I did make a vague statement there..... I meant standing up with this issue, not truth in general. I can see how that would be viewed as arrogant. I feel, however, that I stood alone on the issue since its posting.
No, I don't have to.... I could just walk away guilty.
No, it's not the only reason....
No. It's not enough.
Like you, I sometimes have difficulty saying what needs to be said under pressure.
Well, you can stop feeling alone. If you stand up for truth on any issue then Christ stands beside you. Remember when Jeremiah felt alone and fled from Jezebel into that cave? he told God he felt alone but God told him that HE had a remnant reserved who had not bowed to Baal.
God always has His remnant.
Yeah I know that if God did not guide me in my speech I would remain mute or just stumble over my own tongue speaking pure nonsense.
I think its a blessing to have to prayer before speaking, though when i was younger I just thought it was annoying and inconvenient to hyperventilate when faced with public speaking. Now I know it was God's way of making me stop and think and pray about what I would say to a crowd before speaking out loud what truth I can convey that He has taught me from above.
As many have pointed out its a balancing act. Even God allowed people to sin until a certain point before judging and punishing them. However God's punishment is to correct and teach, not as the world would punish because there is always the chance of redemption. I believe the admins and mods of the site try and follow God's example as best as possible. Jesus forgave Peter when in the heat of emotion he cut of the guards ear. He healed the guard and told him to put away his sword.
Sometimes Rick, God says put away your sword and let Him handle it. I know I'm not suppose to address two different people in the same post but I have only a few minutes and wanted to say hi and that I love you all!
Just remember that those in authority need your prayers and support, even if you do not always understand their reason. pray to God and ask Him if their hearts are with Him and if they are being lead by Him. If the answer is yes then support them as best as you can through your words, actions and prayers.
Here are the Bible verses that come to mind this morning after reading all of your words....
Genesis 15
13 Then He said to Abram: “Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years. 14 And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions. 15 Now as for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old age. 16 But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.”
Many people will ask me what in the world does those verses have to do with the conversation. To me its evident but I have learned that to most my thinking is kind of confusing.
What I'm trying to show is that God has a plan for us and for the world. He is trying to show the world His truth and though if you only look at a small part of scripture or small part of history, you can get confused and not understand His plan of redemption. If you look at all of it, you understand the reason behind many events.
For example:
Why did Abraham descendants have to be strangers in a land that is not theirs?
Why did they have to serve and be afflicted for four hundred years?
What nation did God judge and why?
Why must the iniquity of the Amorites be complete before God displaces them and gives the land to Abraham's descendents?
That takes me to these verses:
... grr I can't find it. It is when God tells Moses that He gives the land to the people not because they are better than other people but because the sins of the people who now dwell on the land is so awful that He must judge and condemn them, and continues to tell them not to become snared into doing the same sinful things....I'll post this and keep looking...
