Hey Mark, Dani, DL, Anna, Saltnlight, Billy, (plus any other Christian friends who visit here), doesn't the following devotional accurately portray the critical spirits of those who post here and disagree with what is clearly written in God's Word?
Christine
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No Statues for Critics
I have become the ridicule of all my people their taunting song all the day.
Lamentations 3:14
Recommended Reading
1 Samuel 17:26-29
The story is told of a young musician whose concert was roundly criticized by the music critics of his day. The famous Finnish composer Jean Sibelius consoled him by patting him on the shoulder and saying, "Remember, son, there is no city in the world where they have erected a statue to a critic."
Well, there might be such a statue somewhere. But there are surely more statues erected to remember champions and heroes than critics. Yet critics will always be the stone in the champion’s shoe and they may be found close to home. When the teenaged David wanted to go down and confront the Philistine giant Goliath, his own older brother, Eliab, was his biggest critic. David was accused of being prideful and insolent, of not taking the cost of war seriously. What happened to David can happen to anyone who wants to be a champion for Christ. Others who are fearful of stepping out in faith and obeying God will try to make themselves feel better by criticizing you. But if God is calling you to step out and trust Him, there is no safer place you can be.
Far better to be criticized by God’s opponents than to disappoint God by not heeding His call.
Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain, and most fools do.
Benjamin Franklin
Read-Thru-the-Bible
Hosea 7:1 12:14
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14 comments:
The Critic:
1 Samuel 17:28b - "I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle."
The Christian:
29 And David said, "What have I done now? Is there not a cause?"
[bold mine]
Hi Christine -
I've been reading John 6 & 7. We're in good company.
Blessings,
Anna
Hostess:
Since you've seen fit to quote the notoriously secular Ben Franklin, here's some more words of his you should take note of:
"Love your enemies, for they tell you your faults."
There is a difference between criticizing in general, and criticizing those who are sharing what God's Word says.
David asked, "Is there not a cause?"
My critics: boo, phronk, gmpilot etc.
My cause: all the things and people that hold themselves up above the Lord and His Word; just like boo listed.
Perhaps each of you need to re-read and heed this portion of the post:
Others who are fearful of stepping out in faith and obeying God will try to make themselves feel better by criticizing you. But if God is calling you to step out and trust Him, there is no safer place you can be.
Far better to be criticized by God’s opponents than to disappoint God by not heeding His call.
Hi Anna!
Thanks for the support, as usual!
There is a difference between criticizing in general, and criticizing those who are sharing what God's Word says.
Then please tell us what the difference is. Criticism is criticism, and I see no reason why the alleged Word of God should get a free pass.
”Far better to be criticized by God’s opponents than to disappoint God by not heeding His call.”
“Disappoint God”? How can such things be, hostess? Does God not know exactly who will do what, when? So I’ve been told, again and again and again, over decades. If he knows what you’re going to do, he can’t be disappointed…or even surprised.
”But if God is calling you to step out and trust Him, there is no safer place you can be.”
Uh huh. Don’t read history much, do you?
”Far better to be criticized by God’s opponents than to disappoint God by not heeding His call.”
Well, you’ve done that, so now you can feel righteous! Instead, you’re just whining about the stone in your shoe.
I think I said this before on Dani's Blog of Fun & Spirituality, but I'll say it again here. I don't comment to criticize your faith. It's fair to say I admire people who are secure in their beliefs and follow them accordingly.
Where I have to part ways with those folks is when those beliefs require them to act in such a way as to hinder the rights of other people. If that is taken as criticism so be it. But to be clear, I never have and never will criticize you for your faith, but I will always criticize your attempts to impose your way of life on others who don't share the same values.
Now, that said, where do you want your statue? I know a good sculptor.
Limpy said: "But to be clear, I never have and never will criticize you for your faith, but I will always criticize your attempts to impose your way of life on others who don't share the same values."
[bold mine]
So, does that statement mean that you would include criticizing homosexual activists who impose their way of life on others who don't share the same values, too?
Just wondering...
GMpilot: "“Disappoint God”? How can such things be, hostess? Does God not know exactly who will do what, when? So I’ve been told, again and again and again,
over decades. If he knows what you’re going to do, he can’t be disappointed…or even surprised."
You are correct. He isn't surprised by our ultimate choice to "fear Him and keep His commandments" or to "continue in rebellion and spend eternity without His presence."
But disappointment over our everyday choices is a different thing altogether.
When we love someone, we want what is best for them. God watches our bad decisions and choices on this earth and grieves over the consequences that we suffer because of them.
David fell into sin several times, including adultery and murder. If God wasn't disappointed in such actions then He wouldn't be a Righteous and Holy Judge of
the Universe. One result of David's plunge into sin was the loss of a child. David grieved deeply over the loss, but also recognized that he would see that
child again in eternity.
David is described in the Bible as a "man after God's own heart." It wasn't because of the sin David engaged in; it was because of his willingness to admit, confess and repent of his sin in order to be reconciled back to God.
Yes. God knows the past, present and future of the human beings that He created. But we don't know it all and that is the point. God doesn't want anyone to
perish. He doesn't take pleasure in the destruction of the wicked. But it is necessary if they choose not to turn to Him (who gives us eternal life and sustains us)within their lifetimes.
Consider this. You nor I cannot know for a fact whether or not you will eventually turn to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of your life. But God knows what your ultimate choice will be. And if your choice remains, no way! then when you face Christ in eternity at the Great White Throne Judgment, you will have no
excuse because of the numerous times that you have been presented the gospel message.
In the end, the ultimate result for your life will be that you will get exactly what your free will choice has been all along. Eternal separation from your
Creator God in Whom you have told me that you personally despise. And God will say back to you, "So be it."
However, if you turn back to God and accept His Son's sacrificial death on the cross for your sin and invite him into your heart to be Savior and Lord of your life, then I will be seeing you and celebrating with you in the future at the biggest PAR-TAY ever! The marriage supper of the Lamb in heaven!
Even after all this time and your constant rejection, ranting and raving against the Lord, I still pray for your heart of stone to be softened and accepting towards the saving grace and mercy of Jesus Christ.
I see you’re in preaching mode, Christine. I shall reply in kind.
To be a Christian, they say, is to “be like Christ”. If I had to judge all Christians by you, Christine, I could never become one. Here, as on the page where we originally “met”, you have ranted and raved against
Gays, and any legislation concerning them;
Muslims (mostly the “Islamofascist” kind);
The ACLU, with your lame-ass versions of their name; and
Evolutionists, whom you won’t challenge on their own turf.
Not to mention you have distanced yourself from other Christians, claiming they were not ”True Christians”©. Even Martin Luther!
”David fell into sin several times, including adultery and murder. If God wasn't disappointed in such actions then He wouldn't be a Righteous and Holy Judge of
the Universe. One result of David's plunge into sin was the loss of a child. David grieved deeply over the loss, but also recognized that he would see that child again in eternity.”
So, King David gets to spend eternity with the child who died because of his, David’s, crime. The infant lived only a week; one wonders what they talk about. The infant was himself guilty of nothing except being born; but God killed it anyway, rather than the person who’d actually done something. For some inexplicable reason, it was necessary. Such is the justice of God. I guess that so-called “age of accountability” was invented later, hm?
”God doesn't want anyone to perish. He doesn't take pleasure in the destruction of the wicked. But it is necessary if they choose not to turn to Him (who gives us eternal life and sustains us)within their lifetimes.”
He doesn’t want us to die (so you say)…he doesn’t get his jollies killing us (so you say)…so why does he keep doing it? He sounds very much like a substance abuse addict who does the same thing again and again, always expecting a different result. Unlike you or I, God is said to be omniscient—he knows before he begins what the end will be, and yet he keeps on doing the same ol’ thing.
And of course it’s not possible for anyone to “turn to Him” after their lifetime.
”Consider this. You nor I cannot know for a fact whether or not you will eventually turn to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of your life. But God knows what your ultimate choice will be. And if your choice remains, no way! then when you face Christ in eternity at the Great White Throne Judgment, you will have no excuse because of the numerous times that you have been presented the gospel message.”
Why would I want an excuse? An excuse is what you use when you can’t think of any reasons. Moreover, since God knows what my ultimate choice will be, he’ll dispense with the formalities and have me frog-marched into the Pit. You, of course, will be there to applaud his righteousness and justice, and while you’re enjoying your celestial PAR-TAY, you will dance to the music of my screams. This is what the church fathers taught, and I suspect you’re looking forward to it.
”In the end, the ultimate result for your life will be that you will get exactly what your free will choice has been all along. Eternal separation from your Creator God in Whom you have told me that you personally despise. And God will say back to you, ‘So be it.’"
Like you, I shall repeat what I said before: a God such as the one described in the Bible—one who gives us a set of laws and then proceeds to break them; a God who killed 70, 000 people to avenge himself on one man (your hero David, in fact); a God who is said to be forgiving, yet sentenced his first two subjects to expulsion, and all their descendants to his eternal wrath; a God who drowned every living thing on earth (except what he could crowd into a 100-meter vessel) without shedding a tear, yet supposedly wept when his son got nailed to a cross; a God who sacrificed his own son to save mankind from the curse he himself had put upon them—THAT sort of God should be denied, defied, or ignored.
I never said, “despise”, oh no. That would make me as bad as he is!
”However, if you turn back to God and accept His Son's sacrificial death on the cross for your sin and invite him into your heart to be Savior and Lord of your life, then I will be seeing you and celebrating with you in the future at the biggest PAR-TAY ever! The marriage supper of the Lamb in heaven!”
Tell us the rest of the story: Matt 22:1~14!
”Even after all this time and your constant rejection, ranting and raving against the Lord, I still pray for your heart of stone to be softened and accepting towards the saving grace and mercy of Jesus Christ.”
As I recall, Pharaoh’s heart was finally softened…and God destroyed him anyway. Surely you don’t believe I deserve any better! Besides:
“Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will [have mercy], and whom he will he hardeneth” (Romans 9:18).
I’ve never been much of a PAR-TAY-goer, anyhow.
Have a good day.
Christine asked "So, does that statement mean that you would include criticizing homosexual activists who impose their way of life on others who don't share the same values, too?"
Yes, actually, it does. You and I, however, would no doubt disagree as to what the imposition of homosexual ways of life actually constituted. Do I think that you should be forced to support, either directly or indirectly, homosexual oriented art or societies or parades or whatever? No. That conflicts with your beliefs and you're entitled to them. But, do I think society has to allow, at the state level, gay marriage and tolerance of gay people in general and not allow gay kids to get beat up in school just because they're gay? Yes, yes I do.
Yeah GMpilot, it's deja vu all over again. We've "been there, done that" too many times to count. I find it curious, though, that you still ask the same questions that have already been answered. Perhaps it's because you don't like the answers? Guess so...
GM: "I never said, “despise”, oh no. That would make me as bad as he is!"
Sometimes people don't actually have to say things in order for another to perceive what is true about them. I don't think I have met anyone else who shows through his postings that he actually despises God the way that you show it!
Your words indicate that you think you're better than God! Speaks volumes...
GM: "As I recall, Pharaoh’s heart was finally softened…and God destroyed him anyway."
If you would recall, Pharaoh let the Israelites go after many plagues, including the one that killed his son. But then, he "hardened his heart" yet again and his army went after them, resulting in their drowning in the Red Sea.
You can read this commentary about Romans 9:18 to get a better idea of the context of that verse.
Limpy,
Do you not even see the double standard you have created here? Due to your particular ideology, you see "rights" where I see a blatantly propagandistic pursuit of a subversive campaign and agenda designed to indoctrinate children as young as 5 with the pro-homosexual mantra, with the end result being legalized same-sex marriage. This is highly subversive to America's foundational values and institutions.
This goes way beyond the call for "tolerance" and "safe schools."
Kupelian writes:
"The extensive three-stage strategy to Desensitize, Jam and Convert the American public is reminiscent of George Orwell's premise of goodthink and badthink in "1984." As Kirk and Madsen put it, "To one extent or another, the separability - and manipulability - of the verbal label is the basis for all the abstrct principles underlying our proposed campaign." [meaning, selling "gay" rights to America]
Separability? Manipulability? Allow me to translate this psychological marketing jargon: We can change what people actually think and feel by breaking their current negative associations with our cause and replacing them with positive associations.
Simple case in point: homosexual activists call their movement "gay rights." This accomplishes two major objectives: (1) Use of the word gay rather than homosexual masks the controversial sexual behavior involved and accentuates instead a vague but positive-sounding cultural identity – gay, which, after all, once meant "happy"; and (2) describing their battle from the get-go as one over "rights" implies homosexuals are being denied the basic freedoms of citizenship that others enjoy.
So merely by using the term gay rights, and persuading politicians and the media to adopt this terminology, activists seeking to transform America have framed the terms of the debate in their favor almost before the contest begins. (And in public relations warfare, he who frames the terms of the debate almost always wins."
In another thread, Mark described the detailed, abhorrent, sexual practice that is involved regarding homosexual behavior between two men. He then asked if this is what we should be teaching our kids. No one responded. Why? They don't like "gay rights" framed through a question like that. Exactly the point that Kupelian made in the excerpt above.
Kirk and Madsen's techniques of "desensitization," "jamming," and "conversion," is the object of classic brainwashing and no one can deny that we're talking about some serious messing around with Americans' minds here!
”Yeah GMpilot, it's deja vu all over again. We've "been there, done that" too many times to count. I find it curious, though, that you still ask the same questions that have already been answered. Perhaps it's because you don't like the answers? Guess so...”
Nope…the questions have never been answered; not by you, not by the experts you so often quote. You make assertions and never back them up, while they obfuscate the context. It may be a reply, but it’s hardly an answer.
So I guess we’ll continue to go there, do that. You do dance rather well.
”Sometimes people don't actually have to say things in order for another to perceive what is true about them. I don't think I have met anyone else who shows through his postings that he actually despises God the way that you show it!”
It’s not the way I show it, Christine; it’s the way his book shows it! I’ve read the same words you have. If I reach a different conclusion than you, what does that say about the book? You know I’m not making up the stuff that’s in there. I couldn’t.
”If you would recall, Pharaoh let the Israelites go after many plagues, including the one that killed his son. But then, he "hardened his heart" yet again and his army went after them, resulting in their drowning in the Red Sea.”
Let us see who hardened whose heart, shall we?:
And he hardened Pharaoh's heart, that he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said. And the LORD said unto Moses, Pharaoh's heart [is] hardened, he refuseth to let the people go. Ex 7:13~14
And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto them; as the LORD had said. Ex 7:22
Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This [is] the finger of God: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said. Ex 8:19
But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go. Ex 10:20
But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let them go. Ex 10:27
And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh: and the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go out of his land. Ex 11:10
And just so you can’t deny it, here’s the Lord’s own words, in Exodus 7:3:
And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt.
So we know who was really responsible, correct? The Lord set Pharaoh up!
I need no commentary to explain the context of a verse. If it’s ‘God’s Only Truth’, it should need no specialists to interpret it. It should be obvious to anyone who reads it.
Any more BS tricks you want to try? I’m familiar with most of them, so show enough respect for my intelligence to use a new one on me.
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