Sunday, April 10, 2011

Sunday Faith Blog


Friday at lunch, a friend said she likes to get seats with nobody near her when she's on a flight with no assigned seating...She told me "You know how to do that? Just open a Bible and start reading it!" I'd found this cartoon 2 weeks ago or so and had it scheduled for publication today, so I had to laugh at her comment! It's TRUE!?? :-)
In actuality, I've had many friends do Bible study homework on flights and get into great conversations with people, but this cartoon and my friend's comment cracked me up!   Have you had an experience like this for having brought out a Bible in a public place?

"I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes...."   Romans 1:16

Oh, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM and SIS!  xxxx  

Have a happy Sunday,everyone.......read a little Scripture;  it's like chicken soup... "it can't hoyt!" :-)
z

32 comments:

Anonymous said...

A variation on this theme appeared long ago in the Reader's Digest. I can't quote it exactly, but I've always remembered it, because it's so darned funny -- and yet so sad.

A very attractive young woman was making a name for herself in the business world by acting as a troubleshooter for her company. This required her to travel long distances by herself at least two or three times a month. A friend back home asked her how she could handle all the "wolves" who must be constantly bothering her in hopes of getting a "date?"

She answered, "It's very simple. All I do is look them straight in the eye, and ask them very sweetly, "Have you found Jesus?"


~ Persona non Grata

Z said...

People don't want to comment anymore if they can't fight! Nothing controversial and where IS everybody?
I've noticed it time and time again...America's situation's got people really stressed out and I feel really sad about that..we all should.

(((Thought Criminal))) said...

where IS everybody?

Waiting for your unwelcome, obsessed stalker above to be deleted on sight, if I had to guess.

You want red-meat controversy?

How about "Using the Gospel as a humorous nuisance repellent."

I realize the post is conveying a joke, and I did laugh at it, but there's something just a little unseemly about assuming everyone feels evangelism efforts repel people enough to be a convenient foil.

That oughta drum up some comments.

Pris said...

Z, Happy Birthday to your Mom and your sister! May it be a fun celebration for such a nice family as yours.


I tend not to impose myself on people. I know I do it here, but this is a debate forum. It's expected.

The old saying about not bringing up religion or politics, has some wisdom in it. If I brought up either of these topics in my extended family, except my sister's, it would be a disaster.

Besides, I have some relatives who are getting up there in age, and I don't want to upset them.

Sometimes for a family to remain a family, it's necessary to bite one's tongue. If someone else asks my opinion, I'll give it. However they too know better than to do that. They know they won't like what I have to say.

I could discuss these things without anger, but some can't. It's better left alone.

Not everyone is so careful. I've had remarks made to me in the market about the food I buy!! From total strangers, such as, "why do you buy so much milk?" This man was angry!?! I told him, "because we like it".

Or, from a woman behind me in the checkout line, "you're buying all the wrong food"! I just said, "I feel great, so I must be doing something right".
This isn't even religion or politics! This is grocery shopping!

It's best to know whereof we speak and to whom we are speaking IMO.

Scotty said...

Mat 7:6 "Do not give holy things to dogs. Do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they might walk all over them. Then they might turn around and tear you to pieces.

There has been so many times I have run up against the words above.....

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Ducky's here said...

Evangelicals have to accept that by believing they are in possession of complete revealed truth that what they have to say is almost necessarily a lecture, not a conversation.

Has to happen by example. You are what you do. The internal conversation that convinces you of belief is not real. In other words, there is no faith without acts.

Ducky's here said...

@Major, is that expected to portray Christianity in a positive light or will it project you as pathological?

Major said...

Ms. Z...my sincere apologies in advance.

I hate...I mean I hate assholes like the duck...Please though..spare me the "no hate" lecture.

Do you actually believe any of could do what we've done for our country for the last 250 years.....if we didn't?

Remember..."liberals and progressives" are the newer version of the commies and traitors we thought we were done with back in 1989.

Anonymous said...

Evangelicals have to accept that by believing they are in possession of complete revealed truth that what they have to say is almost necessarily a lecture, not a conversation.

Has to happen by example.


It doesn't happen often, but I agree with you, Ducky.

~ Persona non Grata

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Ducky's here said...

Do you folks really believe that social democracy, socialism and Communism are synonymous? Interesting.

I imagine you don't believe much of the early church was communal. Or is that socialist or communist?

Ducky's here said...

Sounds like a sound viable solution to me. They've been doing it for 700 years or more.

------------------

Your utter ignorance of the history of the region is only matched by your ignorance of true Christianity.

Ticker said...

Congrates Major. I read Duckbutts comments and was about to read the same riot act to him but you beat me to it. Duckbutt claims to be Catholic but evidently in Name only. Would that be CINO? Guess because he had a few drops of water sprinkled on his little pointed head as a baby he thinks he is guaranteed his place in Paradise he fails to understand the meaning of the word "acts". i.e. works of faith by action. Faith is an action word but then Duckbutt fails to understand and of course would not take the time to look it up. Duckbutt is a "consumer" type believer, using it when it is convenient rather than a "server".
Too many of that type(consumer) in churches and the world today.

(((Thought Criminal))) said...

Yup! And a skunk by any other name would still stink to high heaven too.

And an offensively unwelcome neo-Nazi racist twit lingering like a soured beer fart calling himself "FreeThinke" or "Persona non Grata" to harass the blog owner rather than departing as requested is still an an offensively unwelcome neo-Nazi racist twit.

Yeah, someone who persists on stalking, harassing, and berating a blog run by someone he's classified as a "bitch" and a "slut" really has room to talk about the content of anyone's character.

Z,

I'm sorry. Love your blog. I really do. But, I'll be back when your blog gets a commenter IQ prerequisite.

FreeThinke's pathological obsession with polluting your blog is only encouraged by your refusal to shut him down and out. He apparently can't leave on his own as you've requested beyond count.

You know how to reach me.

Ticker said...

Duckbutt using the typical "leftist" argument when comparing Christianity to socialism. What the fail to read is that in the book of ACTS where the leftnoids take this from is that the sharing was total voluntary not demanded as in socialism. Nice try Duckbutt but read the book of Acts once again. Then show me where it was demanded that each share of what they had. What occurred was that early believers came to Jerusalem and found themselves staying longer than had been planned. The leaders suggested, not ordered as in socialism, that they bring all that they had together so that they could continue the "fellowship" and out-flowing (inflowing as in being filled) of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:42-46

Scotty said...

Scotty, that famous passage which the KJV refers to as "casting pearls pearls before swine" has so many potential applications it might be misleading.

Not really, it's being silent when one knows that sharing the Gospel at a certain time or place will not be appreciated.

In many cases the stiff-necked and stubborn enemies of the gospel are unworthy to have it preached unto them.

I have NO problem taking what Scripture says in a literal sense. That passage of Scripture needs no interpretation. It's very evident what it's trying to say.

Scotty said...

I imagine you don't believe much of the early church was communal. Or is that socialist or communist?

Difference being Ducky, it was voluntary, not forced!

elmers brother said...

Scotty about talking to duhkkky......that is pearls before swine

Ducky's here said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Pris said...

Beamish, do you expect Z to hover over her blog day and night to please you? She has a life outside of GEEEZ.

Your inability to ignore FT, who's chosen to become a troll, is not Z's responsibility, so you decide to compound the problem by blaming her.

IQ isn't the question here, lack of restraint is, on your part, and on FT's.

Z said...

Ducky, you said "Evangelicals have to accept that by believing they are in possession of complete revealed truth that what they have to say is almost necessarily a lecture, not a conversation.

Has to happen by example. You are what you do. The internal conversation that convinces you of belief is not real. In other words, there is no faith without acts."

And you're blaming others for ignorance? Are you kidding?

YOu wouldn't even believe the conversations I've had with people about faith and there was no lecturing.
Anybody who thinks they're going to single-handedly bring someone to faith is NUTS....but when people question and the right words are used it's magic. And it happens a lot.
As for faith without acts...oh, the Catholics!! Though I'm not and never have been a Catholic basher (even if I felt it, I wouldn't because it's unkind....and, if I were Catholic, come to think of it, I'd particularly NEVER go to a LUtheran's site and constantly bash her evangelical faith, believe me, the height of bad manners and bad taste and, frankly, stupidity, but I digress...)....
but FAITH is about FAITH, not acts. And ACTS come from the love one receives from faith, acts are not prerequisite for salvation...God doesn't do Brownie points.

Z said...

Beamish, Free Thinker will be deleted in the future every time. He IS persona non grata, he picked a perfect non de plume, and I'm leaving most of his comments here tonight only because some responded to him and I don't want them to look ridiculous "what's he commenting TO?"

I will never trust FT again, that's the problem. When one takes advantage of a blogger and calls her "bitch" and "slut" and everything else he called me; and when he continues to post silly ditties and copy/pastes (the two things I'd asked him to stop) and when he keeps coming back where he's so definitely not wanted, that doesn't warrant respect or patience.
I've had people emailing me "why do you put up with it?" and I'm not.

One forgives, one does not forget. ANd my blog is too important to me to risk the downslide every SINGLE time he's left in a huff and come sneaking back.

Well, FT, I"m speaking to you, of course...I'm sorry to sound like I'm talking behind your back.
I hate to sound unkind but I have to ask you again to LEAVE GEEZ>

Beamish is right; I should go on another format to block all anonymous comments but I won't make my own situation more difficult to accomodate your rudeness.

thank you.

Z said...

By the way...I'm sorry to have my post so misunderstood..this had nothing to do with evangelizing and everything to do with how funny the cartoon was and how odd it was that my friend confirmed the cartoon innocently, unknowingly to me on Friday....


I wouldn't open up a faith conversation with a stranger if my life depended on it..
Any more than I'd ignore sincere questions...

Anonymous said...
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(((Thought Criminal))) said...

Beamish, do you expect Z to hover over her blog day and night to please you? She has a life outside of GEEEZ.

So do I.

Your inability to ignore FT, who's chosen to become a troll, is not Z's responsibility, so you decide to compound the problem by blaming her.

When I'm asked for a solution to the FeetStinke sock puppet problem, and that solution is not implemented, I have to continue to read FreeThinke's offensive, immature, sneering racist drivel because certain other commenters are too lazy to or too incompetent to learn how register an account.

You want to comment here, but 30 seconds of effort is too much for you to bear in an effort to help your friend solve a problem of anonymous trolling.

God bless Z for having a bigger heart than I do.

IQ isn't the question here, lack of restraint is, on your part, and on FT's.

Go back to silently enjoying Z's harassment and FreeThinke's toxic, racist comments.

I'm tired of watching it.

I'll be back when the pests are under control.

Anonymous said...

So many racists and haters here under the guise of Christians.

Faith said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Nice blog post, Z.
Wouldn't it be interesting to get all these bloggers together face to face and see how we'd behave?
Imagine it?
Outdoor get-together, good food, live music.
Good conversation, CIVILITY.

Hmmm. So, I'm just dreaming. THAT will never be reality, instead, this online hatred is reality. How weird is that?

On this question of witnessing: I agree with Ducky here. I think we need to be very mindful when sharing the Gospel, but not fearful. Here where I live it's not uncommon for folks to blindly witness without any experience (study, mentoring, experience, etc) to aid in the conversation when things get deep.

Did that make sense?

----

elmers brother said...

Roger why can't you just be a good soul and leave?

Z said...

Anonymous, thank you. I hadn't seen the slam to Black Americans until you said 'racist'...I'm glad you caught that, it doesn't fly here and that commenter knows that, he's been warned before.
There is nothing here under the 'guise of Christians' except for that remark and others of his.
Christians can get angry and vent...! A big mistake is those who think CHristians are sinless, isn't it. No, we're all humans trying to do better every day and usually not achieving it!

elmers brother said...

Excellent point z.