Some Of My Friends Are Losing Their Religion. Very Long Thread.

thanks so much again for all the prayers and advice!



lifeasweknowit,


thanks so much, yes i'm trying to really get better at praying in all situations. Like you said I should've prayed when my friends were asking all those questions. I actually got mad at myself the other day, an old friend called me and told me something someone else said, rather than pray and ignore the situation..i took things into my own hands and got into an arguement. That's part of the reason I lost my job after 10 years. When someone says something about me I have to approach the person and 50% of the time it turns into something it shouldn't have if I would've immediately prayed.





King J,


thanks again! When you said "They choose death. No death is random, even though it appears to be. " I thought maybe you were saying we choose death?



also

Mark 9.38-9.41

Anyone Not Against Us Is for Us

38 g Now John answered Him, saying, "Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us." 39 But Jesus said, "Do not forbid him, h for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me. 40 "For i he who is not against 7 us is on 8 our side. 41 j "For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.



i'm a little confused by this one. so if a someone is preaching, spreading the word of Jesus, he may have a scholarship program and do good things in the community for Christ. But, the preacher is still taking money from the church, sleeping with several women, he's still good? he's still for us? there's a popular preacher out here who in my eyes seems to be using God's word to take advantage of people, and he's had relationships with members. I think he's bad but because he spreads the gospel, does good works in the community in the Name of Jesus, he's good? should i not personally be so hard on him? a friend wanted me to join him at church (i do need a church to join up here). but i have consitently refused to go because of there's been scandals on the preacher.





Glomung,


thanks so much for helping me understand things better.




Thanks to everybody for the prayers and support!
 
Jesus' words in Mark 9:38-41 are not meant as a blanket statement of endorsement for the acceptance of everything a person does so long as he names the name of Jesus (as we see clearly in the parable of the sheep and goats), or that a good deed or two means they're A-ok in God's book and we shouldn't say anything. They are talking about someone doing good things, things of which Jesus approves, by the authority of the Name and Person of Jesus. The disciples may have been a little jealous because the man wasn't in their little group. But there were many who believed in Christ who did not travel in His entourage. This man must have had his heart in order or it is likely he would have wound up like the seven sons of Sceva in Acts 19:14. We also know that offering a cup of water to a disciple is not sufficient to save the one offering it, so we must be careful not to take the words beyond their intent.

A man who steals from the offering and sleeps with anyone other than his own wife should be removed from ministry. He may be weak and caught up in sin, so in that sense he may still be "for us", but that doesn't mean he should continue in a position for which he is unfit. He should be removed, disciplined, discipled, and restored if he repents. Of course, this is assuming that this not gossip and rumor, but actual misconduct. If the scandal is gossip and rumor, then those spreading the gossip ought to be disciplined.

If the man is actually engaged in the kind of misconduct you describe, has been confronted and refuses to repent, he is not "for us" but is rebelling against God and doing damage to the cause of Christ. He is in no way comparable to the man casting out demons in the Name of Jesus.
 
Thanks a lot Rumely!


ironically the friend i've spoke of has used that scripture from Mark a lot. When he's defending the mega church preachers who ride around in rolls royce's and things he says even if they are sleeping around and using church money to live lavish, look at how many lives their saving. Their praising Jesus to thousands so that overrides their little sins, we all sin, their not out their killing anybody or having sex with kids. those are the words of my friend not mine.

I do believe I know right from wrong, the only thing is after all these years i've just started to read my Bible, so i can't have a situation and knwo which scripture to go to. I've been a Christian all my life but i'm just getting to know Jesus.'s word. I've basically been living off of morals (doing what i think is Christ like) but i'm learning a lot of things i didn't know that i've been doing wrong.


1 example is Matthew 6, for the past couple of years i've been doing community things, but i've been posting all these pics and things on Facebook. Like I gave away a lot of clothes to the shelter. I posted designer shirts that I was giving away and loved the reaction of friends when they saw some of the nice things i was giving away. I was giving to the shelter from the heart but I was broadcasting my good deeds for the wrong reasons.


I use to let several people on my job hold $20 to $50 and they'd pay me on payday. They really appreciated me, I was doing it with good intentions but I use to brag to a few a people about loaning all this money, so and so is always broke, etc.... yes I was doing good deeds, but i was broadcasting, looking down on people and bragging. Just from me not knowing the Bible I felt like I was the best person in the world. I was doing God's work, i'm helping several people but the manner in which I did things was wrong. That's my interpretation, anybody can correct me if i'm wrong.


Thanks and everybody have a great day!
 
blessedguy said:
Thanks a lot Rumely!


ironically the friend i've spoke of has used that scripture from Mark a lot. When he's defending the mega church preachers who ride around in rolls royce's and things he says even if they are sleeping around and using church money to live lavish, look at how many lives their saving. Their praising Jesus to thousands so that overrides their little sins, we all sin, their not out their killing anybody or having sex with kids. those are the words of my friend not mine.

I do believe I know right from wrong, the only thing is after all these years i've just started to read my Bible, so i can't have a situation and knwo which scripture to go to. I've been a Christian all my life but i'm just getting to know Jesus.'s word. I've basically been living off of morals (doing what i think is Christ like) but i'm learning a lot of things i didn't know that i've been doing wrong.


1 example is Matthew 6, for the past couple of years i've been doing community things, but i've been posting all these pics and things on Facebook. Like I gave away a lot of clothes to the shelter. I posted designer shirts that I was giving away and loved the reaction of friends when they saw some of the nice things i was giving away. I was giving to the shelter from the heart but I was broadcasting my good deeds for the wrong reasons.


I use to let several people on my job hold $20 to $50 and they'd pay me on payday. They really appreciated me, I was doing it with good intentions but I use to brag to a few a people about loaning all this money, so and so is always broke, etc.... yes I was doing good deeds, but i was broadcasting, looking down on people and bragging. Just from me not knowing the Bible I felt like I was the best person in the world. I was doing God's work, i'm helping several people but the manner in which I did things was wrong. That's my interpretation, anybody can correct me if i'm wrong.


Thanks and everybody have a great day!
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I love this testimony on so many levels. This is Christianity in action. Here is a rare thing, a person who has eyes to see when reading the Scriptures. Hearing the Holy Spirit when He shows him where his heart is not right. I know many people who can quote Scripture and expound upon it all day long, but they are deaf to the message it would speak to their own hearts.
 
Rumely said:
I love this testimony on so many levels. This is Christianity in action. Here is a rare thing, a person who has eyes to see when reading the Scriptures. Hearing the Holy Spirit when He shows him where his heart is not right. I know many people who can quote Scripture and expound upon it all day long, but they are deaf to the message it would speak to their own hearts.
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Thanks so much!
 
Here there, Blessed guy :)
you said:
I felt a little stupid because they kind of teamed up on me and my only defense was what God has done for me and people around me.
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Tell them what Jesus has done for you, yes. After Jesus cast Legion out of that man, He told him to go tell people what Jesus did for him. Mark 5:1-20
 
Hi, blessed guy :) - - you said >

Why do I have a black friend who's the best person i've ever met and he's lost his sister to hiv, his brother to a bullet?
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So, you care about people enough to share with people where there is a neighborhood drug culture? This is very good that you care about people. If we care about people and share with anyone, we are going to find out about a lot of very bad things. So, it is important that we are ready in God's love so we are not overcome by the evil we will see and know about.

"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (Romans 12:21)

It is wise to not allow evil to decide how you see things and if you have hope in God or not. Because the kingdom of evil is rigged to make you lose hope and not trust in God.

We need to simply trust our Father to make us the way He desires for us to be in love, and do what He has us doing. And He is committed to doing good with us > "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 15:58)

God is able to take advantage of any evil, and use it for His purpose. Our main example is how Jesus on the cross had things going so badly for Him, yet Jesus with our Father used the cross for so much more good than whatever Jesus lost in this world.

And look at how much Joseph gained, after losing the life he had with his own family > Genesis chapters 37-50. What mattered in his case is how he was ready to forgive his own brothers who had betrayed him and sold him into slavery >

"Joseph said to them, 'Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.' And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them." (Genesis 50:19-21)

So, even after Joseph had power to do whatsoever he pleased to those brothers, he was even "aggressively" loving, to even comfort them. His forgiving, then, was not only letting them off the hook and away from punishment, but he sought to have family sharing and caring love with them. So, this was good that he used to overcome evil, not only stopping or only forgiving the evil, but getting into family loving.
 
Blessed guy, you wrote >
Why would God let a drunk person kill an innocent person in a car accident?

Why would God allow innocent people to be killed in these masacre's?


Why did He allow those innocent people to lose their limbs in the Boston Bombing?
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I can give you ideas and scriptures and explanation about this, but God is able to give you better than whatever I do! :) Trust Him for what will do you a lot of good to encourage you, and do not hurry just to answer to stubborn and arguing people.

One thing I just thought of is there are people who go their own ways, not in how our Father would lead them and care for them. So, even though they might be nice and "innocent" people . . . if they do not obey how our Father would take care of them, they are not safe.

But, with God, we have: "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies," in Psalm 23:5. So, with God, we can have all that our Father would share with us, of His own table before us . . . right in the presence of any enemies, at all.

However, my real enemies can be memories from my past, how I can fail > I can be, really, my own worst enemy. So I need to trust the LORD for His correction and obey, so I can be with Him and share in all He has for us, in spite of the evil in this world . . . and in spite of me! "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me." (in Luke 9:23)

And even if we obey Him, evil will attack and kill us. But God is able to turn anything for His good. Often enough, evil may take something out of the way, and then our Father brings in more and better than the trouble took :) Even people can be removed, maybe because they have become idols and we need to get into loving any and all people, and not only our love idols > "For if you love those who love you, what reward have you?" (in Matthew 5:46)

So, for us, there is always somehow God's love purpose, "no matter what".
 
blessedguy said:
Good day to all! Sorry for the grammar and this very long thread. I know it's probably too long for many but maybe if someone could help me with a few of these questions.



I hope i'm putting this in the correct forum, if not I do apologize.


I'm in my 30s and have been raised in a Christian family my entire life. I have always believed and prayed to Jesus Christ. However, I have just recently started reading my Bible on a daily basis.

Recently my best friend had a cookout and several of my friends from college and high school attended. I attended a Christian school. My friends girlfriend said she doesn't believe in God. Some people shy'd away from the subject but I was the most vocal in defending my God and my belief.

In all, I felt a little stupid because they kind of teamed up on me and my only defense was what God has done for me and people around me. I couldn't recite any scriptures or anything to defend my Lord.




Why would God let a drunk person kill an innocent person in a car accident?

Why would God allow innocent people to be killed in these masacre's?


Why did He allow those innocent people to lose their limbs in the Boston Bombing?

Why do I have a black friend who's the best person i've ever met and he's lost his sister to hiv, his brother to a bullet?

My friend even said to me, why did you (me) work for a company for 8 years, they wrongfully fired me and I can't find another job. He said to me you have had to sell your tv's, furniture, you've moved into a very small place not on the best side of town. He said, i've saw you putting in applications, going to job fairs, you have a good resume' how come your going through all of this when you did nothing but help others and show up to work everyday.

how can we pray and pray for someone with an illness and they still die?


I was rushed with all these types of questions and to where I know the truth, God has everything happen for a reason, Jesus Christ went through way more than we could ever imagine, God likes to test our faith, etc....None of my answers convinced any of them and I was upset with myself because I couldn't recite anything from the Bible (my lack of knowledge of stories in the Bible).

I'm moreso worried about my best friend, me and him speak daily. He's very involved in his church (teaching Sunday School, God saved him when he became dependent on prescription drugs, etc...). But, now it seems that he's starting to question things. When he started becoming involved with the church he was a new person for God, unfortunately as he's become closer to some preachers and deacons. I think he's saw another side of things. He spoke on how one preacher visited their church and put on all this hoopla. The preacher told showed him he made $800 for that one night. Then my friend saw a guy we went to school with who is preaching. He told him he makes $800 to $4,000 a week speaking at various church's.
My friend is talking about preaching, but I feel its only for the money, he talks about money more than God. He's a very smart guy, once he was salesman at a company making over 100k a year before his addiction. He see's the vunerable people at these church's he attends and i think his idea is to get in their pockets more than to spread the teachings of Jesus Christ. How do I handle this friend? He knows way more than I do about the Bible. He's already spoke on some people getting jealous because he's starting to speak at church. Should I not say anything? i'm confused, I was so happy he changed his life and got in the church but now I think the devil is getting in him.

sorry for all these questions, another thing he is ALWAYS saying. he believes God has blessed all rich people, he always says they must be doing something right and I don't know how to respond to that.

For example there's been a few scandals on some of these megachurch preachers. I'll be saying i don't like how they are always begging for money, driving $250,000 cars, etc... But, my friend says God has blessed them for a reason, if they weren't living right God would've already took their fortune. My response is (i don't know if its right or wrong) but my response is...the devil is currently controlling our land but when Jesus returns many of those people will have their day.


When the Bible says don't judge, I wonder am I wrong for saying this guy in the youtube video is the devil. My friend who's about to start preaching (not his own church but going to various non denomination church's) says creptlo dollar must be doing something right for God to continuously bless him.


warning this video does have a couple of graphic images.



I know my friend who's getting into preaching is going down the wrong road because he's always asking "i wonder how creflo, benny, etc...got those big congregations" "i wonder how they started...they must be making millions a month....God wouldn't bless them like that if they were doing wrong."



I praise Jesus for everything! Thanks for your time, prayers, and help!
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That was a interesting read, Ill just say that sometimes knowing that we know so little about more and more means we can ask the questions we want but its ok if we never know.
 
thanks so much for all the help. County thank you so much!!! Sorry for my late response again, i had to move again because i didn't get the job i wanted, but that's another subject....

thanks for your help, it really made me feel better, thank God. I don't know if i understand this line...

"It is wise to not allow evil to decide how you see things and if you have hope in God or not. Because the kingdom of evil is rigged to make you lose hope and not trust in God."
 
blessedguy said:
thanks so much for all the help. County thank you so much!!! Sorry for my late response again, i had to move again because i didn't get the job i wanted, but that's another subject....

thanks for your help, it really made me feel better, thank God. I don't know if i understand this line...

"It is wise to not allow evil to decide how you see things and if you have hope in God or not. Because the kingdom of evil is rigged to make you lose hope and not trust in God."
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Hi, Blessed Guy . . . :) . . . it is good to see you, and I have been busy away, too, at times.

What do we mean by "It is wise to not allow evil to decide how you see things"? >

I have noticed how a number of atheists on the Net will use evil as their argument against the existence of God who is all-loving. They say "if there were a God who is good, He would not allow all the evil." But these atheists are making their choice based on what they see that evil shows them . . . when we need to see what God shows us, Blessed Guy. So, letting evil decide, I mean, can be how ones look at what evil shows and they suppose that's the big picture, for deciding if we really have our Father.

However . . . Jesus did not let evil decide if He has hope for us. Jesus did not let our sins make Him back down from having hope for us. And the evil of the nails and hate and death of the cross did not keep Jesus from doing such good for us.

So . . . in case this helps . . .if it's not clear, we can pray and try to get more clear. Most of all is loving, though we do not understand everything, though!

Also, you said you're not sure what I mean by "the kingdom of this world is rigged to make you lost hope and not trust in God."

Satan's kingdom is evil. And Satan intends to keep people away from God. So, his kingdom has things set up to make it look like there is no hope of changing the evil in this world. The world's media is always showing us bad things, so much more often than good things . . . hardly anything about Christian success stories and loving. This can help people to not have hope of doing better.

Another thing I think of, Blessed Guy . . . is how we can see the great heros on TV and in the other media . . . how they have done such great things that we could never do. And we can get lazy, thinking "oh, I can't ever do much, like that person." And then we can go on being lazy. People who have done what is great, in spite of this evil world, have done little things that have added up until they could do what shows more.

Each little thing of loving is so important >

"Let all that you do be done with love." (1 Corinthians 16:14)

Look at how one obedient thing done by Abraham has gotten "all the nations of the earth" "blessed" > Genesis chapter 22.

And have you read about Joseph? > Genesis 37-50 > his brothers sold him into slavery. He could have decided, based on that evil in his own family, that God is not real. But he stayed faithful to the LORD, and then the LORD turned things around so he helped save the lives of many people. There were, at first, little things he did, but then God used him for more :)

It's like you plant a little seed, then can come so much more :)
 
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