Someone has commented that prayer is an excuse for not doing anything ….
Well, yes, do what you can, but pray – there is so much to bring to the Father’s throne room now while we still can do so
We’ve got Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit to help us – it isn’t so much how we feel, but what we affirm as true
I feel tired. ?
God keep Michael and the PhxP peeps
Em, I like your comment! I personally don’t see prayer as a cop-out in place of doing something, and I am honestly tired and bored with those who think this way. Sometimes that is all one can do is pray. I personally have seen this thought played out so many times online in regards to some issues, and usually it is uttered by those who don’t give a rip about prayer or God anyways. So, in effect, why should I give credence to them? I am not answerable to their twitter narrative, their rage-du-jour, if you will.
Dan, you raise a pertinent ponder. ?
Do we allow ungodly human viewpoint to influence our relationship with God the Father and our eternal family? Probably most of us/me would have to confess… yes?
Too bad we don’t let the definition of the word twitter define the comments there… IMO.
I don’t know what bob1’s new definition of mafia don is, but i do know that power players in the world of big business are not kind and gentle souls, but then worse – IMV – are the politicians down thru time, who are like Herod, who recognized John the Baptist’s true character, but “reluctantly” put John’s head on a platter for political expediency and to save face (his own).
Integrity is worth pondering …. as is our commitment to it …. I’ve spent the last five years among simple, working folk here in the mountains, who have more integrity in their little finger than did the posers in the suburbs in the 3 states that we raised our children in… or “in which we raised our children” ?
simple minded soul that i am, the Crusade billboard controversy seems to have no relevance except that it demonstrated the anathema that a certain segment of society, who lately have been calling the shots. Is it possible to give the Bible too much relevance and respect? I don’t think so…
Did Laurie try to make more or less of the real issue than was warranted? I’ll leave that to those here who are his peers… and many of you are that…
sitting here in a strange situation… in a narrow valley with spot fires still flaring up on the hillsides and my daughter and two of my grandchildren in Lihue Hawaii waiting out the storm – early on their airline refused to move their reservation home up or they’d have been gone from their a week ago… don’t believe it when those people protest that they couldn’t accomadate all the requests … some maybe… dunno
concerned about my children somewhat, concerned about Michael somewhat … and pondering… appreciating the food for thot that i always find here
God keep
Jean, i really liked the article you linked to. As far as Greg’s crusades go I do hope there are people who will and have come to a saving faith in Christ. And quite possibly people aren’t genuinely saved but are simply caught up in the moment and the hopes of the person(s) who brought them and then quickly fall to the wayside.
Yesterday a friend in his 70’s and I were talking and I asked about his health. He has many problems with the most critical is his advancing Parkinson’s. He’s losing more ground steadily and he told me about a procedure his doctor wanted to do.
It involved drilling a hole in his head and connecting wires to his brain and then placing something in his abdomen as well. He asked the doctoor if this would address the issues he’s fighting and the doctor said no. It was more of a research type of thing.
As he talked to me he started crying. I wanted so much to share the Gospel with him but instead I put my hands on his shoulder and told him I was sorry. Hopefully we can talk about the Gospel another time.
Might I ask how you handle personal evangelism? Part of me felt horrible for not sharing and another part told me I wasn’t responsible for his salvation. Thanks again.
Erunner, your question is to Jean and i know there will be a good answer, but, other than asking him if he’d mind if you prayed for him, i think your instincts were good… poor man… as Xenia says so often here, God have mercy
Right now we’re having mercy on a small herd of deer that have bedded down on the lawn – fire refugees – we have two deer chasing dogs in the house that need a potty break sooo bad…. but those poor disoriented animals … Who said country life is simple? I need a nice condo ?
I lost my father to Parkinson’s at the age of 66. It’s a terrible way to die, and, yes, there were a variety of experimental treatments even back in the late 80s.
When a man is suffering in the late stages of a mortal disease (the future for most of us), the law, the fear, the accusation, the condemnation, the wages of sin, Satan himself, is made manifest and all too real. More law is not what that person needs.
He or she needs hope! In most cases, if I was sitting with a man in the condition of your friend, I would share the love of Christ for him. In other words, I would focus on the Gospel, that Christ came to redeem him from the power of sin and death. That through faith in Jesus, disease and death would not be the last word for your friend, but forgiveness and eternal life.
I would ask him if he was baptized, and if not, ask him if he would like to be baptized into Christ. I would try to connect him to a pastor who would meet with him. I would love it if he were able be partake of Holy Communion in Christ, his body and blood, before his physical death.
Thank you Jean, I have never known what goes through a person’s mind when faced with death they know is going to be so brutal.
Some would suggest that the law would be important but I like and am comfortable with sharing as you suggested. Right now he’s lost hope. He needs it desperately. Thank you so much.
I am trying to formulate the opening observation… a man is facing the ordeal of dying and do you say Jesus loves you? Won’t he respond that it sure doesn’t seem like it!
Not trying to argue this, not at all… just trying to think thru …. ?
If you said that physical death was not the end, would the person think you were preaching?…. a time for prayer to be sure… Lord, help ? … there’s a soul of a friend at stake
Em, I think of clergy that have been on the battle field and all of the men they came across who were dying in front of them. How do they approach that? The Christian paramedic who happens across someone dying in the course of their duties?
At some point (at least to me) you must realize you aren’t the reason a person enters eternity in a lost state. God promises that all He has chosen will come to Him.
In my case since I know this man I think he’ll allow me to speak and even pray for him which I believe I have done before. If it comes to the point he won’t receive the truth of his condidtion I woud be greatly saddened while knowing we spoke. If he was to die before we speak would I be to blame? I tend to think not. Thanks for your thoughts as I always find them beneficial.
In Australia we have a new Prime Minister. It’s the fourth time in a row that a PM has been toppled before completing a 3-year term. (The PM is the leader of the party in power; the party is allowed to choose a new leader if ever they’re tired of the old one).
The new PM Scott Morrison is pentecostal; it’s the first time a PM has been from one of the newer church traditions. A number of committed Christians have been PM in my lifetime despite us being a small minority of the overall population. That hasn’t always made them the good leaders we might hope for; they’ve often demonstrated selfish ambition and lack of compassion.
Thinking on Eric’s 7:14 post… Raises a question for me… if one is involved in politics, does it leave any room in one’s daily routine to concentrate on their relationship with their Redeemer? Any time for personal spiritual growth? There is a difference between the wisdom and understanding needed for
Christian character building and the wisdom and understanding required to make sure one’s rear is protected….
So grateful for things to think on tonight… i’m home alone and the wind is blowing a gale and we are downwind of the backfires they’ve been lighting… earlier they were out in front making notes and i asked them what was up and the reply was that they were compiling a map of the structures in the area “in case there should ever be another fire” …. Say what? When? Not tonight, i hope
Whenever one suffers, the devil is involved. After all, it was the devil who deceived Adam and Eve, which brought suffering into the world.
But God is sovereign and uses suffering to draw us to Christ.
Look at your situation: Your friend’s suffering has brought you together. You’re in his life at this particular time for a reason. Not to be someone you’re not, but just to be authentically you. If that includes sharing the Gospel, then great. If it means reading him a story, listening to his story, watching a game on TV: Great.
Pray for your friend. Pray for direction and wisdom, and God will give it to you.
Gotta say…
There’s a man down in Texas (cody wilson?) Who maintains he has a right to sell the blueprints for 3-D printed plastic guns – oh, great! Perilous times indeed
This world truly is as it was in the days of Noah… or so it seems to me….
It’s all yours today…
Someone has commented that prayer is an excuse for not doing anything ….
Well, yes, do what you can, but pray – there is so much to bring to the Father’s throne room now while we still can do so
We’ve got Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit to help us – it isn’t so much how we feel, but what we affirm as true
I feel tired. ?
God keep Michael and the PhxP peeps
I think our President has given a new meaning to this term:
Mafia Don
🙂
Em, I like your comment! I personally don’t see prayer as a cop-out in place of doing something, and I am honestly tired and bored with those who think this way. Sometimes that is all one can do is pray. I personally have seen this thought played out so many times online in regards to some issues, and usually it is uttered by those who don’t give a rip about prayer or God anyways. So, in effect, why should I give credence to them? I am not answerable to their twitter narrative, their rage-du-jour, if you will.
Dan, you raise a pertinent ponder. ?
Do we allow ungodly human viewpoint to influence our relationship with God the Father and our eternal family? Probably most of us/me would have to confess… yes?
Too bad we don’t let the definition of the word twitter define the comments there… IMO.
I don’t know what bob1’s new definition of mafia don is, but i do know that power players in the world of big business are not kind and gentle souls, but then worse – IMV – are the politicians down thru time, who are like Herod, who recognized John the Baptist’s true character, but “reluctantly” put John’s head on a platter for political expediency and to save face (his own).
Integrity is worth pondering …. as is our commitment to it …. I’ve spent the last five years among simple, working folk here in the mountains, who have more integrity in their little finger than did the posers in the suburbs in the 3 states that we raised our children in… or “in which we raised our children” ?
A great short piece by Bob Hiller on Greg Laurie’s Harvest Crusade billboard controversy.
https://thejaggedword.com/2018/08/24/actually-greg-laurie-the-bible-is-offensive/#comments
simple minded soul that i am, the Crusade billboard controversy seems to have no relevance except that it demonstrated the anathema that a certain segment of society, who lately have been calling the shots. Is it possible to give the Bible too much relevance and respect? I don’t think so…
Did Laurie try to make more or less of the real issue than was warranted? I’ll leave that to those here who are his peers… and many of you are that…
sitting here in a strange situation… in a narrow valley with spot fires still flaring up on the hillsides and my daughter and two of my grandchildren in Lihue Hawaii waiting out the storm – early on their airline refused to move their reservation home up or they’d have been gone from their a week ago… don’t believe it when those people protest that they couldn’t accomadate all the requests … some maybe… dunno
concerned about my children somewhat, concerned about Michael somewhat … and pondering… appreciating the food for thot that i always find here
God keep
Jean, i really liked the article you linked to. As far as Greg’s crusades go I do hope there are people who will and have come to a saving faith in Christ. And quite possibly people aren’t genuinely saved but are simply caught up in the moment and the hopes of the person(s) who brought them and then quickly fall to the wayside.
Yesterday a friend in his 70’s and I were talking and I asked about his health. He has many problems with the most critical is his advancing Parkinson’s. He’s losing more ground steadily and he told me about a procedure his doctor wanted to do.
It involved drilling a hole in his head and connecting wires to his brain and then placing something in his abdomen as well. He asked the doctoor if this would address the issues he’s fighting and the doctor said no. It was more of a research type of thing.
As he talked to me he started crying. I wanted so much to share the Gospel with him but instead I put my hands on his shoulder and told him I was sorry. Hopefully we can talk about the Gospel another time.
Might I ask how you handle personal evangelism? Part of me felt horrible for not sharing and another part told me I wasn’t responsible for his salvation. Thanks again.
Erunner, your question is to Jean and i know there will be a good answer, but, other than asking him if he’d mind if you prayed for him, i think your instincts were good… poor man… as Xenia says so often here, God have mercy
Right now we’re having mercy on a small herd of deer that have bedded down on the lawn – fire refugees – we have two deer chasing dogs in the house that need a potty break sooo bad…. but those poor disoriented animals … Who said country life is simple? I need a nice condo ?
Erunner,
I lost my father to Parkinson’s at the age of 66. It’s a terrible way to die, and, yes, there were a variety of experimental treatments even back in the late 80s.
When a man is suffering in the late stages of a mortal disease (the future for most of us), the law, the fear, the accusation, the condemnation, the wages of sin, Satan himself, is made manifest and all too real. More law is not what that person needs.
He or she needs hope! In most cases, if I was sitting with a man in the condition of your friend, I would share the love of Christ for him. In other words, I would focus on the Gospel, that Christ came to redeem him from the power of sin and death. That through faith in Jesus, disease and death would not be the last word for your friend, but forgiveness and eternal life.
I would ask him if he was baptized, and if not, ask him if he would like to be baptized into Christ. I would try to connect him to a pastor who would meet with him. I would love it if he were able be partake of Holy Communion in Christ, his body and blood, before his physical death.
Em, Thank you. I appreciate your advice and I’m sorry about the fires and their impact on everything, including those poor deer.
Thank you Jean, I have never known what goes through a person’s mind when faced with death they know is going to be so brutal.
Some would suggest that the law would be important but I like and am comfortable with sharing as you suggested. Right now he’s lost hope. He needs it desperately. Thank you so much.
I am trying to formulate the opening observation… a man is facing the ordeal of dying and do you say Jesus loves you? Won’t he respond that it sure doesn’t seem like it!
Not trying to argue this, not at all… just trying to think thru …. ?
If you said that physical death was not the end, would the person think you were preaching?…. a time for prayer to be sure… Lord, help ? … there’s a soul of a friend at stake
Em, I think of clergy that have been on the battle field and all of the men they came across who were dying in front of them. How do they approach that? The Christian paramedic who happens across someone dying in the course of their duties?
At some point (at least to me) you must realize you aren’t the reason a person enters eternity in a lost state. God promises that all He has chosen will come to Him.
In my case since I know this man I think he’ll allow me to speak and even pray for him which I believe I have done before. If it comes to the point he won’t receive the truth of his condidtion I woud be greatly saddened while knowing we spoke. If he was to die before we speak would I be to blame? I tend to think not. Thanks for your thoughts as I always find them beneficial.
Erunner, so glad you are bringing your viewpoint to the PhxP once again…. agreeing completely with your 6:05…
In Australia we have a new Prime Minister. It’s the fourth time in a row that a PM has been toppled before completing a 3-year term. (The PM is the leader of the party in power; the party is allowed to choose a new leader if ever they’re tired of the old one).
The new PM Scott Morrison is pentecostal; it’s the first time a PM has been from one of the newer church traditions. A number of committed Christians have been PM in my lifetime despite us being a small minority of the overall population. That hasn’t always made them the good leaders we might hope for; they’ve often demonstrated selfish ambition and lack of compassion.
https://www.eternitynews.com.au/australia/scomo-australias-first-pentecostal-pm/
Thinking on Eric’s 7:14 post… Raises a question for me… if one is involved in politics, does it leave any room in one’s daily routine to concentrate on their relationship with their Redeemer? Any time for personal spiritual growth? There is a difference between the wisdom and understanding needed for
Christian character building and the wisdom and understanding required to make sure one’s rear is protected….
So grateful for things to think on tonight… i’m home alone and the wind is blowing a gale and we are downwind of the backfires they’ve been lighting… earlier they were out in front making notes and i asked them what was up and the reply was that they were compiling a map of the structures in the area “in case there should ever be another fire” …. Say what? When? Not tonight, i hope
Erunner,
Whenever one suffers, the devil is involved. After all, it was the devil who deceived Adam and Eve, which brought suffering into the world.
But God is sovereign and uses suffering to draw us to Christ.
Look at your situation: Your friend’s suffering has brought you together. You’re in his life at this particular time for a reason. Not to be someone you’re not, but just to be authentically you. If that includes sharing the Gospel, then great. If it means reading him a story, listening to his story, watching a game on TV: Great.
Pray for your friend. Pray for direction and wisdom, and God will give it to you.
A couple of Lonnie Frisbee/CCCM related articles I dug up from the archives at newspapers.com:
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/23128489/calvary_chapel_article_los_angeles/
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/23128531/calvary_chapel_article_jump_los/
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/23128344/lonnie_frisbeecalvary_chapel_march_7/
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/23128407/lonnie_frisbeecalvary_chapel_article/
Gotta say…
There’s a man down in Texas (cody wilson?) Who maintains he has a right to sell the blueprints for 3-D printed plastic guns – oh, great! Perilous times indeed
This world truly is as it was in the days of Noah… or so it seems to me….