1 Corinthians 13:1-13...
You wouldn't do that, you say? Well, many of you are
doing exactly that. People are lying and twisting
Scripture,
in the name of what they say is truth and instead of
finding that disgusting, they try to defend it and
actually
claim that Scripture supports them! Huh? If you are
telling lies about people and twisting Scripture to make
it
suit your actions here, when it clearly doesn't and
twisting
those Scriptures that do apply, then you aren't speaking
the truth. It's that simple, amen?...

"Therefore, O man, you are without excuse, everyone
who judges, for in that in which you judge the other,
you condemn yourself; for you, those judging, practice
the same things." - Romans 2:1
Don't you get it? If we're using the same tactics as
those
we accuse of using them, THEN WE ARE THEM!

So let's take another look at the Scriptures listed and
ask
ourselves; "Is this what we are showing to others here,
regardless of who they are, or what they are doing, since
Jesus said to love OUR ENEMIES and loving our enemies
does not consist of attacking them and keeping wars with
them?". Anything less, according to the above Scriptures,
is nothing more than useless sound and serves no purpose
but uselessness, amen?

I say it has nothing to do with doctrinal issues, because
these people also hate those who won't hate the same
people that they hate! In fact, you can agree with them
on doctrinal issues, but if you don't viciously attack the
person who disagrees with them, then they accuse you
of defending that person, because you didn't spew venom
at them, like they did!

And whatever you do, you need to stop saying that you're
going to kick the dust off of your heels and then not do
it.
That only makes you a liar. Don't you get that? Please
get that! <lol> :) At least put them in your kill file
for
30 days or something and then, see how it goes and if they
are the same, then put them back in your kill file again.
To do anything less, is a waste of time and makes you
a liar, doesn't it?

First off, let me apologize up front if this message
comes off as something other than being from love.
I know that sometimes my writing is taken as being
rude and I don't mean this message to be that way.

Anyway, on with the message... :)

While we all may slip from time to time, can we read this
and confidently say, without having to try to find a way to
justify ourselves, saying, "Well, it's because they said...",
that the following is what we show when we post here?
If not, then maybe it's time to check ourselves, amen?

Please don't fly through these passages, but read each
one carefully and see how it applies to the situations
we see here, from day to day. People read them and
think "How nice", but don't really sit there and think
about these groups and how they apply to us, here.

And most importantly, don't sit there reading passages
about love, while mentally pointing your finger at others,
thinking how hateful they are, while you're sitting there
hating them, hello? :)

See which ones apply to yourselves and be honest.
You may not like the result, but there it is. :) You
may find that none of the ones about love are about
you, when you compare your actions to them, without
trying to mentally make yourself look good in your
own eyes.

I'm not trying to be mean, so please don't misunderstand
my intent. I am only saying that we should all assess
ourselves honestly, without trying to protect ourselves.

And just as a side note, when you look at the chapter
number and how many verses there are in it, who says
that 13 is an unlucky number?! <lol> :)

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

1) If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels,
but I do not have love, I have become as sounding
brass or a clanging cymbal.
2) And if I have prophecies, and know all mysteries
and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so as to
move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.
3) And if I give out all my goods, and if I deliver my
body that I be burned, but I do not have love, I am
not profited anything.
4) Love has patience, is kind; love is not envious;
love is not vain, is not puffed up;
5) does not behave indecently, does not pursue its
own things, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil;
6) does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices
in the truth.
7) Love quietly covers all things, believes all things,
hopes all things, endures all things.
8) Love never fails. But if there are prophecies, they
will be caused to cease; if tongues, they shall cease;
if knowledge, it will be caused to cease.
9) For we know in part, and we prophesy in part;
10) but when the perfect thing comes, then that
which is in part will be caused to cease.
11) When I was an infant, I spoke as an infant,
I thought as an infant, I reasoned as an infant.
But when I became a man, I caused to cease
the things of the infant.
12) For now we see through a mirror in dimness,
but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then
I will fully know even as I also was fully known.
13) And now faith, hope, and love, these three
things remain; but the greatest of these is love.

So where do you qualify? I know where we all want
to *think* we qualify, but are we being honest with
ourselves? Really?

What you claim to feel in your heart, means nothing,
if it isn't reflected by your actions here. That's like a
husband who beats his wife telling her how much he
loves her, isn't it? Paul states here that "love is..."
and then lists things that we do IN ACTION.

The truth is, that what is REALLY in your heart,
is reflected by what you say and do. So if you
THOUGHT that your heart was pure in love and
just realized that maybe your posts aren't so
loving, then go back up and read it again,
slowly and carefully.

As I said...

While we all may slip from time to time, can we read this
and confidently say, without having to try to find a way to
justify ourselves saying, "Well, it's because they said...",
that the above passages is what we show when we post
here? If not, then maybe it's time to check ourselves?

Now claiming to do so and not doing it, is a lie.

Claiming that we will do it and then not doing it, is a lie.

So what does that say about "the thoughts and intents
of our heart", that as the Scripture says, "God looks into"?

After all, while we of course want to speak truth, how we
say something, is just as important as what we say, isn't it?
If you don't believe that, then try teaching someone while
you berate them and see how receptive they are. :)

You wouldn't do that, you say? Well, many of you are
doing exactly that. People are lying and twisting Scripture,
in the name of what they say is truth and instead of
finding that disgusting, they try to defend it and actually
claim that Scripture supports them! Huh? If you are
telling lies about people and twisting Scripture to make it
suit your actions here, when it clearly doesn't and twisting
those Scriptures that do apply, then you aren't speaking
the truth. It's that simple, amen? And if you are also
responding to people who do that with just as much
viciousness and allowing them to drag you into their
street fights, then I'm sorry, but you are just as guilty.

So if you are one who feels victimized and tells us how
it's all "so and so's" fault, while you respond to them in
the same way they addressed you, then there are two
victims and two aggressors, not just one. And you can
try to blame anyone you want to, but what was typed
at your keyboard, is *your* responsibility and if it is
not Godly, then it is *your* failing, *not* theirs!

Haven't you noticed that these people will bring up
dead subjects into threads that have nothing to do
with neither those subjects, nor them personally
and will try to start you fighting again? Do you
think it might be because they're trying to bring
you down to their level again, because that way
they don't look as bad as they know they are,
regardless of how many ways they try to pervert
God's word, to make it seem like they don't
know it?

Now don't say you know and then go do it again!
That only means that your sin is greater, since
you claim to know and still respond to it anyway!

Let us read the word together, amen? This was said
by Paul about another issue, but it can still be applied
here, since sin is sin, amen? And we can ask ourselves
if we are guilty of any of the same things that the haters
do to us, which is what we are, when we let them
bring us down to their level, amen?

"Therefore, O man, you are without excuse, everyone
who judges, for in that in which you judge the other,
you condemn yourself; for you, those judging, practice
the same things." - Romans 2:1

Don't you get it? If we're using the same tactics as those
we accuse of using them, THEN WE ARE THEM!

"But the fruit of the Spirit is: love, joy, peace,
long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith,
meekness, self-control." - Galatians 5:22-23a

So let's take another look at the Scriptures listed and ask
ourselves; "Is this what we are showing to others here,
regardless of who they are, or what they are doing, since
Jesus said to love OUR ENEMIES and loving our enemies
does not consist of attacking them and keeping wars with
them?". Anything less, according to the above Scriptures,
is nothing more than useless sound and serves no purpose
but uselessness, amen?

Now watch this thread. We will see either those who always
respond with an attack saying nothing because of their shame,
or those whom we know attack people, attacking here again,
or snipping it and trying to twist the wording to suit their
sick needs. But don't let it dishearten you! And if you wish
to honor this message at all, then here is what I ask that you
do. Ignore it. Why? Very simple. Because if you respond
with the same hate that they show you, then you have just
become guilty of what the Scriptures above talk about and so,
what have you accomplished, but to be a clanging symbol?

Don't be them! Be loving, even to your enemies and thus
PROVE to them by your CONSISTENT actions, that you
choose to follow Jesus upward, instead of them downward.

Ask yourself; "If someone just entered the group, would
they know the difference between that person and myself?".

And just so you know, I am not saying that I am perfect.
I have said things in ways that I shouldn't have as well.
I did so for quite some time and I still occasionally slip.
But I have learned the love of Christ that permeates
through all situations, that I had not had for some time
due to *this* mess. Imagine that! THESE GROUPS is
what brought me to that level! So groups are dangerous,
not because of doctrinal matters, as some would claim,
but because they are a gathering place for wolves in
sheeps clothing, who claim to know God and deny
the power of Him! They claim that if they say something
correct, it means that they can say it however they want!

While there are a few good people here, these people are
mostly rejects from the real world, where no one would
bother to listen to them and they would never receive
any real authority within the body and that bothers them,
because they view themselves as the teachers of the world!
And the reality is, that they are not what they appear to be
here! They would never talk this way to people in real life
and that makes them paper tigers! And since they hate the
real word for not bowing to them, but don't talk that way
face to face, they spew out all of their venomous hatred here!
I say venomous, because it poisons the body, just as it
poisoned me, so I know whereof I speak!

I say it has nothing to do with doctrinal issues, because
these people also hate those who won't hate the same
people that they hate! In fact, you can agree with them
on doctrinal issues, but if you don't viciously attack the
person who disagrees with them, then they accuse you
of defending that person, because you didn't spew venom
at them, like they did!

They wish to infect the body with a deadly disease! They
are not your friends! That is evident the moment you say
something that doesn't line up with what they believe! Is
a friend one who viciously turns on you at the drop of a hat?

They may not even actually be Christians! What fruit is this
of Christ, that would infect the body with hate? Huh? What?

But when it happens that God reaches down and reminds
you of His love and that you're straying, you'll find there's
very little that upsets you anymore, when you don't have
that desire to fire back. :) I'm not saying that it couldn't
happen again, but that's only if you choose to have it happen
again. It is up to you and my suggestion is, stop worrying
about them and stop spending *all* of your time here and
get back on your knees and into the word again!

I choose not to let them make my next whatever years in
these groups a matter of high blood pressure and I choose
to have a better experience here than they wish to provide
for me. After all, what do I care what they say? It's not
like they can actually do anything to me that I don't let
them do. :)

And whatever you do, you need to stop saying that you're
going to kick the dust off of your heels and then not do it.
That only makes you a liar. Don't you get that? Please
get that! <lol> :) At least put them in your kill file for
30 days or something and then, see how it goes and if they
are the same, then put them back in your kill file again.
To do anything less, is a waste of time and makes you
a liar, doesn't it?

And as a side message, if you say that you can see their
words because they're quoted by others, TOO BAD!!!

Let's read what was said above, again please...

"...you can try to blame anyone you want to, but what
was typed at your keyboard, is *your* responsibility and
if it is not Godly, then it is *your* failing, *not* theirs!"

So blame yourself for it and remember... "the fruit of
the Spirit is: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness,
goodness, faith, meekness, self-control." - Gal 5:22-23a

Amen! :)


--

Pastor Dave