What's with the Jesus skywriting?

[BurkeTribe]

Yes, God told Samuel to kill everyone, even the animals. Did you know Samuel was one of the only men in the Bible that there is no record of his doing any thing wrong?

"Samuel said to Saul, "I am the one the LORD sent to anoint you king over his people Israel; so listen now to the message from the LORD... put to death... children and infants, ....' "

 

[phillybeth]

Well, Philly does have the best cheesesteaks, but I don't go to that restaurant anymore

Some restaurants might be okay with people eating at other restaurants, but not mine! My restaurant is so convinced of its wonderful food that it compels me to tell everyone about it- how good the food is, how great the servers are, and how only my restaurant as the ONE TRUE FOOD. No one can hide their love of my restaurant! I carry menus and 50% off coupons everywhere I go, so I can tell everyone about my restaurant! Thoughts of my restaurant consume my life.

I am so glad I found my restaurant- I didn't realize how empty my life was before. I credit my restaurant with giving me the ability to eat 3 servings of cheese fries! Before my restaurant I couldn't even finish one, and my life was empty and without meaning. But through the power of my restaurant I am overfilled with cheese fries!

Everyone loves cheese fries, so you have to come to my restaurant! Here's a coupon for 50% off- and kids eat free!

 

[cardaway]

That is true. You do not have to deal with it. I am referring to your not dealing with it as rejection. If I ignore my electric bill they will turn off the electicity, if I ignore the fact my car needs gas, I will run out of gas, I guess I am just saying the time will come when you will have to face this, I care enough to tell you, one day you stand in front of God. You can believe it is fantasy or not real, that is your right.

Post 546.

OK, who won the when would the fear card be pulled pool?

 

[JennyMominRI]

We can be raised in a home that has certain beliefs but becoming a Christian is not inherited. It is every person for themselves. Each one has to accept or reject that Jesus loved them so much, He chose to die a humiliating death, just to restore their relationship with God, His Father.

So you are saying we must not have been sincere right? Because no one sincere would ever leave Christianity...we must not have really known *the Truth*

 

[Joyce Kingkade]

"Samuel said to Saul, "I am the one the LORD sent to anoint you king over his people Israel; so listen now to the message from the LORD... put to death... children and infants, ....' "

Yes, God told Samuel, the Lord sent him to Saul. I guess your point is the killing of children, infants, etc? Saul obeyed what God told Samuel. Isn't it great that we now live in the Dispensation of Grace? Grace now gives us a opportunity to be reunited with God, not separated from Him. Israel is still special to God and He will judge harshly those who oppose Israel.

 

[JennyMominRI]

I can see that you have studied the Bible, at least the Old Testament. Yes the world has endured a lot of suffering and pain. Still all of this is for a purpose. Since you brought up the Old Testament, lets look at Isaiah:
Isaiah 53
1 Who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

3 He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4 Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.

5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.

6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before her shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.

8 By oppression [a] and judgment he was taken away.
And who can speak of his descendants?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was stricken.

9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in his mouth.

10 Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the LORD makes [c] his life a guilt offering,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.

That's lovely but it is about the people Israel,not Jesus...The Suffering servent is identified in many parts of the Tanakh as the people Israel.

 

[Joyce Kingkade]

So you are saying we must not have been sincere right? Because no one sincere would ever leave Christianity...we must not have really known *the Truth*

No I am not saying that at all. You could have made a real committment to Jesus, I cannot determine that. All I am saying is just because you were raised in a Christian home, with Christian beliefs everyone needs to make their own committment, you do not inherit it from family or parents. Being raised in a Christian home makes you no more of a Christian than walking into a garage makes you a car.

 

[JennyMominRI]

I've had posters ask me about becoming a Christian (via PM) due to my postings on religious threads.

I don't doubt that a bit Jimmie..It's all in how you present yourself.

 

[Joyce Kingkade]

That's lovely but it is about the people Israel,not Jesus...The Suffering servent is identified in many parts of the Tanakh as the people Israel.

I know Israel believes that. They also believe Isaiah was a prophet.

 

[cardaway]

One thing you may want to consider... those folks saying "good job" and "thanks" have all been Christians. Some of the folks who aren't Christians have said you are actually making them less likely to turn to Christ. And here's the kicker - none of the non-Christians have said that your words have motivated them to seek out Christ.

There's a lesson here - the same one the skywriter needs to understand. It's one thing to want to spread the "Good News" about Jesus to the unsaved. But there are good and bad ways of spreading that news. And I don't mean good and bad in a moral sense, but in an effectiveness sense.

There are some Christians out there "spreading the news" in a way that is totally counterproductive. That isn't a good thing from a Christian standpoint, or a non-Christian standpoint.

Well said.

FWIW, IMO the best way to spread the "word' is to be a good example and IMO Joyce, and the people who have cheered her on, couldn't have set a worse example.

In a situation such as this, the reaction of those that agree are secondary since they are not the target audience.

In this example the target audience gave their reaction and it was ignored. Pretty much all the audience needs to know about the sincerity of the message.

 

[Dr.Snark]

All this talk of having to eat something, I have decided to feast at the House of Hogwarts.

Lots of fun deities to worship. If I am going to listen to voices in my head, it might as well be lots of them instead of a single one. And if I am going to have imaginary best friends, I might as well have lots of them. AND I won't have to leave my religion at the door if Disney comes through with the Harry Potter attraction.

And I can quote scripture just like the best of them. Lots of stuff about truth and people dying to save you. So, it's gotta be a deity talking, right?

Dumbledore PS12 (Dumbledore, Philosopher's Stone, pg 7)
It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that

Dumbledore PS17
The truth is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution

Dumbledore PS17
Your mother died to save you....

Dumbledore CS18
It is our choices.., that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities

Praise be to Dumbledore and Harry Potter

 

[Mrs.Toad]

I get that you don't want anything to do with Christianity, I do wonder why, and why can't anyone research what is being shared. If someone highly reccommended another restaurant to me, I might have to investigate to see if they possibly knew what they were talking about. The Bible does state that Jesus died for "all". But you are right not everyone wants to be. You can skip my posts. If you ever want Him or need Him, He is just a prayer away.

Umm, the person you quoted has indicated several times in this thread that she is a Christian. I get that you may not be paying attention to usernames and who said what, but I don't get why you'd assume that disagreeing with you = not wanting anything to do with Christianity.

 

[Mrs.Toad]

On his old (some might say ancient) TV show "You bet your life", Groucho Marx was interviewing a family with 17 kids. Groucho asked the parents why they decided to have so many kids, and the father put his arm around his wife and declared to a national TV audience "Groucho, I love my wife!"

Without hesitation, Groucho responded "Well, I love my cigar too, but I put it away once in awhile."

Groucho was a much smarter man than he usually gets credit for.

 

[Mrs.Toad]

Jesus is not abrasive.
They way you're hustling him is.

Exactly.

 

[orljustin]

We are just commanded to spread the gospel. You say its counterproductive and therefore you deny any chance that our Sovereign God can draw any of those people that have heard it proclaimed to Him. The results many not be immediate and we may never see the effect our proclaiming produces. This could lead some readers to really evaluate their life. For others this could be a first step on the journey. We are accountable for what God calls us to do. We leave the rest in His capable hands.

Really? Well, I'm commanded to break into your house and take your tv. Or would that interfere with your life? Right, just like I don't want you interfering in mine with your beliefs.

 

[JennyMominRI]

I know Israel believes that. They also believe Isaiah was a prophet.

Yes we do believe Isaiah is a Prophet...That does not make everything he says prophecy...The verse you quoted is not prophecy..It's a a flowery description of the people Israel and their history of oppression.. It's not messianic prophecy.

 

[salmoneous]

How would you share the good news?

I believe the most effective way is to live the transformed life the Bible talks about in Roman's 12 (see excerpt below). Merely telling people about Jesus isn't nearly as effective as living a life that is different, that people admire, that people want to have. That goes for both the real world, as well as the world of the DIS.

Look, I'm not saying that people shouldn't use the DIS as a means of expressing their faith. Many Christians do, and in ways that attract other to Christ. But some of you are doing so in a manner that is counter productive. If I can use you (Joyce) as an example (and I hope this doesn't come across as picking on you) but once you start getting into an argument about who is being more rude, you've lost any chance to witness to that person. Once you use your faith as a snappy comeback, there's no chance of the message reaching anyone.

Furthermore, you can't push your Faith on people. No skywriting, sticking tracks under windshields, etc. That pushes people away more than drawing them in. What does draw people is in that transformed life. Showing that Christianity isn't about where you spend Sunday mornings or having a get-out-of-heck-free card. It's about a life that isn't of this world, but is transformed into something better.

Romans 12:

2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God

9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. 10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; 11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; 12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; 13 Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. 14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. 15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. 16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. 17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. 18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Can you just image what the world would be like if everyone that claimed to be a Christina lived their life this way?

 

[Crankyshank]

Yes, God told Samuel, the Lord sent him to Saul. I guess your point is the killing of children, infants, etc? Saul obeyed what God told Samuel. Isn't it great that we now live in the Dispensation of Grace? Grace now gives us a opportunity to be reunited with God, not separated from Him. Israel is still special to God and He will judge harshly those who oppose Israel.

No he didn't. Saul disobeyed God by showing mercy and was punished

7 Then Saul attacked the Amalekites all the way from Havilah to Shur, to the east of Egypt. 8 He took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and all his people he totally destroyed with the sword. 9 But Saul and the army spared Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs—everything that was good. These they were unwilling to destroy completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed.

10 Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel: 11 "I am grieved that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions." Samuel was troubled, and he cried out to the LORD all that night.

 

[RayaniFoxmur]

Umm, the person you quoted has indicated several times in this thread that she is a Christian. I get that you may not be paying attention to usernames and who said what, but I don't get why you'd assume that disagreeing with you = not wanting anything to do with Christianity.

Because if you're not Christian the way that she is Christian you're not really Christian at all?

I'm starting to feel as though it's a "Either you're with us or you're against us" mentality here.

 

[Uncle Remus]

Because if you're not Christian the way that she is Christian you're not really Christian at all?

I'm starting to feel as though it's a "Either you're with us or you're against us" mentality here.