tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19615457.post934733579924409807..comments2024-03-10T03:46:08.735-05:00Comments on <center>Istoria Ministries Article Archive</center>: The Tragic Atlanta Shootings: The Media's Agenda Will Always Trump a Desire for the Stated TruthWade Burlesonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01968442835088008681noreply@blogger.comBlogger185125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19615457.post-71427018795320307352021-04-28T03:33:09.416-05:002021-04-28T03:33:09.416-05:00Scott Shaver,
Some don’t have the horror of hell ...Scott Shaver,<br /><br />Some don’t have the horror of hell as expected, when a preacher told how hot hell was, the congregation started smiling. (They were Eskimos) 😊<br />Rex Rayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06976501582240117188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19615457.post-11771450426167686132021-04-07T15:30:53.826-05:002021-04-07T15:30:53.826-05:00Hello Mr. Kuter,
in this world where we 'see ...Hello Mr. Kuter,<br /><br />in this world where we 'see through a glass darkly', it seems better for us to point others towards Christ, the Light of the World<br /><br />too often, we find those who 'point the finger' not at Christ but at those they call 'those other sinners' and what follows are not so much 'warnings' but attempts at 'hubris' where to one pointing the finger 'looks down' on 'those other sinners'<br /><br />In my opinion, coming from a Church that is as 'hospital for wounded souls', I think we Christian people need to point not to ourselves as 'saved' but to the Savior Himself, and in this way, we step away from any position of pridefulness and are able to direct people to HIM . . . . it is said that a preacher who is humble before the Lord can draw thousands to Christ<br /><br />Humility?<br /><br />""Humility, then, is more than just a virtue: it is a form of perception,<br />a language in which the "I" is silent so that I can hear the "Thou",<br />the unspoken call beneath human speech, the Divine whisper within all that moves,<br />the voice of otherness that calls me to redeem its loneliness with the touch of love.<br />Humility is what opens us to the world."<br /><br />(Johnathan Sacks)<br /><br /><br />Yes, I would teach a child to tell others that Our Lord loves them.<br />The thing is that children are sometimes blessed by 'knowing' to do this without our intervention . . . they 'know', from an age-old wisdom, they 'know' :)Christianehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15969310497166526545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19615457.post-57108929526112249722021-04-07T14:58:41.945-05:002021-04-07T14:58:41.945-05:00Christiane, I don't disagree with you about em...Christiane, I don't disagree with you about emphasizing God's love to a child or an adult but it is critical to include in that message regarding God's love to explain that the GREATEST display of God's love was the cross which was required to give all of us a way to escape the judgment of hell which we all deserve.<br /><br />Yes, children who can understand the concept of death, judgment, and guilt from the sins they have committed will respond in an appropriate manner to the message of redemption. As you suggest, the delivery of the message must be tempered with sensitivity to the child's age and ability to assess the information. We don't hesitate to tell a child that playing ball in the street can result in their being killed.<br /><br />For ALL of those of an age where they do ponder the questions of eternal security, sin-guilt/judgment, etc., it would be the cruelest of all claims of "love" to NOT pronounce the impending judgment of hell that awaits ALL who are not covered with the blood of Jesus Christ. <br /><br />Ezekiel 33 clearly portrays God's judgment on us for NOT sounding the alarm. The problem in our "church" culture is certainly not that there is an "over"-emphasis on judgment and hell at the expense of the message of God's love. Unfortunately, the opposite is more likely to be the case.RB Kuterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13559291446578456981noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19615457.post-51619616381719704562021-04-06T13:01:21.850-05:002021-04-06T13:01:21.850-05:00Christianne:
Would you have been among those offe...Christianne:<br /><br />Would you have been among those offended and shrinking back with horror had you been there in person to hear the Lord Christ's own discourses on the subject of hell?Scott Shaverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09938749553589282361noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19615457.post-77393467349822938812021-04-05T21:24:34.956-05:002021-04-05T21:24:34.956-05:00CHRISTIANE,
Thanks for switching gears and preach...CHRISTIANE,<br /><br />Thanks for switching gears and preaching a good sermon.<br /><br />On another subject. There’s a book “The Worst President in History; The Legacy of Barack Obama”.<br /><br />I believe the way it’s going; his Vice-President will make Obama number two.<br />Rex Rayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06976501582240117188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19615457.post-90024547295725368722021-04-05T19:41:47.695-05:002021-04-05T19:41:47.695-05:00Hello out there, REX RAY
the point I was trying t...Hello out there, REX RAY<br /><br />the point I was trying to make was not very clear, so sorry<br /><br />it was an attempt to say it might be better to teach a boy to tell people that Jesus loved them rather than preaching hell<br /><br />it seems more productive to light a candle rather than to curse the darkness<br /><br />and 'humility' scores a lot higher with God than does 'hubris' if we understand the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican in the Temple where we are told, this:<br /><br />"To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other one a tax collector. The Pharisee prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men—thieves, adulterers—or this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ “I tell you that this man went home justified before God rather than the other. FOR ALL WHO EXALT THEMSELVES WILL BE HUMBLED, AND THOSE WHO HUMBLE THEMSELVES WILL BE EXALTED'” <br /><br />Hubris is thinking you've 'got it made' and someone else doesn't. It ASSUMES what that we are more important than we are to sit in judgment on others in the ways that God would judge them Himself,<br />but we are not God, and we cannot be God, <br />so a little humility goes a long way in Christianity.<br /><br /><br /><br />Hubris? The proud Pharisee failed in God's eyes to be 'justified' because of his sin of pride in assuming he was 'above' the tax-collector. We cannot put ourselves above 'the other' before God, no. We are to be servants, not judges. We are to observe humility before the Lord, not to brag about our position as 'saved' in contrast to someone else who we have judged as 'not saved'. God has been clear about our need to be humbled before Him.<br /><br /> "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ “I tell you that this man went home justified before God rather than the other.Christianehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15969310497166526545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19615457.post-50947897361107591062021-04-05T18:42:18.552-05:002021-04-05T18:42:18.552-05:00CHRISTIANE,
You said, “Muslims…holy book.” I hav...CHRISTIANE,<br /><br />You said, “Muslims…holy book.” I have a picture of Obama being ‘sworn in’ at his second term. One hand is in the air, and the other is on the Qur'an Bible which is on top of our Bible being held by his wife.<br />Obama said, “The holy Qur'an tells us…”<br /><br />And now, you refer to the Qur'an as “their holy book.”<br /><br />The worst thing about the Qur'an is it replaced Jesus with Mohamad. <br />Rex Rayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06976501582240117188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19615457.post-42535491172297540192021-04-05T14:54:04.362-05:002021-04-05T14:54:04.362-05:00"God is love; and he that dwells in love dwel..."God is love; and he that dwells in love dwells in God, and God in him."<br /><br />Is this a message that is much played down in some denominations in favor of preaching 'hell' instead ? And what has come of this two thousand years after it was written?<br /><br />?<br /><br />Our Lord drives out fear and brings peace to people and when people are humble before the Lord, He gives them grace upon grace<br /><br />even the Muslims know about Christian humility before the Lord as is written in their holy book this strange observation: <br /> ‘Those nearest in love to the believers [Muslims] are those who say, ‘We are Christians.’ Among them are priests and monks, and they wax not proud.” <br /><br />Hubris is standing and looking down on others. Humility is the opposite, humility serves others for the sake of the others, not for any gain or 'agenda', but out of love for them and wanting for them only good. <br /><br />Preaching 'hell'? That is 'loving'? Only among some denominations, but sometimes it goes too far, like the hubris shown among the Westboro Baptist Church in their contempt for 'those other sinners'. <br /><br />Better to learn: 'God is love' and that Our Lord IS 'God, in the second Person of the Holy Trinity, One God in three Persons. And when 'love' is taught as the criterion for being 'of Christ', that opens up salvation to those who love and live in love for the sake of others, without thought of their own credit or benefit.<br /><br />differences?<br /><br />yes, but important ones, since only one preaches 'fear' and the other preaches something greater than 'fear', that which takes away fear and replaces it with compassion for others who do not have a shepherd <br /><br />I think sometimes Christian people emphasize different things, but essentially look to wanting to help those who need Christ, though their messages may differ, their hearts are wanting good to come for 'the others' and this is a 'shared' goal.<br /><br />Christianehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15969310497166526545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19615457.post-39235074867575150522021-04-05T13:42:09.162-05:002021-04-05T13:42:09.162-05:00Gerry Milligan,
Sometimes it’s a small world, huh...Gerry Milligan,<br /><br />Sometimes it’s a small world, huh?<br /><br />Today, I asked my son, Joe and his wife if they remembered you, but they didn’t. Maybe you remembered them because they had four boys.<br /><br />He helped run a boy’s camp in Florida. (The boys had a choice of camp or jail.) He and his wife wanted to be Baptist missionaries. They were rejected, but because of the boy’s camp, Joe was hired to run a youth camp in Tel Aviv, Israel.<br /><br />Later, he was asked if they’d be missioners to Jews. Language school for Hebrew. Their 7-year-old son told a neighbor, “If you don’t believe in Jesus, you’ll go the hell.” Years later, Arabic language school for Muslims.<br /><br />After five years, the closest to becoming a Christian was a Muslim saying: “If I knew God would give me five sons, I’d be a Christian.” <br /><br />We’d gone to Israel several times to visit. We were eating with a Muslim family where the father said to Joe and me: “Why don’t you have another wife because it’s obvious you have plenty of money? (We both could read our wives’ minds: “DON’T EVEN THINK IT!” 😊 <br /><br />When Baptist missionaries were required to sign the 2000 BFM, Joe and Beth didn’t sign, but received permission to leave to further their education.<br />Rex Rayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06976501582240117188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19615457.post-80128725889940718522021-04-05T07:31:31.910-05:002021-04-05T07:31:31.910-05:00Gerry, thank God for the obedience and faithfulnes...Gerry, thank God for the obedience and faithfulness of you and your family. <br /><br />I wonder if Rex Ray's son and daughter-in-law are as radical as Rex Ray? Guess so, given that you met them while serving in the Arab world. That sounds like something Rex Ray would do too if he felt God leading him there.<br /><br />Serving our Lord abroad is really a crazy ride. I'm glad I did it but glad it's over. Still, talked on "Messenger" to some of our Thai "family" in Thailand this morning and realize how much we miss them and want to be there with them. Right now, that country is completely shut down for outsiders so doubt we could go if we wanted to. Their military regime controlling that country certainly use COVID as part of their strategy to maintain dictatorship. Sad.RB Kuterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13559291446578456981noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19615457.post-9042445866301398082021-04-05T04:40:27.552-05:002021-04-05T04:40:27.552-05:00Gerry Milligan,
This was written:
Gerry Milligan...Gerry Milligan,<br /><br />This was written:<br /><br />Gerry Milligan said...Rex Ray, When we recently left grandchildren in London, we had to provide a "NEGATIVE" Covid-19 laboratory test that was not more than 48 hours old. I think that showing a completed course of Covid-19 vaccine is a great idea. I want to know that I am safe on an airplane. Wed Mar 31, 10:30:00 AM 2021<br /><br />Rex Ray said...Gerry, Someday, on that airplane you might hear, “This is you captain speaking; I’m working from home today.”<br /><br />Gerry Milligan said...Rex Ray, Your comment to me is too esoteric, I do not comprehend your meaning. Wed Mar 31, 11:49:00 AM 2021<br /><br />I guess it’s better late than never to reply. I forgot to post my answer: “It’s a joke. It means the plane is flying by remote control with no pilot. But someday, it could happen; like flying drones.”<br />Rex Rayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06976501582240117188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19615457.post-32088465137232698872021-04-05T01:24:56.541-05:002021-04-05T01:24:56.541-05:00RB Kuter.
We were originally assigned to the Bapti...RB Kuter.<br />We were originally assigned to the Baptist Hospital in Gaza, but in our first year and a half we were in Amman, Jordan for language. We went back to Jordan where I taught Mental Health practices at the University of Jordan. We ended our service in Dubai where I was strategy leader for Gulf Arabs. When we attended strategy leaders training we met Rex Ray's son and daughter-in-law.Gerry Milliganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07362469234550061761noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19615457.post-9695365712719665392021-04-04T13:55:59.641-05:002021-04-04T13:55:59.641-05:00Gerry, not sure why, but my response to your comme...Gerry, not sure why, but my response to your comment was somehow lost following my attempt to send it. <br /><br />I mentioned in that lost response that we missed doing orientation at Calloway Gardens and had ours at MLC, which was a beautiful setting as I am sure was Calloway. When we left Zambia in 1992, I believe Lonnie and Fran were still there but not for long after that. <br /><br />I cannot speak for those things you were told about Thai Christians regarding the spirit houses. (They are called "san pra' phum" in Thai). Just about EVERY business and residence had one outside with there being some very elaborate ones in the entry to large businesses, malls, and centers. The typical Buddhist residence had smaller ones in their yards with some even having small figurines placed inside to represent the resident spirits. <br /><br />Offerings of fruit, incense, and drinks would be placed on the pedestals, usually each morning, and passer-byers would "wai" (bow with hands folded) paying homage to the spirit as they passed by. The spirits were anonymous but feared and every property was assumed to have a resident spirit or two to which homage was due or else face the consequences of having an angry spirit. None of this is "Buddhist" or Buddha's teachings but part of the synchronistic "add-ons" that become part of "Buddhist" tradition.<br /><br />During the twenty or so years we were in Thailand, I was never aware of ANY church or church institution or Christian residence that had spirit houses. Perhaps there were some "professing" Christians who also continued to practice Buddhism that refused to discard their Buddhist traditions, but never did I encounter a sincere follower or church that allowed such a presence on their premises.<br /><br />I am aware of a missionary family who rented a house in a community where they could not find an alternative place to live and the owner of that property had such a shrine. When the missionaries requested it be removed he refused. As I recall, they were there for awhile and tried to cover it but I don't believe they were renting that place for a very long time.<br /><br />So where did you serve following your orientation?RB Kuterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13559291446578456981noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19615457.post-58237236755139174262021-04-03T00:30:42.728-05:002021-04-03T00:30:42.728-05:00RB Kuter,
Sorry, I must have missed your previous ...RB Kuter,<br />Sorry, I must have missed your previous answer concerning Lonnie and Fran. We were in orientation at Calloway Gardens together.<br />The time we visited Bangkok in 1988 each church (Not just Baptist churches) had what was called a spirit house. We were told that Thai's would not enter a church if there was no spirit house on the property. They were usually about the dimensions of a dollhouse. I saw several in our time there.Gerry Milliganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07362469234550061761noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19615457.post-82498789768847464392021-04-02T18:57:37.152-05:002021-04-02T18:57:37.152-05:00Yes, I believe I answered earlier that the Turners...Yes, I believe I answered earlier that the Turners and us were in Zambia at the same time. They were still there when we transferred to serve in Thailand. I haven't seen them since. Are you with them today?<br /><br />I'm not aware of any spirit houses erected by missionaries or faithful Thai believers on premises. You would have to elaborate a bit more about that and perhaps I could respond.RB Kuterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13559291446578456981noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19615457.post-80995274308182193782021-04-02T17:23:58.515-05:002021-04-02T17:23:58.515-05:00RB Kuter,
Thank you for your civil response. Now, ...RB Kuter,<br />Thank you for your civil response. Now, allow me to get away from politics with a couple of questions; <br />1) Did you work with Lonny and Fran Turner in Zambia?<br />2) Did the practice of erecting Spirit Houses on church properties in Thailand bother you?Gerry Milliganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07362469234550061761noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19615457.post-73421965512597665292021-04-02T13:50:38.669-05:002021-04-02T13:50:38.669-05:00Gerry, okay, I will stop. I regret having written ...Gerry, okay, I will stop. I regret having written in the manner in which I responded to you. I thought about it and in retrospect, I see that it was not in the spirit and tone that would make me proud. I should not allow that to happen and I apologize and God's Holy Spirit jerked my chain about it and pointed out that I was out of line. So I will strive to do better.RB Kuterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13559291446578456981noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19615457.post-24241894094193071902021-04-02T11:00:06.061-05:002021-04-02T11:00:06.061-05:00Good Friday meditation:
"Let us pray for all...Good Friday meditation:<br /><br />"Let us pray for all who suffer and are afflicted in body or in mind;<br /><br /> For the hungry and the homeless, the destitute<br /> and the oppressed<br /> For the sick, the wounded, and the crippled<br /> For those in loneliness, fear, and anguish<br /> For those who face temptation, doubt, and despair<br /> For the sorrowful and bereaved<br /> For prisoners and captives, and those in mortal danger<br /><br />That God in his mercy will comfort and relieve them, and<br />grant them the knowledge of his love, and stir up in us the<br />will and patience to minister to their needs.<br /><br /><br /><br />Gracious God, the comfort of all who sorrow, the strength of<br />all who suffer: Let the cry of those in misery and need come<br />to you, that they may find your mercy present with them in all<br />their afflictions; and give us, we pray, the strength to serve<br />them for the sake of him who suffered for us, your Son Jesus<br />Christ our Lord. Amen."<br /><br /><br />Christianehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15969310497166526545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19615457.post-17918386426150967512021-04-02T02:41:25.178-05:002021-04-02T02:41:25.178-05:00Christianne:
I divide with leftist liberal types ...Christianne:<br /><br />I divide with leftist liberal types due to my own clear-eyed convictions and beliefs.<br /><br />Not because of "Russian interference".<br /><br />Doesn't take a Russian to put me at odds with the likes of Biden, Harris, et al.Scott Shaverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09938749553589282361noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19615457.post-37440887321666382582021-04-02T00:37:57.940-05:002021-04-02T00:37:57.940-05:00RB Kuter,
You said, "Gerry, your blindness o...RB Kuter, <br />You said, "Gerry, your blindness or inability to assess any aspect of the political arena with the least bit of objectivity leads me to conclude that it is hopeless to reason with you." This is probably true because I cannot see any reasonableness in your attack on my character. Then, you said, "The point that I was trying to make to our friend, Gerry, is that someone can dialogue with you rationally and reasonably"! And, again RB when will you stop calling names and have civil discourse? Gerry Milliganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07362469234550061761noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19615457.post-2938878721423437812021-04-01T17:21:43.106-05:002021-04-01T17:21:43.106-05:00Christiane, thank you for expanding your thoughts....Christiane, thank you for expanding your thoughts.<br /><br />The point that I was trying to make to our friend, Gerry, is that someone can dialogue with you rationally and reasonably even when we have opposite viewpoints on an issue and I respect you for that.<br /><br />This does not seem to be the case in my trying to express opposite views with Gerry, or perhaps it's simply a matter of personality conflict.RB Kuterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13559291446578456981noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19615457.post-24811608621544074492021-04-01T11:45:37.094-05:002021-04-01T11:45:37.094-05:00I'm sorry, Mr. Kuter, I don't write very c...I'm sorry, Mr. Kuter, I don't write very clearly.<br /><br />I do value your own voice, but for me, my outlook is based on a different way of calculating outcome, in that, I see reaching out to help welcome new life as a way of adding to the solution. I don't see 'the abortion issue' as a zero-sum game, no.<br /><br />It isn't 'either/or' but rather, I think the 'culture wars' solution leaves out what might be examined as another way of trying to make things better for all concerned in a more humane way than not. <br /><br />I can't explain it any better than that, but I want to be on the side of welcoming new life and my concepts may be seen by some as offering help to those who are not now connected to it, OR my concepts may be seen by some in the culture wars as wanting to use the public purse to extend a safety net to protect the coming of new life by not backing the mother into a corner where she may panic and choose wrong decisions. <br /><br />It's complicated. I'm sorry if I am not well-spoken about it. You owe me no apology and I do know that I am not able to express myself in ways that are 'clear' in the culture-war lexicon, but I see additional ways of welcoming new life that the culture wars are either blind to or outright reject. You have a good holiday. I value your voice here. Please know that. <br /><br />Even a small kindness to someone who is troubled can make a difference, and in the Kingdom of Our Lord, God can magnify that small difference beyond all expectations. We just need to try to make things better for troubled people even in small steps, if we can, and stand back and we may see that, in God's time, we might have done some good. Christianehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15969310497166526545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19615457.post-3110695723347477572021-04-01T10:05:54.865-05:002021-04-01T10:05:54.865-05:00Christiane, I apologize profusely if I misquoted y...Christiane, I apologize profusely if I misquoted you in any way. If you correct my misrepresentation I will certainly acknowledge and respect that. Still, I do respect your attitude and straightforwardness, as mentioned.<br /><br />You have an awesome Easter too.RB Kuterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13559291446578456981noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19615457.post-26552465062519902172021-04-01T08:30:09.690-05:002021-04-01T08:30:09.690-05:00Mr. Kuter,
I have written about what I believe wi...Mr. Kuter,<br /><br />I have written about what I believe will productively help to reduce abortions in this country.<br /><br />If you care to read what I have written and write about what I have written, I have no problem with that. <br /><br />In any case, you may write as you please using your own words, but I have used my own voice and my own words to state what I think will be helpful and I will stand by my own words. But still we try to understand and that is important and necessary. <br /><br />I hope you have a wonderful Easter Day in celebration of the Risen Lord. Christianehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15969310497166526545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19615457.post-34982672764682567232021-04-01T07:35:53.185-05:002021-04-01T07:35:53.185-05:00Gerry:
You can feel "safe" to your leve...Gerry:<br /><br />You can feel "safe" to your level of requirement by masking up, staying home and avoiding air travel.<br /><br />The world does not exist to insure your "safety".Scott Shaverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09938749553589282361noreply@blogger.com