Can the forum serve the Lord?

[MarcR]

If the forum access were limited to believers insulting language might be a valid response. The Lord has said of us (we who believe) that they (the world) will know that we are His disciples by our love one to another.

The forum provides an excellent venue for believers to doctrinally 'sharpen' each other. The forum also has great potential to lead seakers to faith and to disciple those who were evangelized and left to fend for themselves instead of being discipled.

If we do not learn to discuss issues without attacking each other; we in many ways destroy the forum's ability to serve the Lord and limit it to our own use. I think we can and should do better!


I understand our desire to dismiss trolls without hearing them out. I have seen at least 2 cases of people who, in their pain, come across as angry with God; be dismissed as trolls when they may have really been seeking answers.

Such people should not be coddled or fed fluff; but should not be brushed off prematurely, IMO.

I realize I have no authority to censure the forum; but, I thought these things worthy of discussion.

 

[psychomom]

Marc, we serve the Lord by serving one another, right?

i mean, God needs nothing from us, but our neighbor does.

i have lost my temper at times, and for that, i apologize to all.
this is a good topic for discussion.

 

[Vernon]

The Lord said he desires those with a contrite and humble spirit. I certainly have misrepresented God in expressing anger, not righteous anger, but puffed up prideful anger.
May the Lord have mercy on my soul, in Jesus name. Amen.

 

[MarcR]

Marc, we serve the Lord by serving one another, right?

i mean, God needs nothing from us, but our neighbor does.

i have lost my temper at times, and for that, i apologize to all.
this is a good topic for discussion.

My primary concern in the thread is the forum's potential to bring seekers, who visit, to faith.

The Lord has said of us (we who believe) that they (the world) will know that we are His disciples by our love one to another.

If we relate to each other no different than the world does; what is to attract seekers to faith?

 

[Bowhunter2394]

The forum serves a purpose. His own are here... The other sowers converts much more in abundance. He will link His Own together on here whilst the tares continue on in their darkness. Easy to see. Indeed!

 

[Bowhunter2394]

My primary concern in the thread is the forum's potential to bring seekers, who visit, to faith.

The Lord has said of us (we who believe) that they (the world) will know that we are His disciples by our love one to another.

If we relate to each other no different than the world does; what is to attract seekers to faith?

If those who God is drawing them Genuinely, He will put His Own in their path thru Posts and Messages, His Spirit is the One in Control. Not us. Have to discern carefully. And test

 

[Reborn]

There is peaceful fellowship going on, Marc.
Just not on the forums.


Watch for the quiet ones......they have a lot to say and contribute.

........they just do all of their talking in PM, where they can't be attacked.



Hopefully one day they will speak up.

 

[DesiredHaven]

Its a nice thought, but since its all in word (or tongue) rather then in deed and truth anyway and most find it acceptable to corrupt the words of God its not all that beneficial except maybe to keep that corruption in check as much as you able

I never saw one that was to be honest. They all degrade and become little clicks and then partial in themselves, eventually they become casual with the words of God, and then more about their own clicks and they all degarde into"whose king of the thread", pretty much at the expense of the truth. And the others (on both sides) pretty much let go (on their own side) in that because each click is routing for their own side of things and if you can get it through with a lie, they all stand by and let it (while hundreds of lurkers watch) and hopefully walk away from it because doing that is evil.

 

[maxwel]

I think MarcR is completely right.

However, CC is simply not a context where those ideas can fully germinate.
Why?

CC is not a place over which we have any control.

CC is a privately owned public forum.
The members have no control over other members.
We have no control over who joins, or how they act once they're here.

We can encourage each other to behave in certain ways,
but that is all that can be done.
We have no control, or authority, over anyone.
No one can be forced to be polite, or kind, or even reasonable.

It's even hard to accomplish that in an actual church...
a place where there ARE rules,
and where there IS authority.

So, it's fine to encourage each other to behave in certain ways.
That's good.
That's Biblical.
We should do more of that...
but we should not have unreasonable expectations here.

 

[psychomom]

My primary concern in the thread is the forum's potential to bring seekers, who visit, to faith.

The Lord has said of us (we who believe) that they (the world) will know that we are His disciples by our love one to another.

If we relate to each other no different than the world does; what is to attract seekers to faith?

i understand, and have another concern.
that is the young ones...the ones who belong to the Lord and are struggling...the (for me, young women) whose lives at times seem to be too much to bear.

but i am sorry for misunderstanding your primary purpose, and will now leave you to it.
grace and peace to you.

 

[Jeff_56]

My primary concern in the thread is the forum's potential to bring seekers, who visit, to faith.
The Lord has said of us (we who believe) that they (the world) will know that we are His disciples by our love one to another.
If we relate to each other no different than the world does; what is to attract seekers to faith?

there's too much mixture here to actually think that someone could come to faith here.
but, perhaps, that's true most places. people find what they seek for; yahweh's promise in HIS WORD is that if they seek him, they will find him.

The forum serves a purpose. His own are here... The other sowers converts much more in abundance. He will link His Own together on here whilst the tares continue on in their darkness. Easy to see. Indeed!

as long as visitors realize most are not his own, no worries. but newbies/ seekers/ weak in faith may not be aware so many pretenders and scoffers and deceivers are here.

i understand, and have another concern.
that is the young ones...the ones who belong to the Lord and are struggling...the (for me, young women) whose lives at times seem to be too much to bear.

but i am sorry for misunderstanding your primary purpose, and will now leave you to it.
grace and peace to you.

young ones have no business seeking truth here or any forum that's open to gentiles/pagans/Jewish unbelievers, but they may not know it (yet).

 

[Angela53510]

I think that ego lies behind some of the angry responses. People who believe that they are the ones who are right, and everyone else is wrong, and lose it when someone confronts them, even if it is with Bible verses.

I hope we can all be kinder to one another, when we are having the kind of discussions which pit one theological stance against another.

As for the newbies, and those who appear to be trolling, perhaps we do need to give them the benefit of the doubt. I have always felt that there was even hope for the atheists who attack Christian doctrines, since I was an atheist once, and God saved me! But the loving witness of Christians was part of that package.

Who are we to know if a person who is a vehement atheist won't have some dry soil ploughed here or a few seeds sown in their heart? We may never see it bear fruit, but maybe 10 or 20 years down the road, that kind word and testimony about Jesus will be part of the process of the Holy Spirit transforming a life.

When the discussions get heated, it is time to sit back and re-evaluate our hearts and emotions. And find a way to say it like Jesus would! That means speaking the truth, but gently. For me, I am going to leave the whips to Jesus. I know he could control his temper, and he knew the hearts and minds of those he was dealing with. As for me, I am just a humble follower, which means showing love and grace, instead of getting on a high horse and shouting down the opposition..

 

[Utah]

When the discussions get heated, it is time to sit back and re-evaluate our hearts and emotions. And find a way to say it like Jesus would! That means speaking the truth, but gently. For me, I am going to leave the whips to Jesus. I know he could control his temper, and he knew the hearts and minds of those he was dealing with. As for me, I am just a humble follower, which means showing love and grace, instead of getting on a high horse and shouting down the opposition..

Dear Sister, thank you for sharing such wisdom. I would like to share in the same manner, but my anger is kindled against arrogant modern day Pharisees who shut out the Kingdom of Heaven against every imperfect person. The other day a new person visited this site sharing that he is in need of real help, asking for prayer and guidance. Another person shared their pain in losing their pet.

Most folks embraced them with love and encouraging Scripture, but a few were not loving at all, condemning the first person for daring admit he sinned while mocking those of us who hope and pray animals will be with us in Heaven. That's when Tigger goes from rejoicing at the empty tomb to turning over the tables in the Temple.

I pray for our arrogant Pharisees but sometimes its like chewing glass when I do.

 

[notuptome]

Believers are able to serve the Lord here. The forum is an inanimate object and can do nothing of itself. Tares and wolves have no interest in the greater good. Each must keep their eyes on the Lord and trust Him that when we send forth the word of God it will not return unto Him void but will accomplish that to which He has purposed it.

The fields are white unto harvest but the laborers are few.

For the cause of Christ
Roger

 

[JesusLives]

In my Blond opinion - it starts with each one of us.....Am I acting like Jesus, am I loving like Jesus, am I kind like Jesus, do I answer softly, do I just walk away when the heat starts to rise. Must I always have the last word, what would Jesus do in this situation?

If you look at Jesus life He never turned away anyone in need....But He sure turned up the heat with the religious leaders of His day calling them snakes and brood of vipers.....White washed tombs but empty inside void of having God living in their hearts.....

I can only work on myself and let God change me from the inside out and then I can learn to love my brothers and sisters.....It starts with each one of us and if we get our hearts right with God allowing Him to have control of our lives....the ripple effect goes all the way to the edge of the pond...... Cookie?