Monday, April 2, 2007

COMPROMISE OR DEBATE: REGARDING THE FAITH; WHICH TO DO AND WHEN

One of the greatest challenges to believers is what to do or say (if anything) when we meet the wall of resistance to the faith in words from another individual or group. There are several right answers and none are the same. It depends on the situation, the people, the conversation, your faith level (yes there are levels), your experience ,the Word on the inside of you and your trust in God.

DID YOU SEE: "THE APPRENTICE" LAST WEEK?

Let me give you a good example of what I'm saying. I saw this on television last week on The Apprentice. Muna, one of the candidates is a believer and she was facing the fact that she was going into the boardroom where she might have to be on the defensive as to why she would be fired. She was reading her bible intensely. Personally, I believe she does it on a regular basis, but from the show you can't tell. She did make a statement to the effect that she wanted God to protect her. On the other hand; there was another young lady who they clipped saying something like Muna needs to wake up; God won't be in that boardroom, it'll just be Mr. Trump.

Well that's enough to make you raise your eyebrows.

Fast forward to the boardroom to what the show would have you to believe would be a showdown between the forces and God and we see the whole scene played out in dialogue and Muna gets fired.

It was not the ending that most people expected and so I had to get in the word and keep going over it in my head; asking myself what happened.


THE ANSWER BECAME CLEAR.

This is no slam on Muna but it clearly was a time for her to be quiet. If you've watched this show at all, when attacked in the boardroom there is a time to "say nothing or not too much."


The world won't understand us if we're too combative, we'll miss the mark. In the bible which is our guide it says we can do all these things but if we don't have love; we are nothing. We will be persecuted for our beliefs, but our response must be love. Yes, we do have to pray for those who despite fully use us.

In a recent conversation that I had with a scoffer who wanted to make it a point to tell me to "tone down" my religious talking, I trusted God.

When the time came for my response, I was given a situation to talk about that did not involve me. It was so persuasive; that the person totally recanted and asked me to be a Guest speaker at the event that we were talking about!

What a turn around.


Now let me add that I particularly had been praying for this person's openness to the Word. No, they aren't saved yet, but they will be.

Remember, it's not about you or me...it's about souls.


Souls, Souls, Souls...


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BUT YOU BELOVED, BUILD YOURSELVES UP ON YOUR MOST HOLY FAITH...GUARD AND KEEP YOURSELVES IN THE LOVE OF GOD...


AMPLIFIED BIBLE

But you must remember, beloved, the predictions which were made by the apostles (the special messengers) of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).

They told you beforehand, In the last days (in the end time) there will be scoffers [who seek to gratify their own unholy desires], following after their own ungodly passions.

It is these who are [agitators] setting up distinctions and causing divisions--merely sensual [creatures, carnal, worldly-minded people], devoid of the [Holy] Spirit and destitute of any higher spiritual life.

But you, beloved, build yourselves up [founded] on your most holy faith [[d]make progress, rise like an edifice higher and higher], praying in the Holy Spirit;

Guard and keep yourselves in the love of God; expect and patiently wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah)--[which will bring you] unto life eternal.

And refute [so as to] convict some who dispute with you, and on some have mercy who waver and doubt.

[Strive to] save others, snatching [them] out of [the] fire; on others take pity [but] with fear, loathing even the garment spotted by the flesh and polluted by their sensuality.(D)


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