Comments on: The fear of bad news

By: REG

REG — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 22:09:57 +0000

30-
Righteous comes to mind because we have learned the hard way not to assume that those who claim to represent God are truly righteous. They will be known by their behavior. The word unrighteous comes to mind because those who act abusively are unrighteous regardless of their job titles.

“Does the main premise of Andree’s article about fear bring anything positive to mind for you?”

Yes, the last three years of being on my own with foud children 24/7 has been more difficult than anyone can imagine, yet the relief of not living with an abuser any longer outweighs those difficulties.

“(“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies” – Psalm 23:5)”

“The desert is a given. Both the righteous and the unrighteous find themselves in it. But the righteous finds refreshment at every turn: “He will make it a place of springs” (Psalm 84:6). He will “drink from the brook by the way” (Psalm 110:7). The secret to this is divulged in the second half of the verse: “He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord (Psalm 110:7).”

God has done these very things for me time and time again. IT is amazing to watch Him work predictably according to hid word, which doesnt’ mean that I predict the details, but His faithfulness is sure. I count on it.

Ps. 112
112:1 Praise ye Jehovah.
Blessed is the man that feareth Jehovah,
That delighteth greatly in his commandments.
112:2 His seed shall be mighty upon earth:
The generation of the upright shall be blessed.

This is true even in undesirable circumstances, God uses all things to prosper his children in godliness.

112:3 Wealth and riches are in his house;
And his righteousness endureth for ever.
112:4 Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness:
He is gracious, and merciful, and righteous.
112:5 Well is it with the man that dealeth graciously and lendeth;
He shall maintain his cause in judgment.
112:6 For he shall never be moved;
The righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance.
112:7 He shall not be afraid of evil tidings:
His heart is fixed, trusting in Jehovah.
112:8 His heart is established, he shall not be afraid,
Until he see his desire upon his adversaries.
112:9 He hath dispersed, he hath given to the needy;
His righteousness endureth for ever:
His horn shall be exalted with honor.
112:10 The wicked shall see it, and be grieved;
He shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away:
The desire of the wicked shall perish.

We newly divorced singles learned in Divorce Care that the stronger home will win out. There may be tough times in the teen years, but when those children of divorce are in their early 20’s, they will see clearly enough to recognize the right, they will have character discernment.

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By: Dick Friedrich

Dick Friedrich — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 01:10:41 +0000

29 Reg -
Your friend’s situation sounds pretty difficult to say the least. How did the word righteous come up yesterday? Does the main premise of Andree’s article about fear bring anything positive to mind for you?

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By: REG

REG — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 08:28:03 +0000

28-
Do I use the word righteous routinely in conversation? I don’t throw my pearls before swine. Yesterday the word came up when a friend who is facing a divorce from an extremely abusive man needed to talk and have someone listen. She has had more than one husband turn out to be abusive. And each husband was found in the church. One was even a pastor. He wooed her while she was recovering from an auto accident after the death of his own wife. As soom as they were married he turned out to be abusive and sexually perverted. Now, there are “Christians” who would “counsel” her to submit so that he would straighten up. I even saw an article in Table Talk a few years back that said that if a pastor strayed it was his wife’s fault. Well, this man was seen beating her in public and was arrested and restrained from talking to her for two years. He then was sexually inappropriate in supervised visitaion with their four-year-old son. Where is he now? In jail? No. He is on staff at the denomination’s seminary. The words unrighteous and righteous just keep coming to mind.

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By: Dick Friedrich

Dick Friedrich — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 08:12:57 +0000

#18 Reg
Do you use righteous routinely in your conversation? I don’t. Outside a Biblical context I have pretty much relegated the word to a negative use such as “self-righteous.” So I think culture has slipped into my thinking and reduced my understanding. The world has become a smaller, less significant place because I have neglected God’s view.

The psalms are more serious and powerful about drawing distinctions – such as between the righteous and the wicked. Then in the NT Jesus expands the distinction even more, e.g. Matt 19:16-26. Terms like righteousness and “the kingdom of God” are much more rich than we usually allow them to be. In today’s culture this is not only politically incorrect it is a kind of neutering. God’s view has been crowded out. Thankfully – mercifully, He keeps breaking in even in personal ways.

We will be much further ahead if we worry less about policing religion and more about Who we should fear. It’s not about intimidation or abuse but about mercy and love in the face of our idolatry (our idolatry often coming from selfish, egotistical fears).

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By: REG

REG — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 22:33:59 +0000

And as for authros writing about abuse AND religion, I have to say that Donald Joy’s Two Become One was tops.

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By: REG

REG — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 22:15:02 +0000

25-
rather than rudeness, judgementalism would be more accurate

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By: REG

REG — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 21:57:46 +0000

“I chuckled because I have asked you questions on a number of occasions which were not answered.”

Frankly, when I first started posting on WOW I could not believe the rude responses I got. IT takes me a while to weed out who is being sincere and who is just wanting to have power over me with the superiority of their thinking.

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By: Karen O

Karen O — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 21:54:08 +0000

“Stereo-types or comparisons are not always accurate. It is always good to ask more questions.

I chuckled a bit at this, though I agree. I do ask questions & don’t assume that my first impression of a comment is necessarily correct. That’s why I’ll often ask something along the line of “When you say…do you mean…?”

I chuckled because I have asked you questions on a number of occasions which were not answered. But I understand you are busy, as you mentioned previously, & may not get back to all the threads you’ve commented on.

I am planning on reading Pagan Christianity so I can see where you are coming from.

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By: REG

REG — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 21:39:24 +0000

“Excuse me for saying so, Reg, but you remind me of someone I know who seems to think that most other Christians are merely ignorant sheep, believing what they are told without thinking things through themselves. He has the attitude that somehow he’s the only one who knows what’s really going on & can think for himself.”

Stereo-types or comparisons are not always accurate. It is always good to ask more questions.

“And yet, I am intrigued & made curious by many of your quickie comments. I wonder what is behind them & what you really mean. It would be nice if you could flesh out your comments a little more.”

I have come out of an abusive religious and home environment after many, many years. I am rebuilding my life. I often do not know how to say things like I would had I had the stability of a routine life/environment/loving relationships, etc.. It is all coming together in pieces for me. I am not in a position to argue forcefully, handle debates, or otherwise function in an intellectually articulate way. I am speaking from a different knowledge base. What I have learned lately is from experience and reading a whole new set of books that have helped me more than anything in my reformed upbringing. I say what I say because it is the only thing I can think of, not because I think that no one else can understand what I am saying.

For abuse, Why Does He DO That, Bancroft, and FoolProofing Your Life, Silvious were the best.

For religious influence in life, Pagan Christianity literally set me free this year.

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By: Karen O

Karen O — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 19:17:25 +0000

Reg (#19) – No, no, no…that is not what I am saying at all. I actually do disagree with some minor matters. I read the Bible for myself & think for myself. And yes, my church encourages me to do so. (And if it didn’t, I’d find another church.)

Excuse me for saying so, Reg, but you remind me of someone I know who seems to think that most other Christians are merely ignorant sheep, believing what they are told without thinking things through themselves. He has the attitude that somehow he’s the only one who knows what’s really going on & can think for himself.

Often your comments give the same impression.

And yet, I am intrigued & made curious by many of your quickie comments. I wonder what is behind them & what you really mean. It would be nice if you could flesh out your comments a little more.

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