What's the point? Everything is selfish.
- Thread starter Dai3234
- Start date
-
Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.
If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!
To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
D
And, you're so busy hugging the guy on food stamps, you didn't bother noticing this is a week later, and something drastically good came upon Dai. (Jesus reach him!)
The message you were too busy dismissing by your goal setting preaching. John MacArthur's close in his sermon:
Righteousness is the issue before God. There was Jesus, the personification of heavenly mercy and forgiveness, ready to give it lavishly to that lawyer if the man would simply admit his wretched condition. That’s the message. That’s the message to you as well. You need to come for mercy and grace. Then when you’re saved, it’s amazing how He sheds abroad His love in your heart, and you begin to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength - not perfectly, but that becomes the direction of your affection. And you begin to love other people as you love yourself - not perfectly, but that’s the direction.
This story is not to make people feel guilty about not giving their money to poor people. It’s not to make people feel guilty about not taking care of those that are suffering. This story is designed to make people feel guilty for not loving God perfectly and loving others perfectly, and then running to the One who alone can provide forgiveness for that sin and eternal life. Let’s pray.
Gratefully, Lord, we ask You to fill our hearts with gratitude for the wonderful privilege of the Holy Spirit convicting us of sin, righteousness, judgment that led us to recognize the bankruptcy of our own condition before You. It’s so much harder for religious people to see their spiritual bankruptcy. It’s one thing to see the sin in your sin, but it’s something else to see the sin in your self-righteousness. Thank You for leading us to that conviction so that the gospel came as good news, great news, glorious news of forgiveness and righteousness through faith in Christ.
Father, we ask that you would draw to Yourself, sinners and give them the gift of eternal life. We pray in Christ’s great name. Amen.
The message you were too busy dismissing by your goal setting preaching. John MacArthur's close in his sermon:
Righteousness is the issue before God. There was Jesus, the personification of heavenly mercy and forgiveness, ready to give it lavishly to that lawyer if the man would simply admit his wretched condition. That’s the message. That’s the message to you as well. You need to come for mercy and grace. Then when you’re saved, it’s amazing how He sheds abroad His love in your heart, and you begin to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength - not perfectly, but that becomes the direction of your affection. And you begin to love other people as you love yourself - not perfectly, but that’s the direction.
This story is not to make people feel guilty about not giving their money to poor people. It’s not to make people feel guilty about not taking care of those that are suffering. This story is designed to make people feel guilty for not loving God perfectly and loving others perfectly, and then running to the One who alone can provide forgiveness for that sin and eternal life. Let’s pray.
Gratefully, Lord, we ask You to fill our hearts with gratitude for the wonderful privilege of the Holy Spirit convicting us of sin, righteousness, judgment that led us to recognize the bankruptcy of our own condition before You. It’s so much harder for religious people to see their spiritual bankruptcy. It’s one thing to see the sin in your sin, but it’s something else to see the sin in your self-righteousness. Thank You for leading us to that conviction so that the gospel came as good news, great news, glorious news of forgiveness and righteousness through faith in Christ.
Father, we ask that you would draw to Yourself, sinners and give them the gift of eternal life. We pray in Christ’s great name. Amen.
D
I was just notified that you sent me a PM. Excuse me for not answer, but I am assuming at this moment you're still playing the part of the priest or lawyer. WHEN you realize what I'm talking about and who I am, (you did get one thing right, I really am no lady), I would like you to man up and ask for forgiveness openly.
I'll even let you know the end of that one. I'll be happy to forgive you after you figure out why you gave me such a good laugh today.
As it stands now, I'm assuming that PM is to scold me some more privately. Ummm, no thanks. Not reading it.
I'll even let you know the end of that one. I'll be happy to forgive you after you figure out why you gave me such a good laugh today.
As it stands now, I'm assuming that PM is to scold me some more privately. Ummm, no thanks. Not reading it.
Nah.. She's not hateful. She just approaches situations differently than others here might. 
She is very outspoken and straight forward, just like I am. Her and Utah just rubbed each other the wrong way.. lol
Oh. What you mean is he/she is depleted of tact. His/her partner must be miserable. He/she brought him into this.
The depleted one missed the meaning of my post and went all over the place.
She is very outspoken and straight forward, just like I am. Her and Utah just rubbed each other the wrong way.. lolOh. What you mean is he/she is depleted of tact. His/her partner must be miserable. He/she brought him into this.
The depleted one missed the meaning of my post and went all over the place.
Let's focus on the OP, and not on Depleted, okay? Let's not derail this thread.
Nah.. She's not hateful. She just approaches situations differently than others here might. She is very outspoken and straight forward, just like I am. Her and Utah just rubbed each other the wrong way.. lol
Oh. What you mean is he/she is depleted of tact. His/her partner must be miserable. He/she brought him into this.
The depleted one missed the meaning of my post and went all over the place.
She is very outspoken and straight forward, just like I am. Her and Utah just rubbed each other the wrong way.. lolOh. What you mean is he/she is depleted of tact. His/her partner must be miserable. He/she brought him into this.
The depleted one missed the meaning of my post and went all over the place.
You forgot the most important illness of all! Your major depression that you are getting no help for. And maybe some kind of personality disorder, which I define as "All about me!"
I look at this list, and I laugh! Not at you, but because of how grateful I would be if this is all I had wrong physically. I have severe Rheumatoid Arthritis, an autoimmune disease where my body attacks the joints, tendons and organs like the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys and skin. I have damage in 100 joints. My rheumatologist wants me to have 5 joint replacement/reconstructions. Two thumbs, two knees and the left foot reconstructed. I had the right one done in 2009 and it causes me so much more pain than the very deformed left one, none of this is going to happen until I lose total function, when the prognosis will be so much worse, because the damage may become so bad, the surgery won't be possible.
I can barely walk, I have to wear wrist guards and thumb caps to do anything. I have to take my husband shopping, because I can't lift anything. The only time I go out is to church on Sunday morning. It is so hard and exhausting for me to do anything, I basically am a shut in. Oh, and now I have bad tendon involvement, so my shoulders are being impinged constantly. I won't even get into the fact that I have to tape my right knee, because otherwise the knee cap will pop up, which is painful and it adds to the damage.
Oh, I take 3 cancer drugs for my RA, but I cannot get good control of the disease. Plus, I have liver issues, from methotrexate, and I cannot take a full dose, which I need. Nor can I take antihistamines which I often need. But if I the liver enzymes go up, then I am off two drugs and back to bed. I stopped drinking when God saved me, and delivered me from that garbage 37 years ago, a wonderful day for me. I agree you should be thanking God that you can no longer drown your troubles at the bottom of a bottle!
Your whining about needing to drink, also suggests alcoholism to me. You are a dry drunk, and perhaps going to AA might help you? But no, you don't want to help yourself. You brought liver disease on yourself, because of a possible unacknowledged drinking problem, and you complain? I did nothing to deserve liver issues, and it has ruined my treatment options for RA.
Oh yes, I also have Osteoarthritis secondary to the RA damage, asthma, fibromyalgia, Sjogren's Syndrome, hypothryoidism, a sleeping disorder caused by the pain and a 32 year old whiplash injury that has ruined my neck, and probably brought on a lot of the other diseases, which stress can do! And lest I forget, my meds completely failed 2 years ago, I was completely bed ridden, and I had to be lifted into my wheelchair, just to go to the bathroom. So I went on prednisone, causing me to gain weight, and probably leeching a lot of calcium out of my bones. But, at least I could get up on my own.
Was I depressed? You bet I was! But not in this suicidal way you are! The pain was intense, and continues to be. When my meds were good, I was riding my bike 30-35 km every other day. By myself! I loved it! Now, I have a pulled hamstring, and my elbows are flared, my shoulders damaged, and the last bike ride I took, my husband wanted to get the car, I was crying because my arms hurt so badly, but I kept going and made it worse. It was a 30 minute 9 km ride! Nothing!
So blah, blah, blah! One thing God has showed me in this journey, is that NO ONE is without problems or pain. If it is not health, it is money, or relationships, or a thousand other issues. And the other thing God showed me, is that all those sunny, happy, healthy married people, whose teeth sparkle when they smile, are suffering in one way or another. I could tell you lots of stories, but seriously, many here in this thread have told you stories, and you have not listened!
Anyway, please see a doctor, and get on anti-depressants and get some therapy. You are suicidal and seriously depressed. God has given me amazing joy throughout my trials. I even hesititate to write about it here, because I don't want it to be one upmanship, and I am not looking for sympathy. A lot of people in CC pray for me, and the effects are tremendous. God is so good!
Spiritually, I would challenge you, to start, to read 5 Psalms a day, and you will meet real people, who were hurting and did not have a modern medical system like we do, to alleviate pain, and eliminate or stop many serious illnesses. Compare us to third world countries, and we have food, shelter and clean water. That is so much more than many have. Oh, and find a friendly church. Don't write them off the first time. Read what they have posted on-line about themselves and see if it is for you before you go.
Here are some verses God used to help me out of my depression, in the early years with improperly diagnosed and poorly treated RA. The KJV uses "cast down" for "depressed" which is a term used for when sheep fall over and they cannot get up. They will die unless the Shepherd comes and turns them back up. I've been translating from the LXX this psalm this week, the Greek version of the Old Testament. The word "depressed" in Greek has meanings which include, "troubled, despairing, disturbed" It is a sign of being utterly down. But notice how the psalm writer is bereft of hope, but by the third line of the verse, he is hoping and praising in God! Read the whole Psalm along with its companion Psalm 43.
"5 Why am I so depressed?
Why this turmoil within me?
Put your hope in God, for I will still praise Him,
my Savior and my God." Psalm 42:5
Here is my life verse from the New Testament!
"More than that, we rejoice in our suffering, knowing that suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character and character produces hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out by the Holy Spirit who was given to us!" Romans 5:3-5
God is so wonderful! Seek him with all your heart! And get help for your depression, I guarantee the same life will seem like a joy regardless of what is happening. God bless!
D
I feel like a kid again and the latest Beatles album just came out, but... really, really, Blue! You can put the sermon on audio, watch it on video, or read it. Better than White Album good. (White Album -- THE album everyone had to get.) I'm talking raspberries and chocolate good!!! (Okay, if you skip the beginning when he goes on and on about what different people theorized it meant over the years. Kind of slide through that part, but once he gets into the setting of when Jesus told that story, it's such a huge Duh-now moment for me.) 45 years later, and I finally get that story!
Jesus was telling what love God and love your neighbor looks like so we really get what he has done for us (he IS the Good Samaritan) AND what we cannot do. He was witnessing about himself to a lawyer.
Jesus was telling what love God and love your neighbor looks like so we really get what he has done for us (he IS the Good Samaritan
) AND what we cannot do. He was witnessing about himself to a lawyer.
D
Try realizing Dai's mind has been changed by God rather than going on an on with your tirade about me.
Warning: if you do not do as I ask in the PM, I most certainly will post my response to you on here for all to see.
Poor Dai! He learned something good and everyone is attacking him! And now, attacking others. Very "friendly" and "helpful" response to give as Christianity advice!
Warning: if you do not do as I ask in the PM, I most certainly will post my response to you on here for all to see.
Poor Dai! He learned something good and everyone is attacking him! And now, attacking others. Very "friendly" and "helpful" response to give as Christianity advice!
Bias you are.
She spewed out insults. Belittles the idea of preaching, which I am not.
Reminds me of how Jezebel hated the prophets of the Lord.
But you've chosen to ignore her apparent hateful remarks. Respect of persons.
Remember, she's the one who says she's not a lady.
She attacked simply because I wrote a response to Dai's post.
Here's where it all started. Right from the depleted heart:
"And, you're so busy hugging the guy on food stamps, you didn't bother noticing this is a week later, and something drastically good came upon Dai. (Jesus reach him!)
The message you were too busy dismissing by your goal setting preaching...John MacArthur's close in his sermon...."
I'm done with her. She has issues.
She spewed out insults. Belittles the idea of preaching, which I am not.
Reminds me of how Jezebel hated the prophets of the Lord.
But you've chosen to ignore her apparent hateful remarks. Respect of persons.
Remember, she's the one who says she's not a lady.
She attacked simply because I wrote a response to Dai's post.
Here's where it all started. Right from the depleted heart:
"And, you're so busy hugging the guy on food stamps, you didn't bother noticing this is a week later, and something drastically good came upon Dai. (Jesus reach him!)
The message you were too busy dismissing by your goal setting preaching...John MacArthur's close in his sermon...."
I'm done with her. She has issues.
D
Dai,
I get that you get it now. I'm sorry for the anger and hatred spewed your way. (Your thread, not mine.) But I want to encourage you in that too. The sermon and this seem to be connected.
I was reading Spurgeon and this seems to go along with what is happening on this thread now. I thought you'd appreciate the encouragement.
“Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night.” Psa_91:5
What is this terror? It may be the cry of fire, or the noise of thieves, or fancied appearances, or the shriek of sudden sickness or death. We live in the world of death and sorrow, we may therefore look for ills as well in the night-watches as beneath the glare of the broiling sun. Nor should this alarm us, for be the terror what it may, the promise is that the believer shall not be afraid. Why should he? Let us put it more closely, why should we? God our Father is here, and will be here all through the lonely hours; he is an almighty Watcher, a sleepless Guardian, a faithful Friend. Nothing can happen without his direction, for even hell itself is under his control. Darkness is not dark to him. He has promised to be a wall of fire around his people-and who can break through such a barrier? Worldlings may well be afraid, for they have an angry God above them, a guilty conscience within them, and a yawning hell beneath them; but we who rest in Jesus are saved from all these through rich mercy. If we give way to foolish fear we shall dishonour our profession, and lead others to doubt the reality of godliness. We ought to be afraid of being afraid, lest we should vex the Holy Spirit by foolish distrust. Down, then, ye dismal forebodings and groundless apprehensions, God has not forgotten to be gracious, nor shut up his tender mercies; it may be night in the soul, but there need be no terror, for the God of love changes not. Children of light may walk in darkness, but they are not therefore cast away, nay, they are now enabled to prove their adoption by trusting in their heavenly Father as hypocrites cannot do.
“Though the night be dark and dreary,
Darkness cannot hide from thee;
Thou art he, who, never weary,
Watchest where thy people be.”
I get that you get it now. I'm sorry for the anger and hatred spewed your way. (Your thread, not mine.) But I want to encourage you in that too. The sermon and this seem to be connected.
I was reading Spurgeon and this seems to go along with what is happening on this thread now. I thought you'd appreciate the encouragement.
“Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night.” Psa_91:5
What is this terror? It may be the cry of fire, or the noise of thieves, or fancied appearances, or the shriek of sudden sickness or death. We live in the world of death and sorrow, we may therefore look for ills as well in the night-watches as beneath the glare of the broiling sun. Nor should this alarm us, for be the terror what it may, the promise is that the believer shall not be afraid. Why should he? Let us put it more closely, why should we? God our Father is here, and will be here all through the lonely hours; he is an almighty Watcher, a sleepless Guardian, a faithful Friend. Nothing can happen without his direction, for even hell itself is under his control. Darkness is not dark to him. He has promised to be a wall of fire around his people-and who can break through such a barrier? Worldlings may well be afraid, for they have an angry God above them, a guilty conscience within them, and a yawning hell beneath them; but we who rest in Jesus are saved from all these through rich mercy. If we give way to foolish fear we shall dishonour our profession, and lead others to doubt the reality of godliness. We ought to be afraid of being afraid, lest we should vex the Holy Spirit by foolish distrust. Down, then, ye dismal forebodings and groundless apprehensions, God has not forgotten to be gracious, nor shut up his tender mercies; it may be night in the soul, but there need be no terror, for the God of love changes not. Children of light may walk in darkness, but they are not therefore cast away, nay, they are now enabled to prove their adoption by trusting in their heavenly Father as hypocrites cannot do.
“Though the night be dark and dreary,
Darkness cannot hide from thee;
Thou art he, who, never weary,
Watchest where thy people be.”
Come on sister, I highly respect men of God like John MacArthur and I don't think your words are deserving. God gave these to the church, Ephesians 4:11ff, and they are worthy of double honor, 1 Timothy 5:17. Those like MacArthur who rightly preach the Word deserve our respect as they are used by God.
To be fair, I don't think anyone is suggesting he is smarter than God, and the thing is God has greatly gifted this man.
To be fair, I don't think anyone is suggesting he is smarter than God, and the thing is God has greatly gifted this man.