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Post by delo63 on Jun 30, 2017 6:51:13 GMT -6
Hey guys,
I don't know if I'm the only one here who feels this way, but I cant help but being so sad and depressed with what is going on around me. I don't have a single friend around me that is saved and they don't want to hear about God at all. In fact when I talk about Him they shut me down immediately. If this sign is really true then that means that they will all suffer extremely, I just cant help thinking about what they will have to go through and it tears me up inside. Then with the whole gay pride stuff that's been going on all around I feel the level of hate for Christ and Christians sky rocketing. I can truly vision getting shot and killed on the street because I am a Christian and I refuse to support that lifestyle.
How do you guys remain joyful through this? |
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Post by whatif on Jun 30, 2017 9:57:03 GMT -6
Good morning, delo63! I know many of us here at the forum have voiced similar feelings about friends and family members who will suffer through the tribulation because they don't know the Lord. It is heartbreaking! I have family members who scoff at anything mentioned about the Lord or His Word, and one in particular who is a very angry person and extremely hostile to any attempt to speak to her about spiritual matters.
Yes, there is a growing hatred in this world for Christians, for the Bible, and for morality. It seems to me that the spirit of lawlessness is taking hold of this world. There is a huge push to destroy every God-given order--marriage, family, gender, national law, you name it. Lawlessness replaces order with chaos. And it's very dangerous.
But please be encouraged, brother, because not only do you have family in Christ here to fellowship with, but the Lord knows your heart for your unsaved friends. Keep praying for them, for the Lord hears every word, every thought, every desire in your heart for their salvation. And He knows exactly what it will take for them to come to know Him. Perhaps when the tribulation begins--whenever that may be--they will remember your attempts to tell them about the Lord, and they will turn to Him even in that terrible time.
As for how we remain joyful despite times of danger and sadness, it is for me just knowing that the Lord has perfection waiting for us. Just thinking about being with Him, talking with Him, seeing all He's prepared for us, being transformed into sinlessness, being reunited with loved ones who've gone to be with Him before me... well, that gives me joy that I can't even describe. The Holy Spirit is the one who provides this joy as He works within us, comforting us in our times of sadness, giving us peace when we face frightening things, and giving us courage to speak to others even when they are unwilling to listen.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 30, 2017 11:04:51 GMT -6
I try to stick with God and survive day to day. As for our failing culture, I would like to quote two people.
"America is great because she is good, and if she ever ceases to be good, she shall cease to be great."
"Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."
-John Adams
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Post by delo63 on Jun 30, 2017 13:58:14 GMT -6
thank you guys for replying.
I know God has a plan and I know how it all ends, so I know that hope only exists in Christ. It is extremely hard to love people who hate Christ, because you know what happens with them. I was a very selfish and unloving person and God changed me and now I cant stop thinking about what is going to happen to them if they don't make the right decision. I bet this is something similar to the way a parent views there child who is going down the wrong road.
I am glad I found this website because I have no one really to talk to about Christ that actually wants to learn. I go to church weekly but for the most part the people my age don't care about Christ at all. I see with my generation that to them God is dead and that im just hanging on to fairy tales.
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Post by whatif on Jun 30, 2017 14:08:18 GMT -6
We're so glad you joined us, delo63! We'll face this together!
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Post by watchmanjim on Jun 30, 2017 22:34:39 GMT -6
I think you'll find you have a lot in common with Jeremiah and Ezekiel, who were contemporaries, but lived far away from each other. Both faced apostasy, hatred, mocking, exile, and shame.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 1, 2017 8:02:30 GMT -6
Delo63,
Yes we all feel your pain. Today I am going to a family reunion of 70 people were only my children and I probably know what lies ahead. I was fretting yesterday because I know how out of place I am going to feel. People cussing using the Lords name in vain talking about silly things that don't matter, and using the Lords name in vain numerous times. I was asking the Lord how we were going to do this? As soon as I woke up this morning - He reminded me that I, one too, was lost. And that I was to live like I was loved – by Him, by God! It changed my whole outlook today, I am no longer dreading, I am prepared for persecution, but I can smile because I know the truth. Not in uplifted arrogance, but that I am safe in my saviors arms come what may .
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Post by whatif on Jul 1, 2017 8:47:36 GMT -6
Amen, truthseeker!
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Post by delo63 on Jul 1, 2017 22:22:31 GMT -6
I find that once you accept Christ and the blinders are taken. Off it becomes sllot harder to relate with the rest of the world. For example all my friends want to talk about is what they have been doing what tv show there watching what video game there playing who there dating stuff like that, and all I can think about and want to talk about is Jesus. I feel like the rest of it is just junk that we're wasting our time on.
I believe Pascal hit it perfectly on the head with his method of diversion. The reason all these new forms of entertainment are popping up in such a mind blowing rate is because the devil is working on overdrive to keep us distracted just enough that we never ask the important questions in life. Also I find that the increased frequency of the wave of technology and entertainment is not s coincidence I believe Satan is trying to hide what is coming this year from the world.
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Post by whatif on Jul 1, 2017 22:27:06 GMT -6
Delo63, I love Pascal's writings! I have his Pensées on PDF that I downloaded free from Google Books some time ago for some research I was doing for a writing project.
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Post by delo63 on Jul 2, 2017 6:51:17 GMT -6
I agree with allot of Pascals ideas. Most philosophers ultimately say the same thing with just different words, but pascal was very good at simply stating the obvious and leaving it at that, he has always been very easy to understand
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Post by watchmanjim on Jul 2, 2017 11:06:33 GMT -6
I'm feeling the effects of the fall pretty intensely today. Please pray for me.
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Post by whatif on Jul 2, 2017 12:00:20 GMT -6
You got it, watchmanjim! Praying!
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Post by Deleted on Jul 2, 2017 13:52:06 GMT -6
Praying,Jim!
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Post by watchmanjim on Jul 2, 2017 14:26:21 GMT -6
While trying to sleep this afternoon, I just dreamed a bright star shaped like a cross against a black sky.
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