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Message |
Belvalew
Registered user
Username: Belvalew
Post Number: 534
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, June 25, 2005 - 12:48 pm: |     |
Dear Denise,
Yes, you are right. My disability is not as severe as yours because I can still operate a vehicle without having that vehicle altered to suit my disability. There may come a time when my mobility will be more restricted, in fact I'm expecting that to happen. I'm fighting it, but time and age have a tendency to win out!
My point to you is that most people are blissfully unaware of the difficulties that disease/disability/injury can deal out until it actually touches their lives. Case in point would be breast cancer. I'll bet that most of the people who participate in the 2-day and 3-day walks have either had breast cancer and survived it, or they have had a mother, daughter, sister, aunt, wife, grandmother, significant other, or close friend who has either battled and lost, or battled and won a victory against breast cancer.
Please forgive us, but most people are pretty self-centered and won't naturally be so altruistic as some would hope that we are, even when we are Christians. I don't expect people to understand and be conscious of my disability because it is mine, not theirs. I'm grateful for sloped curbs, ramps, and such because even though I can ambulate, climbing stairs is a B****! I'm totally grateful for moving walkways and escalators/elevators, anything that can make getting around easier. I'm also aware that a lot of people have had to get political, really political, and bare their souls before congress to wake people up and make them aware of the plight of the disabled. My father had polio when he was two and I watched people treat him like his being crippled by polio had somehow effected his mind. Nothing could have been further from the truth and I would shout at some people, when I was little and totally aware of the injustice. Dad reigned me in and told me that he could take care of himself, thank you.
I guess what I was saying, and will say again, is that it does no good to look for hurt where none is intended. I'll bet that 99.9% of the people on this forum are keenly aware of how the times we are living in fit smoothly into prophetic utterances in the scriptures. For instance, have you been aware of the amount of earthquake activity there has been recently. It is phenomenal. In May alone we had as many earthquakes/volcanic eruptions as we had in all of 2004, and 2004 was not a quiet year! When I see these things happen I want to rejoice. Jesus told us to rejoice, because our redemption was drawing near.
My mother told me when I was little that if I spent a lot of time looking to have my feelings hurt, then my feelings would be hurt all of the time. We tend to get what we concentrate on, Denise, and your messages seem to show that you are easily offended. If I'm wrong about that, please forgive me. I would hate to be a slave to a chair, and have been for brief periods of time. I know how un-fun that can be. Please don't beat up people who are fit and able just because they are not fighting your battles for you every single day. If you are looking for offense, people will not be as willing to be around you. They will not be as willing to assist you when you need them. A little patience and gratitude can go a long way toward making life better for others as well as yourself.
Send me the address of your Town Council, and I'll write them a letter. Perhaps you could get involved in the local schools and enlighten the children about how to help the disabled, and perhaps when they are grown they will be more aware citizens and vote for the kind of legislation that takes all people into consideration, even the disenfranchised.
Christopher Reeve is a real hero of mine. He never gave up! He went from being one of the most beautiful and capable human beings on this earth to being the most helpless. He could have gone quiet and done nothing more when he woke up after his terrible accident. Praise God that he did not. And he seemed to have kept his good nature through it all. To me, that was his greatest achievement. I do know this, until his accident I saw him as just another beautiful person who was capitalizing on the beauty and strength that God had given him. Chris's greatest achievements were gotten after he was paralized, and he never quit until Jesus called him home. What a man! He didn't let his disability define him. He proved that he was still just as much a man as he had ever been, and he approached his life with gratitude. |
Denisegilmore
Registered user
Username: Denisegilmore
Post Number: 319
Registered: 10-2000
| | Posted on Saturday, June 25, 2005 - 8:45 pm: | |
Belva,
I'm not looking at things that are hurting me for what is happening has been happening every since my disability began in 1999. Nor do I put down the abled bodied as far as the fact that they are abled bodied. I do however, point out the apathy that is shown in the abled bodied and it is indeed shown.
And I'm not easily offended. I'd be more offended if someone said I wasn't a Christian. If I were offended my posting would have stopped long ago but nothing stops my posting. You'd be amazed at my ability to take offensive slights or even shunning and not be offended. Indeed, I do believe this thread may be offending others for casting a spotlight on the hypocrisy of what is NOT being done by those who claim to be Christians.
It is true that I have great passion but that does not equate offended. With of course this attitude of what I saw during the Terri Schiavo Case. Then indeed, it wasn't offense I was feeling but absolute righteous indignation at "so-called-Christians" who took a "Speak no Evil, See no Evil, Hear no Evil" approach. How sickening! Who can blame the unbelievers that write to me for not wanting to be like "those Christians?" I didn't want to be lumped in with a bunch of spineless, self-centered Christians who were no earthly good either!
Life is full of injustices and there are some Christians who actually have the fortitude and guts to name them. Unlike the majority of Christians who go around pretending life is just peachy. The reality is that Jesus Christ of Nazareth focused on the sinners, the outcasts, the lame, the blind, the hypocrites. And today we have Christians who focus on sinners and a few hypocrites but to focus on the lame, the blind or widowed, the majority of hypocrites--including our leaders of Churches and this nation, and the outcasts is a taboo 'off topic' issue. And I'm wondering who, claiming to be a Christian, can actually watch an execution of an innocent woman who is disabled, are actually "Spirit Filled."
There's so much hypocrisy in the Churches and with Christians in general that it really makes me sick. Yet when I begin mentioning this beginning with me, since I do have a disability that will render me just like Terri Schiavo one day, I get met with silence.
But let me propose homosexual marriage on this forum and watch the fireworks! With all the Christians saying "That's Against God's Holy Word!" HA!! So is MURDER! So is Not Helping your Brother or Sister in Christ. Where's the outrage over these issues?? The only one who is genuinely outraged is me and the unbelievers or the believers who do NOT follow this President--the left they call themselves. I'm guessing that means Democrats but I'm NON Partisan so it makes no matter to me just as long as they are Christian or are standing for Christian issues even when they didn't know they were Christian Issues.
MURDER IS NOT OKAY BY GOD ALMIGHTY. So why are we not talking about that? The Entire World Watched it and Watch us Christians with our Christian Leader doing nothing. What did they see? Why are hating us and calling us hypocrites? They saw us go and attack a country that never once threatened us and is in worse condition now that ever and they are seeing this Christian President playing John Wayne some more and threatening other countries and we dare to wonder why they hate us? I would too!
Leaving the Widowed out, the Lame out, the Blind out, the Poor out is NOT Christian either. It's Hypocrisy and nothing more.
And you mention Christopher Reeve doing all his mighty acts. Yeah well, he also had the monies to do them with. Do you honestly believe he didn't want to commit suicide the first few years of his disability?? He did! If it weren't for his money he wouldn't have had the support system he had either to help him during those years of depression.
Also, I can bet he was never turned down for a ride to Church or the Grocery store. There is much much more in the way of what he had compared to the majority of us just regular guys out here who don't and never will have the luxuries he did nor the support system.
This is where the Church ought to be there. NOT FIGHTING THE IDEA FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!! Not making excuses. If I appear angry it is not anger but common sense that should even have to be said but sadly enough it has to be named.
You mention breast cancer, well someone can talk about that, nothing stopping them. Of course they are NOT being Murdered on purpose while all the Christians stand by either. If that were the case, do you think the Christians would remain silent? What about going to Church or getting to the Store? I suspect that most of the people with breast cancer have access to these places and a way to get there. I can bet they vote.
Disabled people on the other hand, have barriers at every turn. Society is not disability friendly and that's a fact. I'm so sick of finding a Church near me only to be met with a set of steps. Or a shop I'd like to go into but can't because it has a step. When it rains and I'm out of food, I cannot take my wheelchair outside, it will destroy the wheelchair.
But see, I started this thread when nobody spoke up for Terri Schindler Schiavo. This thread was not spoken nor opened up for me. So please do not try to act like this is just me I'm talking about here. That makes me just as sick to have such a narrow view. Look at all the topics in the past months that have nothing to do with me nor my disability for proof of this.
Just because I named some of what my life is like doesn't make this thread about Denise as a whole. It deals with the Disability Nation. It also deals with Christians and their apathetic stance on the plight of the disabled. It also points out the hypocrisy of the Christians who claim they don't get involved in politics yet vote each year and rally at certain causes. No politics eh. I say Christians are run by politics. And that is a sad statement but when homosexuality is legalized, or abortion, or war against a country that did NOT endanger us, then all of a sudden you so called "non political Christians" become VERY Political.
And I say, make up your minds. Stop the picking and choosing when it's okay to be involved in politics and when it's not. And if people can't stand that I don't talk all flowery then they have really led a sheltered life. I'm not a flowery talking person but just a regular person who talks like most other people do except on when they are on Christian Forums or In Church. I talk the same on a forum as I do at home. No pretense to be all saintly here.
The reason I point out some of these things and now here is where everybody needs to pay attention is because what we are experiencing now will eventually be ALL genuine Christians plight. The idea behind this NEW World Order is to kill of two thirds of the population. That's in fulfillment of the Scriptures by the way.
Now if nobody wants to talk about the prophecies, why do we call this a Christian forum? It can't be a "half way Christian forum."
What Hitler did is in some of the above links and it's happening currently in the United States of America via our government. Beginning with the disabled, the aged, the unborn, the poor and the mentally handicapped. But it will not stop there. And when we are all gone, who will stand up for the rest of you? And how will you feel knowing that you had a Christian lady on the internet trying to tell you these things but you would not listen? How will you feel when you realize that you stood by while untold millions were killed because they were not like you?
And while we cannot stop what God Himself said will take place, we can and must certainly stand by each other and fight each other's causes while we can. Otherwise where's the brotherhood/sisterhood of Christians?
Look at when Jesus came in the flesh. Who did He stand up for? Was it Caesar? Pilot? Herod? Was it the religious leaders of the day? It was none of these groups. He called the religious leaders 'Brood of Vipers, Children of Satan, Hypocrites, and other various names. Those He called that reflect today's society. Our government leaders, many many of our religious leaders, the supposed righteous.
Who did Jesus Hang out with? Who did Jesus stand up for? Who did Jesus teach? Who did He eat with? Break Bread with? Who did He die for?
It wasn't for the timid, nor the ones who denied Him, nor the ones who would not obey Him. He even looked at Peter one day and said "Get behind me Satan!"
What of the parable of the Good Samaritan? Is that in the Bible just to take up space? What about Matthew 25 and the Sheep and the Goat teaching? They were all acclaimed Christians, both the Sheep and the Goats.
In Matthew 24 the Disciples ask Him what will be the signs of the end of this age and the signs of His coming and Jesus goes to great length telling them. But He starts out with "See that No One Decieve you."
When we get a little further into what Jesus is telling them Jesus tells of the abomination that causes desolation spoken of by the Prophet Daniel.
Well, we are seeing many deceptions in this world, we are seeing the great falling away that Paul told us we would, and soon we will see the man of lawlessness or the abomination that causes desolation which is non other than anti-christ himself.
But for the first half of those 7 years many people are going to die and it will begin with the disabled and has already been going on for years now. Look how many babies this nation alone kills. If you know anything of nursing facilities like I do, then you know that people usually die of what is written "Natural Causes" but the truth of the matter is there was nothing Natural about the majority of their deaths.
Where is the Christian outrage over these murders? All Christians know that we cannot server both God and Money. And it's a sad statement that most Christians would rather save a few cents on their taxes than feed an old person or pay for a prescription drug needed for the aged or disabled. Let alone, let them get all the assistance they need to live their life to the fullest extent and the "quality of life" they would prefer--not these crumbs that are currently being handed out and we should not have to fight to be able to enjoy life with accessibility to every place a non disabled person can go.
Yet, where is the Christian Church?
Did you know that during the Terri Schiavo Killing the disability community found itself in an odd position? Yes. See, Terri's death was framed around "Right to Die" or "Right to Life" issues. But nomatter how hard we tried to bring out the fact that it is our right UNDER LAW to live, period--a civil right, nobody would listen. So they ended up having to ally themselves with the Christian "Right to Life." And this was to their dismay because they've seen how little Christians care about any of these issues and want no part of Christianity. Now what sort of WITNESS IS THAT? We are to be Witnesses and look how many people and nations are in no way interested in Christianity because they see nothing but Hypocrisy and pretended piety. How does this make our Father in Heaven Feel? Do you believe God doesn't care in how we make HIM LOOK? We've probably turned away more than we could have brought in for the Harvest.
This Public Execution was a test run by our very evil system to begin the desensitizing process on the human race. Soon, it will be told to us that it is "our duty" to die. Under the banner of "For The Big Picture" or "The good of the Whole." Murder is already in our childrens minds from the television movies and video games and we wonder how the world became so evil. Well..it became that way over years of this sort of stuff. Right now there are many things that are slowly being brought to the attention of the public mind and at first it's unthinkable, then after a while, its not so bad as when we first saw it, then pretty soon it becomes 'old hat' news. This desensitization of human being is happening and now it's at the point that Murdering Disabled and Old and Mentally Handicapped People will become Normal and will be put into Law. You watch. I've been watching this happening with several things and it's a corrupt world that is fast crumbling.
The ONE thing I do though Belva, is I'm excited all the while I'm speaking up because I know soon I will be going HOME to my Lord Jesus Christ. Just as He Has Promised me. That is why I'm not desperate as some may paint me, nor am I all those other things I've been painted because I have a Great Hope and I see the End of all this and my Eternal Life With My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
So it's not like I have fear, nor do I tremble, nor do I sit here and moan. Because my Hope is Great and as these days wear on, I get even more excited even though I believe we, the Church will go through the Tribulation. That's only 7 years long--a blip on the radar screen.
And from my posts here nobody on God's Green Earth can say that I don't have a good sense of Humor for infact I'm told I should be a stand up comedian from those who know me in person around here.
But in these posts, there is a serious side and I don't feel like being all joking around because I'm trying to warn others and also trying to get help for those who are less fortunate than most of you here on this forum.
Perhaps, if any of you have gone back and actually looked at some of those links, you may learn some very interesting things. Somehow I have this feeling that many here suffer with short attention span and clicking on a link is too much effort. Excuse my what appears to be sarcasm but many of those links would have, in any other normal circumstance, brought about some comment regarding it and since it's only happened perhaps twice in months with over two dozen links, then that alone tells me either nobody read the link or nobody cared.
Other than what I've said in this post, You have never met me nor have most of the people on this forum. I have many interests, many sides to myself, many things to keep up with (yes, I too have a schedule that is non stop) and I have a sense of humor. But see, you don't see me on Television to know that and this thread is not the place for it either.
I'm more complex than painted and I'm painted with vibrant colors in reality vs the dark colors with which I'm painted here on this forum. But before painting me black, ask me for my phone number and we can talk so you can get to know me. Posts that started out because the Christian Nation was Silent During An Execution of an Innocent Woman is Nothing to Be in a Humurous mood About. It has been disgusting to watch what I watch. And I'm not just speaking of this forum, as I've stated, there are many things I'm involved in and infact so many that it would floor many people here. I see alot, hear alot and do alot of writing, in forums and in magazines. Not to mention the interaction between me and the elderly in this apartment building that has never ceased. I have lived here for nearly 6 years now and my love for these elderly people has never stopped. You will also find me talk about them in the archives of 4 or so years ago up to this post.
My fingers have had it for now. But I love you in Christ Belva and hope that somewhere in here we can come to understand who each other is and understand a bit more where the other one is coming from and I do believe we have a good start on it even if we disagree or misunderstand one another at this time. I think you are great.
Love you lots in Christ our Lord Jesus.
Denise |
Denisegilmore
Registered user
Username: Denisegilmore
Post Number: 320
Registered: 10-2000
| | Posted on Saturday, June 25, 2005 - 9:17 pm: | |
Belva,
One more thing I meant to address that you brought up. Earthquakes. Yes, I have felt many earthquakes lately and see how the weather is all over the world just crazy. These things I'm sure, unless one is blind to all of this, everyone must be noticing. Or you would think so huh?
In 6 days alone there were more than 7 earthquakes in California that I felt. One of them my inhome Care lady nearly passed out LOL--I reassured her that Jesus told us these things would be happening and to look up because after this little deal with the tribulation, we are finally going home. I then once again described our Real Home and what the Bible says on this.
She left here in good spirits and smiling once again. My past two workers that no longer work for me still call to talk about Jesus Christ and the teachings of the Bible.
Just last night I had two neighbors come over at seperate times so that we all 3 ended up sitting at my kitchen table, having a cup of coffee as they asked questions about what the Bible says on this or that. One even wants some of the government documentation I have so I will let her read it herself.
It's amazing how God works. He is ever Faithful to us and we are His blessed ones! THEN we can sit all day long and be in peace talking about our Lord whom we shall also be with! We all will meet each other! Now THAT's the thing I look forward to and wish to bring as many as possible into God's Kingdom. The harvest is waiting for us!
Hallelu-YAH!
With love in Christ Jesus.
denise |
Riverfonz
Registered user
Username: Riverfonz
Post Number: 454
Registered: 3-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, June 25, 2005 - 11:58 pm: | |
Denise,
Thanks for sharing from your heart. I will continue to pray for you. I do appreciate a lot of your info and links, but this thread is so far removed from the rest of the forum, that most of the time I forget to check here. God bless you.
Stan |
Belvalew
Registered user
Username: Belvalew
Post Number: 535
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, June 26, 2005 - 12:33 am: | |
Dear Denise, during the Terri Schaivo debacle I wrote to a congressman or two. Mostly, tho, I felt appalled watching a husband and the "law machine" run over a helpless woman.
Even with end-time prophecies manifesting all around me I choose not to "see" the boogyman in every closet. Jesus told me to "look up." I guess that is what I was trying to say, because in all of your very eloquent speaking I didn't sense much looking up.
We are brothers and sisters in Christ, here. I, for one, would respond better if you didn't drub us so hard. You provide an information overload. It is difficult to respond to all of it all at once, so I usually don't even try. Give us the basics and we'll try to run with it. We love you, too, Denise, and I hurt for you when I hear about your difficulties. I wish I could help you out, but I'm just too far away.
Forgive me, but I like to look at the brighter side of life, if I can, and when I get the opportunity to, I prefer to read things that don't depress me or leave me feeling so helpless. I honestly do care about you and your issues. Please don't overwhelm me. |
Denisegilmore
Registered user
Username: Denisegilmore
Post Number: 321
Registered: 10-2000
| | Posted on Sunday, June 26, 2005 - 4:22 pm: | |
Dear Stan,
It's a joyful event for me to hear that you appreciate some of those links. Hopefully they have opened your eyes some and if there were a way to pull this thread up a ways, I would. And I can't start a new discussion everytime because then we would have a real mixed up mess trying to put all this together 
It hard enough for me to organize my posts in a manner that doesn't overload folks as you see above in Belva's post. So hopefully you will remember to come by here more often and click on the links as I present them. I'll pray for that. Thank you for sharing the good news that you do take a peek at some of the links and that you do see my heart even though I have a very hard time expressing it as it always seems to come out angry or offensive to others. And this is what I'm currently working on--a way to present this information that doesn't appear angry (well, unless I'm really angry, then I say so) and a way to not run people away due to over load.
May heart, I'm told, is too caring. And that statement always floors me because how can a heart be "too caring?" Yet I hear it time and time again by people in person mostly. Yet let me try to type out what I feel and watch how dicombobulated it comes out...oh brother, what's this sister of yours to do? Pray for me Stan. Prayer is our greatest resource for one another.
With love in Christ Jesus, our King of Kings.
Denise |
Denisegilmore
Registered user
Username: Denisegilmore
Post Number: 322
Registered: 10-2000
| | Posted on Sunday, June 26, 2005 - 5:36 pm: | |
Dear Belva,
There was a time when I would post a post on another thread that would bring up one issue at a time. That thread was intended to begin this process of showing the Christians reading this forum of some of what is happening and to take action accordingly.
What happened, and you can read it yourself, is that I was opposed or ignored. Mostly because I brought up politics that were dictating what was happening.
While I'm not trying to overload you, I can see that it is and will try even the harder not to do that. Pray for me in my endeavor, will you?
As to not wanting to hear the bad, please remember that it is in the New Testament Scriptures that people will not want anything but teachers and preachers that "tickle" their ears in the last days. This is what I see happening not just on this forum but in the Churches and in Christians in general.
Still, I will do my utmost to not overwhelm you but please understand that even though I have the same hope of every single Christian on earth i.e. For Jesus to Come, we are told by the apostle Paul that FIRST will be a great falling away or apostasy. This is in 2 Thessalonians. We are seeing that apostasy.
Then Paul goes on to tell the Thessalonians that we will see the "man of lawlessness." This is the anti-christ.
Please remember, Paul is addressing the Christian Church--that's us.
Peter tells us to rejoice when we are persecuted and all manner of evil things are said against us for great is our reward in Heaven. Peter also tells us of many things that will happen to us during this tribulation.
Jesus Christ of Nazareth, our God Almighty, tells us that "a servant is not above his Master." "If they persecute Me, they will also persecute you."
Between just these three alone, as there are many others, we can see that life is not going to be a bowl of cherries for us Christians during these end times.
As much as Christians only want the good news, Jesus Christ tells us that in these last days BEFORE HIS COMING, there will be much distress. So much distress that there has never been a time before like it, nor will there be any time like it, after it.
He tells us to Watch and Pray.
The Scriptures show us in Revelation all the people who died in the Tribulation under the alter crying out to the Lord, "How long oh Lord, before you avenge our blood?" and Jesus hands them white robes and are told to be patient as the rest of those who will be killed in this tribulation needs to take place first. That's us.
Currently, as I type and as you read, people are dying for the Faith all over this world. And while that is not all fluffy and pretty sounding as you would prefer, it is, none the less, true.
It is even happening right here in the United States of America but has begun with the outcasts of general society. The cripple, the lame, the blind, the aged, the unborn, and on and on. Because they are the scourge of the land, according to most of society, people are not paying much mind to any of it. Besides that, people don't want to know and if they do know, then they turn a blind eye or a deaf ear to the calls and pleas for help.
But it gets more detailed because when this "....Prince of the people who will come" Dan. 9:24-27, he will cause ALL, not just the crippled, the poor, the aged et-cetera, to worship him. And without worshipping him or taking his number the ALL cannot buy or sell and many will be killed. This is what's right at our doors as I type this.
It's happening with the EU/US alliance, with their league of nations already in place and the UN, who will ultimately rule all the globe. Both Militarily and Financially. The EU/US will gladly hand and (are currently voting on this) their powers over to the leader of the one who will hold the seat of the UN.
Keep watch on Javier Solana.
It is much more detailed than this but I'm trying to keep it very short as to not overwhelm you at this time.
Infact, I have left some very important things out in trying to keep this in your ability to manage a dialogue in return. Rather than a zillion things in one post as I've seen and have been told I'm doing. So prayerfully this is fairly easy to follow (please let me know).
However, soon the world over will be overwhelmed and infact, currently all the world is wondering what on earth is going on.
This much is all I will type out in this one post so you have some place to start in a little dialogue in return.
I want to thank you for your honesty in telling me exactly how overwhelmed you are when reading my posts as it gives me some clue as to where to begin and when to stop. God Bless your honesty and your heart!
Hoping this is helping some Belva and looking forward to your reply.
Much love through Christ Jesus who strengthens me.
Denise
P.S. Below is a cut and paste post that says much better than I what I'm talking about when it comes to Christians and politics--it is to everyone.
|
Denisegilmore
Registered user
Username: Denisegilmore
Post Number: 323
Registered: 10-2000
| | Posted on Sunday, June 26, 2005 - 5:40 pm: | |
Modern Churches To Bible Preachers: "You're Not Welcome!"
By Chuck Baldwin
June 10, 2005
We often hear pastors, radio preachers, and televangelists refer to
the great prophets and Apostles of the Bible. Rightly, these Bible
characters are lauded as examples for today's Christians. The
problem is, hardly any of those giants of history would be welcome
in America's churches today!
On the whole, America's Christians today do not want to hear the
truth. They want a place where they can be made to feel good,
where they can be entertained, where they can socialize and make
business contacts, and where their children can have a place to
play.
To many Christian parents, it is far more important that their
church have a gymnasium and constant youth programs than it is
that their children hear the truth of God's Word and learn the
rigorous disciplines of a Christian life. Recreation is far more
important to them than Bible study. In fact, most parents seem to
believe that the only way to "keep the kids in church" is to have
constant, non-stop entertainment. Of course, it doesn't work.
Furthermore, it seems that most of today's sermons amount to little
more than "Positive Mental Attitude," feel-good drivel: "How to
think better about yourself," "How to squander more money on
yourself," "How to 'find yourself,'" "How to pamper yourself," ad
nauseum, ad infinitum. Comparing the preaching and philosophy
of most churches today to that of Bible characters will quickly
reveal how unbiblical our churches have become.
For example, can you imagine how the average church in America
today would react to the decisions of Daniel and the three Hebrew
children? All four of them were unashamed and unhesitant to
practice civil disobedience. All four of them were charged with
capital crimes by their government and sentenced to death. In
Daniel's case, all he had to do was not pray out loud to God for
thirty days. Thirty days! I can just hear today's Christian
pragmatists screaming, "It's only for thirty days. You can still pray
in your heart. We must obey the government." Can you imagine
Daniel being asked to preach a message on "How And When To
Defy Your Government" to the vast majority of churches in
America today? Forget it!
Moreover, take a look at practically every single Old Testament
prophet. Ninety percent of their preaching was negative. They
seldom had anything positive to say, especially about the way their
nation's leaders were behaving. They were often jailed, beaten,
starved, or even killed. They were as familiar with prisons as they
were with pulpits. They were despised by political leaders, rejected
by religious leaders, and shunned by business leaders.
It wasn't much better for the Apostles and disciples in the New
Testament. John the Baptist was beheaded for "meddling in
politics." The Apostles were beaten, stoned, and jailed. The
Apostle Paul was especially hated. He was hated by Jews; he was
hated by Romans; he was hated by businessmen; he was hated by
politicians; he was even hated by fellow ministers.
Can you imagine the Apostle Paul preaching a message on
"Conquering Low Self-Esteem"? Get real! Give Paul an
opportunity today to preach to a church of one thousand members
one Sunday morning, and by Sunday night (if they even had a
Sunday night service), there might be fifty people back to hear
him.
It is probably difficult for this generation of Christians to even
comprehend that this fearless, uncompromising, "like it or lump it"
kind of preaching was the kind of preaching that America cut its
teeth on. The colonies and frontier of this nation were filled with
prophet-like clergymen. And it didn't really matter which
denomination one attended, either; he or she heard the same kind
of preaching.
Whether it was the Baptist Joab Houghton or the Presbyterian
James Caldwell or the Lutheran John Peter Gabriel Muhlenberg or
the Episcopalian Samuel Provost or the German Reformed
Nicholas Herkimer, they were all plucky, pugnacious preachers!
Why, I can even recall hearing old fashioned "hell-fire and
damnation" preachers when I was a lad.
It was a "hell-fire" Holiness preacher that led my mother to Christ.
A "hell-fire" Baptist preacher led my alcoholic father to Christ. I
can even recall many trips to the last remaining Billy Sunday
Tabernacle in Winona Lake, Indiana, to hear the great "hell-fire"
preachers from virtually every Protestant denomination in the
country. I remember the crowds of thousands sitting on those hard,
wooden benches for hours listening intently to those masterful
sermons. In my mind, I can still see (and smell) the sawdust floors
where hundreds of people rushed to the front in answer to those
altar calls and the studio high atop the platform where radio station
WMBI transmitted those great sermons over the air. Alas, those
days are gone.
No wonder our people today have become self-centered, sensitive,
and shallow. They seldom, if ever, hear honest, straight-forward,
fearless preaching.
Therefore, the next time you hear someone refer to the great men
of the Bible, ask yourself, "Would that prophet be welcome in my
church today?" In most instances, the answer is a resounding no!
And now you know why America is in the shape it's in today: the
nation always takes the form of its preachers and churches.
© Chuck Baldwin
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Tisha
Registered user
Username: Tisha
Post Number: 99
Registered: 3-2005
| | Posted on Monday, June 27, 2005 - 9:06 am: | |
Denise,
I cannot begin to follow all you have written. I just can't deal with overload. So, please know that I do care and I do get involved where I can do some good. I just can't do everything you wish I could!
Since I use this forum as a way to stay grounded in my walk with Jesus post SDAism, I will be interacting mainly with those posts that address those issues.
If I was wanting to concentrate on the disabled, I would find your posts a great blessing. As it is, they are outside the scope of what I need right now. I know you are passionate about this, and God bless you for it. But my passion right now is my walk with Christ, regardless of my disability. I spend enough time dealing with it that I like to focus on other things.
And this is just a suggestion - can you focus on other things as well? Can you find anything to be happy about? Even when advocating for the disabled, there must be some joy in life. Do you have any outlets that bring you joy? Trusting in Jesus will bring true joy. As Belva said, looking up to Jesus will change your perspective.
Sometimes (I know) it can seem like the disability is all there is. And I do know that not everyone is accepting or accomodating. But when we act like we are owed something it can drive others away. We all have to make accomodations for others ignorance and that goes both ways! We, as the disabled, need to remember that we are ignorant of others needs as well, just as they are of ours. And none of us learn very well when we are being beaten over the head.
So, while you won't see me here on this thread very often, please know that I will keep you in my prayers.
-tisha |
Denisegilmore
Registered user
Username: Denisegilmore
Post Number: 324
Registered: 10-2000
| | Posted on Monday, June 27, 2005 - 11:47 am: | |
http://www.glofish.com/ |
Jeremy
Registered user
Username: Jeremy
Post Number: 791
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Monday, June 27, 2005 - 12:48 pm: | |
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Colleentinker
Registered user
Username: Colleentinker
Post Number: 2194
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Monday, June 27, 2005 - 4:34 pm: | |
Dear Denise, this forum really has a specific scopeóit is for support and prayer and discussion for those who have struggled or are struggling with Adventism in one way or another. While other social issues are serious and should be addressed, this isn't the venue for such issues.
Thanks for honoring the purpose of this forum.
With prayers for you,
Colleen |
Foreverscout
Registered user
Username: Foreverscout
Post Number: 64
Registered: 3-2005
| | Posted on Monday, June 27, 2005 - 9:01 pm: | |
Dear Denise,
I am sorry that I jumped the gun and thought that comment was specific to me, I should have known better. We obviously both misunderstood each other in a huge way here. Once again, I am so sorry, please forgive me.
I want to thank you so much for what you do here. These posts although long are so imfomative and incredibly IMPORTANT. You are illuminating an ugly dark corner that no one wants to know about, let alone visit. My son has Klippel-Tranauney Syndrome which although slight for him, was enough to keep him out of the military service. My husband is disabled by a stroke and cardiomyopathy. How long before the United States Government decides that they and others like them are no longer useful citizens and has them terminated? I give it 50 years, and that's optimistic. Afterall, we live in a world where less than perfect babies are aborted everyday, (never mind the inconvenient ones). But please let us remember to save the whales!
Anyways, THANK YOU Denise, I want you to know that I do appreciate all that you post here. God Bless you greatly for it. Please send it all to me at psjkelly@utm.net in the future.
If there is anyone who would like to help us change the world by signing petitions or writing to senators, congresspersons, President Bush, Govenors, or judges; please email me and I will tell you how we do it. You can change the world, it doesn't take a lot of us to do it, just a vocal few can make a huge difference.
Sign me a mover and a shaker,
Foreverscout
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Tisha
Registered user
Username: Tisha
Post Number: 100
Registered: 3-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 28, 2005 - 12:19 pm: | |
Colleen, thank-you for reaffirming the purpose of this forum.
It makes it hard for me to stay engaged when other issues, although important, are being addressed here. When other issues overlap our issues as formers, I can and will stay involved. We often stray from the main focus, but are soon brought back to the main point, which is about coming to terms with the effect the SDA Church has had on us, either as former SDAs or in relationship with SDAs.
I thank you so much for making this forum available to me. It's so good to know that I'm not alone in all this - anger, elation, faith, doubt, JOY, PEACE, etc..
-tisha |
Foreverscout
Registered user
Username: Foreverscout
Post Number: 65
Registered: 3-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 29, 2005 - 6:33 pm: | |
Well, not one email. I'm crushed. Please, let your heart be broken with the things that break the heart of our Lord.
Foreverscout |
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