Miss Linda

Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. (Revelation 22:14,15)

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)

I guess John81 neatly turned it, eh, Song? 

My son and daughter-in-law are cherry lover and would like that cake -- my wife is allergic to chocolate and I'm not a cake fan.
But, come on anyway, we'll make room under the rock (see location in mini-profile on left).

That does sound good - and, Miss Linda, we'd all love to get some of that cake. We love cherry and chocolate both. I'm not a great big cake fan, but for cherry and chocolate combined?  Oh, yeah! 
 
Haven't decided on tonight's supper yet.  I was thinking fried chicken, but we had that the other night. I might do sloppy joes or homemade burgers.

Amen!!! From your lips to God's ear!!


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I noticed Warren followed the path many others before him have followed. While not as sound as it should be, his earlier work is more biblically sound, but as he gained in popularity and obviously craved the attention (especially being called "America's pastor", not what Billy Graham is retired) his books took on more and more of a "social gospel" aspect, which isn't what Scripture teaches, but is something the world likes and something many Christians fall for.

Yes, it's awesome, awesomely watered down! Rick Warren is spot on trying to appease the world while trying to be a Christian leader.
 
May the one become dusty and the other set his feet firmly on the narrow path, not caring for worldly acceptance.

Buttermilk fried chicken, collards with pepper juice, blackeyes, corn, buttermilk biscuits w/ butter (not margarine).

The thread's going to close? Never! Where would we go to talk about absolutely nothing?
 

Excellent study in the Word last night! We studied how we are to cast aside self and live for Christ. In this, we are not to try and shine light upon ourselves, but rather to reflect the light of Christ to others.
 
We also discussed the importance of not holding onto regrets and other things from our past which weigh us down. Through Christ we have been forgiven and we must forgive ourselves and others also. We are to lay aside every weight that hinders us. When we cast our cares upon the Lord, we must remember to leave them there instead of picking them back up to carry some more.

I find it troubling that in many Christian movies they tend to use some form of "quick prayerism" (or whatever one wants to call it).
 
Also, when it comes to those dealing with the end times there seems to be much confusion. While most pre-trib rapture pastors preach that if one had the chance to accept Christ prior to the rapture but didn't, they won't be able to after the rapture. Yet many of the end times movies feature those who had opportunity to be saved prior to the rapture suddenly "getting it", saying a quick prayer and being saved after the rapture.
 
Along these same lines, while most pre-trib rapture pastors preach the anti-Christ will rule the world brutally, that Christians will be persecuted and killed, and that this is all a part of God's end time plan; most of these movies dealing with the end times features new Christians fighting against the anti-Christ, often with the insinuation they could possibly prevail, and somehow these new Christians always seem to be a step ahead of the anti-Christ and causing him much trouble and thwarting his plans. All of this, in light of what the pastors preach on this matter, would indicate the Christians in these end times films are fighting against God since He's revealed this as His plan for judgment during that time.
 
Most of the end times movies these days also feature many Catholics being raptured away. They also present the idea that a very large number of people around the world are raptured. Both of these ideas fly in the face of Scripture which says one must be biblically born again to be saved and that few will enter.
 
Some of the Christian movies are entertaining, and some even have some good messages within, but many of them contain much that is questionable, especially when it is the opposite of what many pastors are preaching on the matter.

Bless your heart!! Stay warm up there!!


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Wouldn't you if you felt you were unjustly accused?

I never will forget finding this board. I was fresh off having stopped posting on a Baptist board that had been invaded by 3 Catholics. They proceeded to tell us Baptist that we were 100% wrong. I had put up with them for over a years, finally getting tired of it, & stopped posting.

One thing for sure, no matter what one does, that certain type of people will come along & try to break up any unity, pushing the doctrine that Pastorj spoke of in his last post. It will be a never ending battle, the old Devil will see to it that those types keep on coming.

Once years ago I came across a church group that lives a few miles from me, I asked to join that group. they told me that this group was only for church members of their church. At the time is aggravate me, yet after I thought it out I understood where they were coming from. Keeping it limited to only their church members, people thye know. keeps out the element that Pastoj speaks of.

I disagree with some issues that Bro. Matt, Pastorj, HappyChristian, maybe another one or 2 stands for, they disagree with some that I stand for. Yet neither do they or I look for any & every opportunity to push these things. And it seems to me when it does come up we state our beliefs, them leave it there. Sad thing is some refuse to do that, they seem bent on making opportunities to bring certain issues up.

Amen.....unfortunately today's "smooth" Christianity wants to have both, professing their being "saved" all the while they continue to be in the world, walk with the world, talk like the world, etc. Too many people today want to change Christianity to fit their lifestyle (or pick and choose what parts of the Bible to adhere to). As said before, today's "progressive" churches are too focused on coffee shops, bookstores, and social gathering, while not truly preaching the Bible......come as you are, leave the same, don't worry, you're ok....

Yes, when one gets saved the "world" doesn't leave instantly, rather the Holy Spirit works on the new child of God and "convicts" the new child of God and things he/she had done begin to disappear. One will not want to intentionally do anything that is against God and His word.

As I heard once - when a saved person/Christian willingly knows something is sinful and goes ahead and does it anyway, he/she is basically spitting in God's face, telling God "I'm gonna do it anyway."

It's been said before, what part of "be ye separate" is not understood?

Tight is form fitting. Loose is not form fitting and gives plenty of room to move for work and play. If a man wears his pants tight, then that isn't modest. Most men I know who wear blue jeans for work are doing physical labor and their pants are loose to allow for freedom of movement and there is no form fitting at all. Women's pants are specifically made to fit the female form and are designed to be worn in a manner that is form fitting. Men's pants are either cut to be worn tight (immodest) for show or loose for work. In fact, if you look at pants specifically designed for work, the same size in those pants is much looser than that size in the other category.

With regards to kilts and robes, in the cultures that use such, the kilt is very distinctive from what women were just as are the robes.

Again, with regards to clothes, as others have mentioned, the issue mostly revolves around modesty. Are the clothes modest. Next, are the clothes distinct between the sexes.

With regards to dancing it depends upon what Baptists you are referring to. For many Baptists, there is no dancing. This is primarily because the vast majority of dancing and music danced to is wicked.

David was not dancing in a provocative manner and he was not uncovered in the sense of naked. Taking the context as a whole it's clear that what his wife was complaining about amounted to her thinking David was not being as dinified as her dad was as king and that he was "uncovering" himself in the sense of showing himself in more of a "common man" light. She thought his actions of worshipping God so freely would lower the esteem she thought the maidens should hold him in. David's wife was rebuked for judging David based upon her father's actions as king and for not respecting David in his worship of the Lord.

If one looks to ancient Hebrew dancing in the style which David likely partook of, it included leaps and jumps, but nothing provocative.

Your comment here touched on an issue that I encounter periodically. People will occasionally ask me whether I am Muslim or Mormon or Orthodox Jewish because I wear long skirts, long sleeves, and blouses with necklines above the collarbone. Most recently, I was dining at a restaurant with a small group of ladies from church and we were asked by the waiter whether we were Mormons. When we said no he immediately asked whether we were Orthodox Jews. We replied no again and one of the ladies said we are Christians. He looked genuinely surprised. He actually said, "I wouldn't have guessed that, you are all dressed so modestly and act so quiet and polite." *sigh*

I've been asked similar questions in the office where I work. When I first started working at my current job people asked me whether I was a Mormon, a Muslim or an Orthodox Jew because of my modest dress and my eschewing secular entertainment. The last thing they thought was that I might be a Christian. It genuinely saddens me to think that non-Christian belief systems such as Muslims, Mormons and Jews are easily identifiable by their "set apart" lifestyle and modest dress but as Brother John has pointed out, Christians are not usually identified in this way.

It does seem to me that Christians sometimes try to blend in as much as possible, not to be too different, too set apart. There is a danger in blurring those lines, not just for ourselves but also for those who make judgments on our faith based on their observation of our conduct. I do not think we should be asking how little we can do to follow Christ, but how much.

Pants on men are immodest when they are worn tight. Wearing such is unsuitable for anything other than show. The pants men wear to work in are not tight, they provide nothing for anyone to look at, as do tight pants.

Womens pants are cut and designed to highlight their unique body style. Men's pants don't tend to fit well on women. In either case, pants tend to be either too tight and form fitting (immodest) or too loose and sloppy or slovenly looking.

Blue Jeans were first created as a men's work pant. Until the last half of the 20th century blue jeans were viewed and made as men's clothing.

Skirts are womens clothing but can also be immodest or modest depending upon their style and cut. Mini-skirts are immodest. A long skirt with a slip to near the hip is immodest. Skirts that are form fitting are immodest. A traditional, long, flowing skirt is modest.

The dancing which is wrong is the intimate dancing unmarried couples do, or married people dancing that way with those they are not married to. Dancing alone in a provocative, immodest and or sensual manner is also wrong.

Again, it's not the dancing itself that's wrong, it's the style, type and reason for dancing that can, and most often is, wrong.

With regards to robes, they were similar because that's all they knew how to make at that time and place but there were specific distinctions between the robes sown for men and those sown for women. The robes would not be misunderstood for one or the other and neither sex would accidently grab the wrong robe because they were different enough to differentiate.

No, it's as Jerry said, the Bible has the answers if one is truly interested in finding the answer and actually following Christ. The issue of modesty is not a difficult one. Most of the body should be covered and it should not be covered by form fitting clothing.

You seem to want to continually reject Scripture in favor of your own desires or your own preferences. When any of us do this, that is rebellion against God. Rather than play with the world, rather than run our own lives in our very limited wisdom, if we are to be true followers of Christ we must submit to Him, stay as far from sin and the world as we can, striving to be holy, for He is holy.

Young Ladies
For the young ladies meeting.
(A brief benediction)


Girls, these are evil days we live in; there are a lot of people out there that will destroy you if you let them. You are approaching the time of life when decisions are crucial, and will make some decisions that can affect your entire lives. To make a wrong decision will bring pain and misery for many, many years to come. By now, most adults here can remember a decision that they would rather forget; they did something perhaps that cannot be undone; they have to live with those decisions. We hope to spare you much heartache, much anxiety, and maybe even mental anguish with this lesson, please heed it, and file it in your memory; it will help you later in life.

The one, and perhaps the greatest question you will ask yourself when you meet Mr. “right” is “Does he really love me? Is he sincere, or stringing me along?” Girls, Listen, there is no way you will know without continued communication with God. I know that sounds trite; you have heard it all your life, but I am going to give you tonight a few guidelines that will spare you from grief later on. I am going to teach you how to discern between the true and the untrue.

You may have already met that prince on a shining white horse--your hero, the man of your dreams, and yet as the relationship grows, doubts prevail. Making the right decision is too important to ignore. As your relationship grows (and I will be as delicate as I can) he presses you for a more intimate relationship. What are you going to do? You are under no obligation to submit to him yet. Does he really want a lasting relationship? (Get this in your craw ladies, marriage is forever. Ten years up the road you ought to love him as much, and more than you do when you first get married. Twenty years later, you are still committed to him--it’s for life!) if you jump into a marriage as a “trial basis,” you are not committed yourself, you are not ready for a permanent relationship.

Here are some guidelines that may be helpful:

1. How does he treat his mother?
The attitude toward his mother will reveal to you his attitude toward you some day. If he is cruel to that woman which bear him into the world, and took care of him for many years, what makes you think he will be different with you?

2. How does he handle authority?
God is the ultimate authority--if he is rebellious toward the Lord, what makes you think he will be kind and generous to you?

3. Can he hold a job?
Working reveals much more than being able to support you, although that is very important. It is a matter of character. Character will help him stay around when things get tough (and they will); working is a “training field” for fidelity.

4. Is he responsible?
Paying bills, and meeting other obligations will “prove” him to be responsible. Marriage is hard enough without failing in responsibilities; many men “give up” because of the result of irresponsibility, and will abandon a marriage. This, to many, is the true proof of manhood.

1 John 2:3-6

King James Version (KJV)


3And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
4He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
5But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
6He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

I would not consider myself properly dressed if I went to church in jeans. I would only wear jeans when I am working in the garden. At church I usually wear a suit as do most of our older men, the youngsters mostly dress more casually.

From my understanding, when it says in Genesis God put coats on them this is meaning he put a coating, a covering on them, not a literal coat as we would call such today. We are not told exactly what manner of covering, or coating, the Lord put upon them, only that whatever it was covered them.

We know from elsewhere in Scripture that men were not wearing "coats" (as we know them) but were wearing robes. We don't read of a condemnation of specific clothing types in Scripture, but we do read that what we wear is to be modest and men should wear mens clothes and women should wear womens clothes.

The biblical principle for clothing is that it be modest, pertaining to the sex that wears it, and that it be not worn in a sinful manner. A nice jacket can become a piece of worldly clothing if a sinful patch is placed upon it.

Our separation is to be from sin. There are those who are not Christians who yet separate themselves from certain sins, that doesn't mean we should no longer follow that practice.

What we wear should not reflect sin, should not bring any reproach to the name of Christ.

Here is what I have written on the subject.

Greetings, and blessings in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am contacting you about - as the subject says - a serious matter: one serious to myself, and one serious in the Sight of the Lord. You may wonder why I am directing such a concern to the Athletics section of *** - well, I am doing that because it concerns this department exactly. Specifically? Women's sports. I want to try and demonstrate to you, according to Scripture, that God does not approve of women and girls in sports.

Sports. A short word, yet one that has many things attached to it. What does it mean? It is something where teams or individuals compete in various ways, be it in running, gymnastics, a certain way persons handle a ball - or, what have you. Some sports are considered "contact sports" - American football comes to mind. Others, such as golf, running, tennis, etc., involve no contact (hopefully) between individuals.

However, there is a continuous stream in all sports, regardless of its type: that word, "competition." What is competition? It is where two or more individuals are pitted against one another, trying to out-do each other in various ways. Traditionally, this is considered a masculine trait; competition, drive, force. It is what would push a man to fight to save a young woman from danger, what would inspire him to pursue her hand in marriage, to out-do other men, putting himself on top physically or mentally.

Can this be considered a feminine trait? Look at our design - our mental, emotional, physical makeup. Why was woman made? She was made for the man (1 Corinthians 11:8-9); she was a gift from God to Adam. For, "He created them male and female" - thus implying a distinction, even from the beginning (we can learn much about men and women merely from Genesis 1-3, and our natural inclinations, put in us by God).

1 Corinthians 11:8-9
King James Version (KJV)

8For the man is not of the woman: but the woman of the man.
9Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.

Woman was (and is!) a precious, precious gift to man; a gift beyond price. She is lovely, delicate, soft, beautiful; or, so she ought to be. So is a jewel, a treasure; the weaker, yet the exalted vessel (1 Peter 3:7). What does this mean? That means she is to be treated with the utmost and absolute respect of men, and she ought to behave in a manner appropriate to her glorious, wonderful, God-given position - His special creation (the last!).

1 Peter 3:7
King James Version (KJV)

7Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

Men are more aggressive, bigger risk-takers, than women. Why? God made us that way. We can see in Scripture that God only counted men for war, that men were the ones who fought. Yet, sports requires a woman to be aggressive in some way, shape or form; some worse than others, to be sure (some supposedly Christian institutions have girls play football against each other in the damnable filth known as "powder puff football"); some less so. But, that could be said of many things - does that make it right?

Look, for example, at pictures of women and girls playing sports - the expressions on their faces. Look at their bodies, some of them; trying to be masculine, when in the Sight of God, such is an abomination. The way their faces become twisted in such endeavors seems reason alone to question the rightness of such a thing. They snarl, become angry, grit their teeth in pain - since when did this become "feminine", acceptable? God desires women to be a gentle and quiet spirit (1 Peter 3:1-6) - is that "gentle and quiet", is that soft, is that lovely? Is that ladylike in any way?

1 Peter 3:1-6
King James Version (KJV)
1 Peter 3
1Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;
2While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.
3Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;
4But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
5For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:
6Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.

Everything ought to be measured in this way: "Does this please God?" If we think so, why? If we don't think so, why? For Scripture is to be the authority in all things - God's will defeats all. Yet, we see God's work, His will even in creation. Look all the way back in Genesis, when man and woman were first created. God created Adam outside of the Garden, then put him in, but when Eve was made, she was inside of the Garden - a safe place. Adam had to suffer for her to come into being. Adam was commanded to work, before and after the Fall; was Eve? Was Eve commanded to eat by the sweat of her brow? No! Her curse involved child-bearing, the home; her place (Titus 2:4-5).

Titus 2:4-5
King James Version (KJV)

4That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,
5To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

I am so tired and hurt by this blurring of the lines. And if I am angered so - God's anger must be incredible. Look, look at how women and how men are today. Just look at it. God hates the removal, the muddying up of the pure, clear waters of distinction - in dress, in all things (Deuteronomy 22:5). He was the One Who made the distinction, male and female; not merely male, not merely female, but both! Separate, gloriously unequal, precious in God's Sight - His design!

Deuteronomy 22:5
King James Version (KJV)

5The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God.

We must, I repeat, we must make sure that we do not grieve God in this manner. He wants, He desires men, guys to be godly, brave, tough, chivalrous, masculine gentlemen; the leaders, protectors, providers of all weaker. Women, girls to be godly, feminine ladies, soft, kind, supportive, submissive, compassionate. Do we not see these standards taught in Scripture? Do we not, besides all of Scripture, see this in our very natures? How men are larger and stronger - naturally? How even if woman tries vigorously, attempting ot overcome her hormones, she cannot gain all of the brute strength of a man who merely sits around and does nothing?

If not, why? Why? Why do we allow ourselves to be blinded? What? Can we honestly say that sports are "feminine"? What do they inspire? What are sports? Are they not like "war-training"? They make one push, build strength, fight! Even in the lesser evils (evil is still evil!), they inspire un-feminine things; competition.

Should women keep their bodies in shape, exercise? Absolutely, and so should men; our temples are the bodies of the Holy Spirit, God Himself, and we should treat them well. But they should not be un-feminine in doing so. God created them as they are for a reason, and they should not fight against the wonderful place He has given them, as precious jewels beyond price. Look, for example, at this verse in the Psalms...

Psalm 144:12
King James Version (KJV)

12That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace:

Please, please, look at the Scriptures, look at men and women's physical, mental, emotional makeup, look at the natural things. I beg of you, do not continue in this. It is not good in the Sight of the Lord - He is grieved by it. I say with absolute confidence - yes, I would stake my life on its veracity - that He hates it, for it is against His perfect design. What, do we think we know better? Better than the Creator of our natures, of our frames, our makeup?

Look, for example, at these facts...

"Another source of a man's strength comes from his large muscle mass which results from the action of the hormone testosterone. During the man's adolescence testosterone builds his muscles by adding bulk and fiber. Likewise, a man's muscle cells increase in size until he turns forty. But a woman's muscle cells stop growing by the time she is ten or eleven. Men possess about 50 percent more muscles than women. (Stump, What's the Difference?> p. 134.)

In contrast, the female hormone estrogen creates a greater fat storage in the woman, 27 percent to the man's 15 percent, to make her soft and lovely in appearance. Weight and height charts easily demonstrate this as men always weigh more than women of the same height and bone structure. The extra fat in the female plus her lack of comparative muscle fibers significantly lowers her physical strength. The man exhibits greater physical strength than the woman simply because his body contains more lean muscles with which to lift objects and work.

While a man develops powerful muscles without effort on his part, a woman develops strength in her muscles only through vigorous exercise to overcome the action of her hormones. Even then she only achieves 60 to 70 percent of the strength of a man. (Stump, What's the Difference? pp. 134-135.) Thus, a man who never exercises, but simply lies on the divan all day watching television, still has more brute strength than a woman who exercises to her maximum limit. To do better, a woman must take anabolic steroids--artificial male hormones to stimulate muscle growth. Then she risks considerable health problems. (Eric Gelman, "In Sports, 'Lions Vs. Tigers,' " [Newsweek, 5/18/8], p. 75.)"

Taken from here. I have scanned over the article, and agree with most of it; it contains a lot of interesting information about the differences between men and women, physically and otherwise. I think the sections, "Biologically Different" and "Psychologically Different" will be most relevant to the subject at hand, though there are a lot of interesting facts throughout.

Women, girls in sports was virtually non-existent until the twentieth century (and, even then, hardly until the middle of that time period). Why? What, were men evil, sexist chauvinists? Do we twenty-first century Christians know better than them? Why, of course we do! For we are enlightened now, we don't do such evil things anymore. But, who is right?

Women were once treated with respect. Chivalry - it inspires a man to treat woman like the precious jewel she is (and, even if she doesn't act godly, feminine, or ladylike in anyway, she ought to be treated like the most godly, feminine, beautiful, ladylike princess ever to walk this planet!); it is a wonderful thing. Why did men used to open doors for women, stand up when they entered a room, came to the table, left the table - et cetera? I heard of one man centuries ago who died of hypothermia or something of the like because he refused to wear a hat in a woman's presence. Respect to the death!

Women and girls do not realize how wonderful they were created to be - how beautiful it is to be a godly, feminine lady. Today, this is shunned, in our liberalated society. Why do women want to lower themselves and be men's equals? Because satan has a hold on this country and on this world, and we have let him get a death-grip on it.

Perhaps this treatise has not convinced you. If not, so be it; I am not a gifted writer by any means, but I have tried to speak the words of God clearly. If I have failed, forgive me. If you have questions, desire a more in-depth answer, whatever it may be, do not hesitate to contact me. I am here to help and bless everyone in every way I possibly can. Thank you for your time.

Soli Deo Gloria.
God bless,
Joel Garner ><>.
2 Chronicles 7:14; Romans 5:8.

So, those are my thoughts on the subject. The Scripture quotations look a bit weird, because they were originally in the NKJV, so I had to go get them from BibleGateway.com. A handy resource.

Enjoy!
God bless,
Joel ><>.