what do your last two posts have to do with the OP? I went back and read Jeff's word to us. Jerusalem has nothing to do with it.

I think a hijacking of this thread is taking place. The end result is Greg locking it down. Let us keep our posts to what Jeff is exhorting us to do. And that is be conciliatory toward one another and are posting.

My thoughts respectively posted.

Brother Blaine

Blane, with all due respect, Passerby initiated the conversation and I replied. We are also being respectful so why would Greg lock it down? You are sounding an alarm where two brothers are in peaceful dialogue.

Why don't you say something about the incendiary comments on Proudpapa's thread? Poor guy is just trying to post a profile of a Christian.

Blaine

Par for the course, nothing but division and strife to further the agenda from these "friendly" chaps.

""You may create enemies because of your position, but you should never create enemies because of your disposition."

In light of a lot of the recent exchanges, I felt inclined to share this your for your consideration. Not as one "above others", but one intimately involved with my own past failures in this area, both with lost, brethren, wife, kids, etc.

Sometimes even if we are "right" in what we say, we are "wrong" in God's eyes (the eyes of truth that see all) in how we say it. Let's not think we can be exempt from being "Sons of Thunder" in need of rebuke for "not knowing what spirit we are of". I have failed many, many times here before, & am not exempt from it if I do not keep close to the Lord in truth & keep a close guard over my heart & my tongue (or pen, or keyboard).

And also, when we share things in an abrasive, harsh, or unkind, ungentle, unloving (all manifestations of pride within) way, even if we have light in an area, the darkness coming through from our heart overshadows it & nothing is ever really heard/received anyways.

Let's remember that the Lord was meek, gentle, loving, gracious, self-controlled, humble, patient, understanding, etc. If we are not these things, then "what we think we know" matters very little really. And some things are important to be known & shared. But let's not let our "zeal" blind us to our pride/disposition either.

I hope this is only received as an exhortation/admonition to love, grace, mercy & truth. This truth (of the quote) is universal to ALL OF US (regardless where we stand on a number of doctrines/issues, many of which are important too - I'm not minimizing that fact!).

I would quote 1 Corinthians 13 here, but we all can go read it ourselves. It's important that Paul told the Corinthians how important it was to earnestly covet the gifts, especially to prophesy, for the edification of the Body! But also immediately spoke of the more excellent "way" of love & how without it we are just clanging cymbals & noisy gongs. Truth we should all revisit in our secret place often & look at our own hearts, lives, words, & "ways".

Brethren,

It is clear that from what brother has posted that we have 2 roads to follow, either the road of humility before men and the Lord or pride seeking to be right with our words but wrong with our heart attitude. To try and win every argument on any thread on SermonIndex is a wrong mindset. We should never want to even want to win the argument, rather we should seek to serve each other, and pray for each other.

Along with some suggestions in this Original Post we would do well to re-read the community guidelines also:

Re-Reading the Community Guiding Principles
https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=56543&forum=16

brother Blaine, though you mean well, it would be good for you not to try and moderate every situation that you feel needs correction etc. It would be best to commit such brothers to prayer if you feel they are not serving the brethren.

May God help us all to be servants filled with the love of God for each other.

Our unity is in Christ and not a belief of physical Israel. May we find our unity in the center first.

Brother Greg I recieve the rebuke. I humbly extend my apologies to Passerby and Julius.

Respectfully posted in humility.

Brother Blaine

Blane, absolutely no problem. Much love to you, bro.

Thank you bro. Love you too.

Lovingly posted.

Bro Blaine