Posted on 08/10/2005 7:54:28 AM PDT by TBP
Lord is not some cosmic grandpa who is there to grant my every wish--
Could not have said it better.
"When interviewed about gay marriage and other liberal ideas, he replied....he doesn't get into that".......that one phrase speaks much louder than anything else in the article. What he's saying is that "I'm another blow dried, odorless pastor who refuses to take on the flagship issues of the anti-American movement such as homosexuality, abortion, humanism in the schools, etc. because I don't want to "offend anyone", especially the IRS who might yank my 501C-3 tax status from me..........in other words, just pay attention to the current message vs. what's NOT being said and by the way, is your tithing up to date?
That's a very modern concept of religion. Self denial is the original concept.
Matthew 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
Matthew 18:4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 23:12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
James 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
James 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
If you had any doubts about Joel Osteen....
Dan
If you happen to receive material prosperity, then fine but do not aim solely for that. Besides, the Kingdom you refer to may not have anything to do with life in this present form.
Read a little further.
Luke 12:32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
33 Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.
34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Do you know what Kingdom Jesus was referring to?
So, do you live out on the street? Because, didn't Jesus say to give it all away to the poor, and follow Him? Do you own anything? You'd better give it away, or you're not going to heaven, right?
"1": What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
"2": God forbid. How shall we, that are to sin, live any longer therein?
"3": Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his ?
"4": Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into : that like as Christ was raised up from the by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
"5": For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his , we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
"6": Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
"7": For he that is is freed from sin.
"8": Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
"9": Knowing that Christ being raised from the dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
"10": For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
"11": Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
"12": Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
"13": Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the , and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
"Thy life in my death"? That's the true gospel. Jesus said it unmistakably and inescapably, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it" (Matt. 16:24-25). It's not about exalting me, it's about slaying me. It's the death of self. You win by losing, you live by dying. And that is the heart message of the gospel. That is the essence of discipleship.
Yes. The problem I think arises in the definition of "abundantly."
I think you are correct. I define "abundantly" as an abundance of Love and the gifts of the Holy Spirit, not material gifts or sensual gifts or gifts of the pleasures of this world.
Jesus also said that His Kingdom is not of this world.
I have no problem with your definition. It is God-centered, not man-centered.
I love that one. Sort of the bottom line of this whole thread.
-You'd better give it away, or you're not going to heaven, right?--
It may seem extreme but it is easier for you to enter the eye of a "needle" (not literally) than one who is very comfortable...
Bump toyour comments?
Based upon your respnse to me and others posting here, you seem to be here to start an argument, not discuss.
Today's Gospel:
Yup, that's where the joy is. You can see it on this thread. The anger is coming from the proponents of "man-centered" theology.
**Matthew 16: 24 & 25: If anyone desires to follow after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.**
Amen. See the Gospel from Saint John also.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.