While the Israelites were in the desert, a man was found gathering wood on the Sabbath day. Those who found him gathering wood brought him to Moses and Aaron and the whole assembly, and they kept him in custody, because it was not clear what should be done to him. Then the LORD said to Moses, “The man must die. The whole assembly must stone him outside the camp.” So the assembly took him outside the camp and stoned him to death, as the LORD commanded Moses.
Picture this: What if this was your son? And God tells you to pick up a stone and throw it at him… Does it not tell a story? It tells me this… it tells me that we have a responsibility to each other. That we are not islands seperately and solely responsible to God, that we are also each a member of a community and to this community we have a duty and a calling. If we stand by idly as our friends and family walk the path of destruction, their blood lies upon our hands. Inaction is by default a decision. We have a calling to uphold justice, but at the same time… we cannot forget that we have a calling to keep people on the right path. That when someone near us stumbles and starts to move down the wrong path, we must challenge them long before they move too far down the path to destruction & death.
I think sometimes (maybe more often than not), God just wants me to sit down & shut up.
If food truly was the way to a man’s heart,
how many women would strive to become chefs of the highest order?
“Conventionality is not morality. Self-righteousness is not religion. To attack the first is not to assail the last. To pluck the mask from the face of the Pharisee, is not to lift an impious hand to the Crown of Thorns.
These things and deeds are diametrically opposed; they are distinct as is vice from virtue. Men too often confound them; they should not be confounded: appearance should not be mistaken from truth; narrow human doctrines, that only tend to elate and magnify a few, should not be substituted for a world-redeeming creed of Christ. There is –I repeat it– a difference; and it is a good, and not a bad action to mark broadly and clearly the line of separation between them.
The world may not like to see these ideas dissevered, for it has been accustomed to blend them; finding it convenient to make external show pass for sterling worth — to let white-washed walls vouch for clean shrines. It may hate him who dares to scrutinise and expose — to rase the gilding, and show base metal under it — to penetrate the sepulchre, and reveal charnel relics: but, hate as it will, it is indebted to him.
Ahab did not like Micaiah, because he never prophesied good concerning him, but evil: probably he liked the sycophant son of Chenaanah better; yet might Ahab have escaped a bloody death, had he but stopped his ears to flattery, and opened them to faithful counsel.”
Dec. 21st, 1847
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Read Jane Eyre By Charlotte Bronte see related |
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Read Shiokari Pass By Bill Aheila Fearnehough see related |
Ever felt like a book had gut punched you and left you curled in a ball on the ground? Feel free to read Shiokari Pass. (The blurb on the cover does it no justice.)
Husbands, love your wives,
just as Christ loved the church
and gave himself up for her.
Amen. Sometimes we are too comfortable watching the sins in others people lives that we no longer have a love to save them. Christians are getting too comfortable…we are enjoying feel-good books, musics and etc. where we don’t want to be pricked by the urgency to save souls and win them to Christ.
Bingo! I agree Bro, I don’t know how people can stand by and watch friends, family and people in general lose it all.
RYC: To tell you the truth, I don’t mind critisim but it is the cut and the insensitivity of the delivery I can slice about. :headbanger:
Autumnlove413 is absolutely right! Urgency needs to be presented to ourselves as well as towards our friends/family regarding keeping on track. We are too comfortable…I am too comfortable at times! Too much dreaming and not enough action. What we should be doing is making deciples out of each other…not just stopping at saving souls.. Take it to the next level. You know, God says to make deciples out of us?
Yes, you may ask. It’s my pleasure, but unfortunately I believe that if I tell out what I’m praying for especially it’s my wish, it won’t come true. So, as of now, I can’t tell you yet until it will come true. Sorry Hon! I would if it’s not part of my wish.
agree with the conclusions you came up with for stoning, but there are many passages that are clearer on the subject and less bloody ;). don’t think it was the wood motivating him either. hehehe yes, oftentimes we are called to just shut it :p…*roll eyes*…thank goodness on the food thing hahaha can’t cook :p … scary about the friend thing, I’m so grateful to have so many good ones… great quote…hmmmm 🙂
RYC….but isn’t that the Great Commission from Matthew 28:18-20? Each member of the church..His Body..works together in various ways in this mutual goal…the Great Commission..