Thank you

[rl69]

Thank you my friends my family life is good God is great

Matthew 11:28-30 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

[GhostHawk]

Good news is good to hear.

Glad to hear you are doing well.

[Boaz]

Thank you . Praying

[USMC87]

Prayers and a great example of scripture.

[Blackwater]

Thank YOU for being such an inspiration and giving us so much to "munch on" during our days! It's the least we can do to return a little of what you have given to us!

[No_1]

This is what heals me when I am not well.

[buckwheatpaul]

Ronnie, When we pray we are witnessing and spreading the news to those in trouble....this Our Chapel is so special and I for one am glad that there are so many men and women that are not afraid to openly profess their Christianity. I thank God for each of you and pray that God keeps each of us safe as well as our Cast Boolit Family......

[shoot-n-lead]

Amen!

[Preacher Jim]

Have you all noticed that our Chapel is at top of cast boolits?
The pit is at the bottom, why would anybody go wade in the mud if you been to the chapel?
Just a thought.

[Pine Baron]

Matthew 7
24Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 25And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. 26And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 27And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

This house is being built on a rock.

[Hickok]

So good to hear a praise report!

God's blessings on all my brothers and sisters in Christ here, and to No 1 for allowing us a place to fellowship together.

[Boaz]

The Chapel separates this Forum from the others . The Pit is here too . We are given the opportunity to be involved in both . Seems to me we in the Chapel are more understanding of one another . Our intention in coming here is to encourage and enjoy each other in the commonality of out belief in GOD .

The Pit is a different situation but I'm glad it exists . Seemingly much like the 'real' world we live in . Passions can flare , disagreement can lead many to say things they normally never would . It requires self control to go there . It can be a test or practice in dealing with 'real' world thoughts or conception . The Pit is what you would make it ?

[Blackwater]

Have you all noticed that our Chapel is at top of cast boolits?
The pit is at the bottom, why would anybody go wade in the mud if you been to the chapel?
Just a thought.

I go to the pit regularly, but it's to keep the non-believers and pessimists and those just itching for a fight from taking it over completely. If more good folks went there, it might not be looked down upon so badly? You're right in that it needs "improving," but how's that gonna' come about as long as the only ones there are the nay-sayers, the chronic complainers, and those for whom nothing is right or good enough for them?

The pit NEEDS more good folks! It's a place where folks CAN say EXACTLY what they're thinking, and there are so VERY few places today where anyone can do that! It's a resource that really just needs to be used more by the "good folks." It's a lot like Christians who don't witness to those who challenge them. If we don't answer challenges to our faith, who will?

That's my take on it, anyway. I stayed out for the exact reasons you outline for years, and finally jumped in because I was tired of seeing those of faith roundly disparaged and made fun of! It was simply TIME that somebody at least tried to meet them on the field of battle where souls are won and lost. When we let them win, and Satan, it's US who is diminished, and we let many onlookers who remain silent think the non-believers have "won!" That just ain't right! I may not be the best one to do battle with them, but I do what I can. It'd sure help if more good folks contributed there. Then, just MAYBE it'd be a place with a much different character? "Never say never!" It COULD happen, but ONLY if we good believers MAKE it that way!

Just MHO, but .... it's based on pretty solid observation over a long time there. If nobody corrects or "balances the scales," are we REALLY doing God's will .... or just our own, and calling it "God's will?" We Christians don't do a LOT that we probably should these days, simply because we don't WANT to engage Satan and his minions. But if WE don't .... who WILL? There's nobody left BUT us to do it!

[No_1]

A word of warning - If you go down there intent on tangling with the PIT Dwellers you best be prepared for them to come up to the Chapel intent on destroying what we have built.

[Smoke4320]

A word of warning - If you go down there intent on tangling with the PIT Dwellers you best be prepared for them to come up to the Chapel intent on destroying what we have built.

Correct on that one ..

[Blackwater]

Well, I know they did this once, but it was short lived. If it's not to be the "Politics AND RELIGION" section of the board, then we need to take down the part about religion. And frankly, I'd see that as a dereliction of our duty to the unsaved. Yeah, posts there may not "save" any of the "usual suspects," but who knows who or how many are watching and reading silently, who might be led by the non-belivers to doubt, rather than faith?

But I'm one of those who thinks we Christians have really abdicated much of what Christ expects of us with regard to the unsaved. And if we do that, what kind of Christians are we, really? There's a very strong tendency for some believers to simply condemn the unbelievers. I've seen the results of this on many lives, and it's not good. And I don't think our Lord ever intended us to be stumbling blocks for ANYONE.

That's just MHO, of course. Personally, I'm not afraid of any of the deniers coming here. It's just something we believers have ALWAYS had to contend with. If we follow our own wills, rather than the Lord's infallible instruction, how can it lead to anything but error? It's not easy being a Christian, and most folks don't really know why they believe themselves, or at least have great difficulty putting it into words. Therefore, most have a vested interest in simply walking away from non-believers, leaving them to their own devices. But that's not what our Lord ever intended, and I've seen facing them lead to a great moderation in their more flamboyant ways, and even, in some cases, to their coming to belief.

It's not easy, and it's not pleasant, but we have a job to do, according to our Lord. And it's NOT, I think, to just "shake the dust" every time we're challenged. Sure, there ARE times when we need to "shake the dust," but I'm very afraid that we use that often as an excuse to do what WE want to do, rather than what Christ has intended for us to do.

And facing deniers eye to eye and toe to toe tends greatly to revel them for the willful and pretentious and calculating entities they truly are. But it takes someone who's not afraid of them, and who knows what and why he believes, to go toe to toe with them.

Again, that's just my view, but I think it's based strongly in the scriptures, and not in my own will. There are MANY things I'd rather do than to go toe to toe with a denier. But that'd be serving MY desires, rather than the mission Christ assigned to all of us. I find it VERY difficult to turn away from anyone who challenges our Faith. Even if we can't save them, who knows how many will have 2nd thoughts before following the deniers? It's THOSE who likely matter most in this issue, I think. And again, I've seen it proven that we do NOT always know who will and who won't respond to the Lord's message. Often, it'll be the last person you'd suspect to respond who'll come to belief. And that ain't no small thing, folks! No small thing AT ALL!

So ... I know I'm largely alone in this, but .... a man's gotta' do what a man's gotta' do. I haven't posted any challenges to deniers in the pit in a good while now, and I suspect those who still deny are kind'a glad of that. I tend to ask all the wrong questions of them - the ones they don't want to answer, or have no answer for, really. And I have no plans to post any such post there any time in the forseeable future. But if the spirit strikes me to do so, I consider it incumbent upon me to follow that, rather than serve my own druthers. Like I said, being a Christian ain't easy, but .... it's always worth it. Especially when we reach someone who was in danger of being lost.

And I suspect when we're each at the Throne of Judgment, it'll be revealed to each of us those who we never knew were affected toward or away from the Lord by the things we've said or done. Every one of us affects others either toward or away from our Lord, and most, I think, we never realize how we've been a part in their selection of their regard for the Lord.

That's my take on it. YMMV, and I'm sure in some cases it will. But unless and until someone can come up with a scripture based argument that holds water, and isn't twisted to serve OUR will rather than the Lord's .... I cannot change my mind just to "go along with the crowd." What kind of "Christian" would do that sort of thing?

[No_1]

Dennis,
Listen to what I am saying and listen well. This is not about being scared, dereliction of duty or your desire to save those who don't have religion in their soul. The Chapel exist because I wanted a safe haven for folks to talk about faith without interference/heckling from non-believers or trolls. I have been lucky so far that folks from the PIT have kept to themselves in the area I have created for them. I also have been lucky that those in the Chapel have stayed in the area I have created for them. It has taken a lot to build the Chapel into what it is now and I don't wan't to have to clean it up because you or anyone else has decided to create a war about religion with those who live in the PIT.

This is MY house - don't start a war in my house. Understand?

[Blackwater]

That couldn't be missed! And I quite understand that this is your house, and that I can't/don't make the rules. All I meant to do was simply just state my case, as I saw it. That's all. And indeed, deniers don't generally want to go where folks talk about Faith. They're "allergic" to that, somehow, unless as you say, they're "up to something." I note I can't enter the pit any more. So be it. I think that's kind'a heavy handed, though, FWIW, if anything.

This board used to have the spirit of community unlike any other on the 'net. If we lose that spirit, we may have a "safe haven," but who'll be here? For a very long time, folks have felt comfortable just simply saying what their feelings were about things. That's all I was doing, at least from my end. If you read any disrespect into it, or defiance, then I'm sorry. It was NOT intended.

Any time people from all sorts of backgrounds and circumstances get together, there's going to be some friction, even where it was never intended. And of course, and maybe especially these days, some get their egos or feelings hurt where they really shouldn't be. Time heals most wounds, and wounds most heels, if allowed to.

It just strikes me that this nation, if we stratify ourselves even more than we already do, will NOT be well served by this state of affairs. But it's your board, and you have to make the hard decisions, so .... I'll live with whatever you decide. And there's NO disrespect intended from a simple difference in point of view. None. I promise!

[No_1]

And your point of view is valid but I will not allow anyone to travel down a road that will end up tearing this place apart. There is a reason the Chapel is at the top of the forum and the PIT is at the bottom. Sometimes folks need to be separated.

Robert

[No_1]

I note I can't enter the pit any more. So be it. I think that's kind'a heavy handed, though, FWIW, if anything.

I have read your post in the PIT - yiu like to shake it up with those folks and your recent post in this forum left me wondering what your intentions would be. It is easier to undue what has not been done than to undue what has been done. Call it heavy handed if you wish, I call it making a good call.

Robert

[buckwheatpaul]

I am not sucking up to No. 1 but I agree with his warning....this thread was for praying forrl69 and Linda, rl69's wife, who has had surgery.....lets get back on track ladies and gentlemen.....Paul

[Preacher Jim]

Amen.

[Blackwater]

Paul's right. And prayers still going up.

And I omitted one thing I should have made abundantly clear in my previous posts. This is YOUR place, Robert, and if that's the way you insist it be, then I'll just have to abide by it despite my reservations. It's simply a question of old-fashioned manners. It's your house, and you make the rules. If I want to make the rules, I'll have to create my own site, but that's not gonna' happen. So I'm not incapable of complying with specific directions. I was only trying to make a point, and that point is that if we "good contributors" stay out of the pit, then what could possibly happen but that it degrade itself even more? Places where folks can discuss their true inner beliefs and convictions and opinions are rare now, and getting rarer. This naturally stratifies our culture even more stridently than it is already. So though I really DO have some concerns about this, it's your house, and your rules, and I'll abide by them. Like I said, it's just simple old-fashioned manners. And thanks for at least listening. You have to make the hard decisions, for good, bad or indifferent, and I'd never challenge that. It's good to have someone who we can disagree with in a pretty agreeable manner. That's rarer these days than places to opine without fear, so .... thanks for that.