I still contend that should your wives and/or children be under assault, you would defend them rather than trust God for a miracle.
Sure don't want to trust God, because you don't believe that He could blow out a match. It would seem that you serve a God that YOU need to help? A God that you must help across the street or else He will get plowed down by a truck. Sadly superheroes like yourself usually relieve themselves in their pajamas with a house invasion. Dennis Rader the BTK strangler entered a home was able to murder the entire family. While you may see yourself as being capably able to hysterically frantically oppose your attackers, envision yourself brandishing a firearm against your enemies, or doing some Wax on Wax off Karate Kid mojo on the serial killers who just entered you abode. The frightening truth is, without God you are spitting in the wind. I have seen so many miserably sad cases of people who met their demise at the hands of vicious killers.
But that wouldn't happen to you DB, you would just throw your mighty red, white, and blue shield at them.
But when you stop believing God will intervene, He usually answers that with not disappointing you. But His mercy endures for ever so He will pull the attackers off you, and maybe even give you a clean set of underwear.
__________________ "all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed."
~Declaration of Independence
it hardly requires a reference for me to say that speaking poorly of anyone, Muslims in this case, is just mirroring the same talk my secular neighbor next door, or the news, puts out. We are called to remark upon the good. Muhammad insisted that his true followers must emulate Christ, or be doomed.
What i mostly don't get is how a people whose Book is entirely Law are able to practice so much Grace, while we who supposedly have Grace are the virtual givers of the Law in this world.
Where do you come up with such ideas?
__________________ "all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed."
~Declaration of Independence
God said He would put His terror upon the heathen nations, and so He did. We read that all of Canaan became weak and afraid, and that their "hearts melted" in fear, like so many living in the world today because a group called ISIS exists, as if our God isn't in control.
God slew 185,000 Assyrians in a night to defend Jerusalem, remember?
My point in all of this has been to say that the name of our LORD is dreadful among the heathens, and one covenant removed, we'd all be marching sword in hand for the glory of God, and His terror would be upon our enemies.
Now imagine how they felt? Imagine how the innocent nine year old Canaanite or Philistinian boy or girl felt watching in horror as his or her parents were run through? Suppose any heads got severed? Any limbs? I'm not trying to be overly graphic, but imagine it for a moment.
Yes, Israel was an instrument of God's judgment upon the heathens. I have no problem with that. I'm not ashamed to have the God of Israel as my God, regardless of how any might accuse of Him, especially because of our Old Testament texts.
So now, take my little hypothetical, and imagine yourself not a Jew, but a Canaanite. You know Israel is coming, and they are coming for your head, and to destroy everything about you, and they have the audacity to claim their Sovereign God, Maker of Heaven and Earth, has sent them to kill you. Now, how do you feel about a foreign enemy claiming their "god" wills your annihilation?
Kind of how we feel when ISIS or Al Qaeda or Iran claims it is the will of their "god" to annihilate us?
I am not trying to create comparisons, although they are indirectly necessary for what I AM TRYING TO DO!
Which is this: create some empathy and help us see this situation through different eyes, from a different perspective.
Case in point: Yesterday, my wife got into a discussion on FB with a pastor from her neck of the woods who insisted God's Word teaches we are only commanded to love the brethren; everyone else is fair game.
Then she got into another discussion/debate with another pastor she used to know, that she grew up with, who claimed what ISIS is doing goes beyond "turn the other cheek", so Christ's commandment doesn't count.
Two Apostolic, Holy-Spirit filled pastors and ministers of the Gospel so blinded by "whatever--take your pick" that even the very teachings and holy commandments of our beloved Savior go by the wayside because you know, these are Muslims we're talking about (as opposed to Romans!).
Before the Lord saved me, I knew what it was like to be swayed and enthralled by evil spirits. I knew an endless misanthropy and self-loathing. I daydreamed of violence and acts of terrorism. In a different part of the world, I would have been ripe for the picking, and could have easily become the very thing we are talking apart: a Manchurian candidate brainwashed into thinking that blowing myself up and taking as many with me as possible was the best thing since sliced al hubz.
So all of this has been an attempt to create compassion in some of my brethren who have heretofore shown precious little, because I have, in my own way, walked in these shoes before, and I have likewise felt the saving grace of God change me, redeem me, and make me a new person, and if God can take what I was and save me, I know He can take the radicalized Muslim and bring him to the cross of Jesus Christ.
It's what both He and I want. It's what I am and have been praying for. How about y'all?
I don't have time to document this, perhaps I should not need too?
Muslim mobs have murdered Christians for the alleged offense of blasphemy.
Muslim mobs have firebombed Christian churches, stores and homes.
Muslim mobs have raped and pillaged.
These are facts.
There have also been Muslims who have stepped in to defend Christians and help them escape from Muslim mobs. This is also a fact.
You like others may view my posts as attacks against Muslims. They are not. I have repeatedly stated I was dealing with Islam. In fact I just left a Middle Eastern bakery and was able to have a good conversation with some Muslims there. I hope to have more.
I still contend that should your wives and/or children be under assault, you would defend them rather than trust God for a miracle.
If a wild animal sought to attack our families would we defend them? Or would we simply kneel and pray alone?
I will attack the animal and protect my family. I believe as a man it is my duty to protect my family. I am to care for them or the faith is not in me.
I don't see a difference between a wild animal and some man acting like an animal.
The "turn the other cheek" I believe is symbolic of an insult.
(Mat 5:39 ESV) But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.
To slap someone on the "right" cheek infers the use of a left hand which is not the hand of power - thus the idea of an insult and not an assault.
Jesus said to buy a sword. IMO It was not used as a letter opener. Rather, self defense alone from wild animals and perhaps men who act like animals.
(Luk 22:36 ESV) He said to them, "But now let the one who has a moneybag take it, and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one.
you would have to be more specific. Don't both sides "fight for peace?" pick a side--satan does not care which--and be damned.
That is an exceltent question. I don't think you actually understand it though.
Right now ISIS and other militant Islamists are in fact "fighting for peace"
but that word does not mean the same thing to them as it does to you.
It means submission to their god.
So they are fighting to force very person on the globe to submit to their version of their god.
On the other side, you have...well... if you have the American political leadership, you don't have anything. There is no one fighting for any version of peace. you have some attempts to kind of slow down ISIS or some such.
but no. you do not have a second side fighting for their version of peace, no matter what that version is.
in the end, I suspect that the west will offer up some half hearted attempt to get the other side to "leave us alone"
it wont work.
Peace, as you know it is not being sought by anyone.
__________________ If I do something stupid blame the Lortab!
__________________ "all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed."
~Declaration of Independence
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