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Why? What is wrong with this _expression_ when used
appropriately? judyt
I'll pass on this as I see daddy lurking nearby
with a verbal baseball bat. (Just a suggestion Christine, lose the _expression_
'I am reminded'.)
----- Original Message -----
Sent: March 03, 2006 18:08
Subject: [TruthTalk] Fear and
cowardice
I think it's the kind of fear that causes you to shrink back
in unbelief, or to behave selfishly with the intent of
self-preservation.
I am reminded of a passage in Luke 14 where Jesus
talks about what it means to follow Him:
Luke 14:26-33
26 If any man come to me, and hate not his
father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea,
and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and
come after me, cannot be my disciple.
28 For
which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and
counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?
29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation,
and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock
him,
30
Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.
31 Or what king, going to make war
against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be
able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty
thousand?
32 Or else, while the
other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth
conditions of peace.
33 So
likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he
cannot be my disciple.
This passage has always touched me deeply. Even when it appears
that I do not have enough funds to complete my building project, I am
commanded to build the tower anyway. That's faith. And it's fascinating to
me that Jesus specifically points out the pride and self-image involved in
these decisions. To submit to fear is to reject the call to
discipleship.
I am reminded of a quote by GK Chesterton that is
popular among the college crowd: "The Christian ideal has
not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left
untried." I think this is kind of fear discussed in Rev. 21. It's also how
people become lukewarm Christians: they find certain parts of the gospel to
be too risky or difficult, and so they make compromises with God. Thus, they are
neither hot nor cold.
What I love about the Kingdom of God is that
you are absolutley lost without His Spirit. Some acts and feelings are wrong
only some of the time, and we must rely on the Spirit to walk according to
the will of God in our lives. For instance, sex is not always a sin for all
people. I think fear is another example of this. Fear, like sex, glorifies
God only some of the time, and we must submit to His Spirit and His word to
know what kind of fear we should practice.
Kevin
Deegan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Interesting
comment on FEAR. Thanks for pointing that out.
(pertaining to
Revelation 21)
What kind of FEAR do you suppose it is, in contrast to
the FEAR of the Lord which is the begining of
Knowledge?
Christine Miller
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
I
doubt the writer of this article knows the Lord, Dean. I am not sure I
understand your question. I would put moderate Mulims and lukewarm
Christians in the same boat.
As I see it, their sin is being
fearful or cowardly. Rev. 21:8 gives a list of people who will have
their place in the lake of fire, listing the cowardly among muderers and
idolaters. What makes them lukewarm is their fear. They won't get out of
the boat and walk on the water when Jesus bids them come. Now, Jesus
never bid the Muslims to come and cause destruction, but I think their
sin the same if they will not take a stand against the atrocities of
their bretheren.
Did I understand your question correctly,
Dean?
Dean Moore <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
wrote:
-----
Original Message -----
Sent:
2/27/2006 6:01:21 PM
Subject:
[TruthTalk] An excellent Article on Islam Today
http://www.davidwarrenonline.com/index.php?artID=576
This
will be my 11th consecutive column, directly or indirectly on the
Danish cartoons issue. The cartoons themselves were a red herring
from the start -- a fake issue, trumped up by fanatical Muslims
seeking grievances to abet a confrontation, and thereby extract
concessions from the West.
. . .
And from a mixture
of fear of, and sympathy for, large, recent, Muslim immigrant
communities in the West, we confuse domestic and foreign issues. I
do not doubt the great majority of Muslims, in Canada and around the
world, are decent, moderate people, who want no part in a clash
of civilizations. But it has become obvious they can do nothing to
stop the triumph of Islamism internationally, or oppose the
fanatics proselytizing in their own
communities.
cd: Christine what is the
difference between a lukewarm Christian and a moderate
Moslem?Overlooking the the salvation
issue.
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