BDMX

Matt 25 What Dr. Wilson says about widows, orphans and aliens is the key. We think we can go to bible studies and sit in church and all is well. Show me faith, that is good I will show you faith through works. We need to quit worrying what the person in the next pew is thinking and get out there and feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty and visit the sick and imprisoned. The gospel was not spread by staying at the temple in Jerusalem and teaching. It was spread by getting out in the world and getting dirty. Church should be a place to get cleaned up and ready for the next round of battle. Bill

I think it is sad that some of our greatest opposition comes from our own church. To many Christins today have forgotten the whole love one another thing, this was not a request from Jesus it was a command. As a Sunday school teacher for our teenagers I found that many church members get angry and try to tear down good things if they are not getting attention or don't understand the message. Our youth minister has been accused of calling students demons because people take things out of context. Don't be discouraged, James is the place to be when dealing with this. I think sometimes our best witnessing can be to Christians who don't understand the power and authority of Jesus. Ther are too many "fire insurance" Christians out ther that are looking to worldy things and there own glory. Don't misunderstand, I am far from perfect, I simply feel if I am a truck technician I should follow my bosses rules and be the best I can, if I am a Christian I should follow Jesus' rules and be the best Christian I can. Don't give up on them, love them and pray for them. The hardest thing I have done is pray for members of my congregation that irritate me. I have had God tell me I am just as irritating to them. We are all different and have different purposes in the body of Christ. A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

I think it is important to remember we encounter trials and temptations on a minute by minute basis. Sometimes we concentrate on the big stuff and we do not see the little stuff that is actually the foundation of the trial/temption. I went through a time in a study with my church thinking I had a problem in one area of my life and a came to find out Satan was using this to cover up a bigger stronghold that was keeping me from growing. Both things needed to be worked on but I dwelt on the lesser of the problems while ignoring the problem that was keeping me from God. I have dealt with many trials and temptations in my life. I spent 15 years as a drug addict. I was saved at the age of 13, however I ignored God and went my own way. Strangely enough I spent a lot of time as an addict reading the Bible. I did this so I could be educated when arguing with Christians about there faith. Little did I know God was using this time to teach me His Word. Life as a drug addict is dismal. No matter how good you are doing, (I am not talking about a homeless scraggly stereotype drug addict, but a functioning, well read addict that you would be hard pressed to pick out of a crowd) you are always up against depression and tons of temptation. After 6 months of Christian treatment don't think the temptation stopped, but standing up against addiction proves to one that you can overcome anything.