Harrison
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Harrison reacted to anatess2 in Differences Between the Utah Constitution Clause and the Proposed ERA
Removing the distinction between Men and Women in the equality clause gives you...
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Harrison reacted to prisonchaplain in THANKFUL FOR HEAVEN
Three times a year my church invites me to speak. I have made some good friends here, and some enjoy hearing what the Gentile moderator sounds like when delivering a gospel message. Here is my latest offering, with a link to the video at the end.
THANKFUL FOR HEAVEN
The holidays are hard for many. For too many families the death of a significant loved one took place around the holidays. My mother passed away just after New Year’s. For others the pressures of gift-giving and family separations are so painful. Does surprise anyone that this season is especially heart-wrenching at the jail? Beyond our personal sadness, it just does not seem appropriate to call for joy and peace and love in a world full of chaos. Honestly, the closest we get to heaven in this life is when we do church right.
The problem is clear. My answer is heaven. Heaven is the what and why of Thanksgiving. What am I thankful for? Heaven. Why am I thankful? Heaven. It is why I resist sin; and it’s why I struggle rather than surrender.
Jesus says heaven is the reason we trust God. John 14:1-3 reads: “Do not let your heart be troubled. You have put your trust in God, put your trust in Me also. 2 There are many rooms in My Father’s house. If it were not so, I would have told you. I am going away to make a place for you. 3 After I go and make a place for you, I will come back and take you with Me. Then you may be where I am.
Jesus wants us to trust Him and the Father. This is the key to heaven. Trust & Obey for There’s No Other Way. But why trust? Why obey? So I can have a happy life today? My best life NOW even? That might work when all I want is a little more. However, when life is really bad, I need more than to be told a frown is just a smile upside down. I need the promise of heaven!
When sin tempts me Satan’s trap is binding me to the now. Why shouldn’t I look at porn, as a young person? Why shouldn’t I smoke marijuana? Why shouldn’t I drink socially? Why shouldn’t I go to the fun parties? Why shouldn’t I give myself to the person I feel love for today? Why shouldn’t I decide what’s right and wrong for myself?
Some argue that the Christian life is more peaceful and fuller than selfish living is. They say they sleep well and life and feel better. That may be true for some, but that’s a tough sell for most. Consider the spiritual and advice literature that’s out there: The Power of Now, by Echart Tolle; Living in the Now, by Gina Lake; And, of course, a book simply titled, Now, by Morris Gleitzman. And yes, even some Christian ministers are offering our best lives NOW.
The answer to the temptation of now is heaven. We do have communion with Jesus today. Revelation 3:20: 20 See! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and we will eat together. Nevertheless, it is the promise of heaven that helps me resist sin Revelation 21:3 declares: I heard a loud voice coming from heaven. It said, “See! God’s home is with men. He will live with them. They will be His people. God Himself will be with them. He will be their God.
When times are tough Satan tempts us to be angry at God. Consider Job: Chaper 3:24 For I cry inside myself in front of my food. My cries pour out like water. 25 What I was afraid of has come upon me. What filled me with fear has happened. 26 I am not at rest, and I am not quiet. I have no rest, but only trouble.” The very heading for this chapter is: Job Speaks Angry Words to God.
We know that after all his suffering Job’s life was restored. Yet, however happy his ending was, we find his greatest question in the midst of the suffering. Job 14:14: 14 If a man dies, will he live again? We know the answer is a resounding yes!
Why do I trust God in hard times? I know: God is good. God is just. Heaven will make everything right. 1 Corinthians 15:54-55: 54 When this that can be destroyed has been changed into that which cannot be destroyed, and when this that does die has been changed into that which cannot die, then it will happen as the Holy Writings said it would happen. They said, “Death has no more power over life.” 55 O death, where is your power? O death, where are your pains?
1 Cor 13 says that now we see through a glass darkly--then we shall see clearly, because we shall see Jesus face to face. Consider also that Jesus says He is preparing a place for us. If earth took six days to make, and Jesus has been working on our new place in heaven for 2000 years, how wonderful it will be! Best of all… Jesus says He will be there with us. He loves us!
In Revelation 21:1-4 we read: Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The first heaven and the first earth had passed away. There was no more sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem. It was coming down out of heaven from God. It was made ready like a bride is made ready for her husband. 3 I heard a loud voice coming from heaven. It said, “See! God’s home is with men. He will live with them. They will be His people. God Himself will be with them. He will be their God. 4 God will take away all their tears. There will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All the old things have passed away.”
The first heaven and the first earth pass away. All the injustices. All the pain. All the broken relationships. All our mistakes. This is God’s mercy, and it angers us! However, we must take care. For, while no one can come between us and God. Even those who refuse to forgive us cannot keep us from His mercy. However, our own unwillingness to forgive can. For, when we refuse to forgive, we demonstrate that our faith is deficient. If we believe God will do justice to the unrepentant than we can trust those who hurt us into his righteous care. If the message of peace, joy, mercy and forgiveness seem more like salt on old wounds than like healing, perhaps it is time for us to forgive. Trust God. Forgive. See your own peace, joy, mercy and forgiveness restored!
How wonderful that God calls the New Jerusalem a bride. Compare with earth, which he merely called good. Consider also that God will be with us forever! No more separation. No more loneliness. No more desperate searching and waiting.
Consider what our enemy offers instead. The devil says I can be my own god. This is eternal separation from THE God. It is hell. Many religions offer commands to obey a God, or gods, but offer no communion—no love from Him. Our God says: John 3:16: 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son. Whoever puts his trust in God’s Son will not be lost but will have life that lasts forever.
John the Revelator tells us in chapter 21:22-27: 22 I did not see a house of God in the city. The All-powerful Lord God and the Lamb are the house of God in this city. 23 There is no need for the sun and moon to shine in the city. The shining-greatness of God makes it full of light. The Lamb is its light. 24 The nations will walk by its light. The kings of the earth will bring their greatness into it. 25 The gates are open all day. They will never be shut. There will be no night there. 26 The greatness and honor of all the nations will be brought into it. 27 Nothing sinful will go into the city. No one who is sinful-minded or tells lies can go in. Only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life can go in.
Worship and communion with God will become like breathing. We won’t work at it anymore. Being truly WITH God will simply be our way of life. We no longer depend on nature, or any creation of God, for what we need. God, Himself, is our source. We no longer worry about safety. There is no evil and no danger. We no longer struggle with sin and temptation--there is no evil intent in heaven!
Wow...direct relationship with God! Our final passage shows that all doubts are removed, and our lives gain tremendous purpose. Revelation 22:3-5: 3 There will be nothing in the city that is sinful. The place where God and the Lamb sit will be there. The servants He owns will serve Him. 4 They will see His face and His name will be written on their foreheads. 5 There will be no night there. There will be no need for a light or for the sun. Because the Lord God will be their light. They will be leaders forever.
The curse of sin (sickness, worry, fear and death) are gone! We will know God personally, and we will clearly belong to Him! No more doubts! God will be our light and we will rule with Him!
Heaven will be so wonderful. The promise of it assures me I can trust God. Heaven means all that is bad, and my whole sense of separation from God, will be gone. Heaven is filled with God’s presence. I won’t have to go to him or try to find him. Nothing that would distance me from him will tempt me. This is constant peace. This is constant worship. Heaven is a place where I am never hindered, and where I find tremendous purpose in living. Sin no longer distracts or weakens me. Struggle no longer pains or isolates me. I want to be there. So, I must follow Jesus. He is the only way to heaven. John 14:6: 6 Jesus said, “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one can go to the Father except by Me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VuDxsPsPI4
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Harrison reacted to anatess2 in Mary’s age
You can answer that question by answering the flipside - if it was of substance, why is it not included (or even at least just the doctrine) in the restored gospel?
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Harrison reacted to JohnsonJones in Mary’s age
I agree. All we have pertaining to the ages of Mary and Joseph really is speculation and guesswork. Some have relatively educated guesses, but it is still just a guess.
In truth, I don't think we have any thing in the Scriptures that actually define the ages of Mary and Joseph at the birth of our Lord.
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Harrison reacted to Junior in Are We Overly Compelled by Church Culture and Human Tendencies to Say I Know This Church is True?
I believe the church is true
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Harrison got a reaction from JohnsonJones in Faith vs. Knowledge
The point that we are discussing here is not a huge thing for me, so I don't want to appear dogmatic about it. I hope my curiosity about your viewpoint and my interest in conversing is also interesting to you as I'm not about "proving you wrong". It seems apparent to me that you are much more knowledgeable than I am about math, and I respect your background. I read your remarks here and I think to myself, "I suppose I am like many if not most people. I use mathematics but I don't see how my use of it is the very definition of dogmatic knowledge."
I think of mathematics similarly to the way I think of a table saw. It's useful. But I have no attitude regarding the way I use it or the principles I've learned for using it safely and effectively as being incontrovertibly true. It just seems to work. Most people who haven't proven the most rudimentary theorems of mathematics probably got bored with it in Junior High school. It isn't that they can't, it's that they aren't interested. Why bother? I see little difference between this view of mathematics and a view of turning the ignition key, or changing my oil. I don't care how the car's electrical system works. I'm not interested at the moment at where the oil goes in my engine or how the parts work together--I just know from experience that changing my oil will save me money in the long run. Thus, I balance my checkbook because I want to keep track of my money. I use a little bit of rudimentary algebra if I want to change a recipe, or a bit of geometry when I do some landscaping, or a trig table when I want to build a certain kind of telescope. And I use a hammer when I want to drive a nail. What's dogmatic about this?
Maybe I'm guilty as charged, but it seems to me that my knowledge of mathematics, or of starting my car engine is more the very definition of pragmatic than of dogmatic. (Thanks for enduring my point of view--hope you don't find me obnoxious).
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Harrison reacted to brotherofJared in Not believing in the traditional Christ
Embrace the "difficulty" or "mystery". Well, two of the three here are being led into serious error, so it seems that we should at least get this right. "LDS" hold to the definition that Paul gave to the Corinthians. "to us, there is but one God, the Father...". That statement was made in reference to many gods and it specifically called out Jesus as Lord out of many lords. I believe that would be the Biblical middle ground. Funny thing is, I don't think all members of our church understand that and, from experience, I've learned that not very many people like to be corrected.
This is my understanding of what we believe... we worship one God, the Father. It is to Him that Jesus Christ leads us to and directs us to, if we follow him. Jesus is also God. If it was not so, He could not bring us to His Father. The Godhead is one in unity. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost are each separate individual Gods in the Godhead. We do not single out any other member of the Godhead to receive special attention. I'm sure we will when we are in the presence of one of them and rightly so, But Christ, according to the Bible, directed our worship, not to himself, but to His Father and our Father, His God, and our God.
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Harrison reacted to JohnsonJones in Not believing in the traditional Christ
I have a similar idea, but very different than most Christians.
I take the idea that we are NOT to Judge very seriously. It is one thing the Lord said that I think is VERY pertinent. As we judge, so shall we be judged. I think that is actually a very just idea.
Thus, I do not think we can know who will or will not go to heaven, the ONLY person we can work on is ourselves. In this, we know the requirements as put out by the Lord. It is up to us to try to follow them. If we do have any thoughts, hopefully they are more friendly.
That said, we do have thoughts on what the expectations may be for those who seek heaven in the afterlife. In this, we are not alone.
I feel that the basic idea for a Christian is one who calls Jesus Lord and follows the commandments he set forth to the best of their ability. He never said you had to have a perfect knowledge of him and exactly what he was to be saved. He never said you had to believe in the trinity (or any other sort of creed in that manner) to be saved. We are trying to be gatekeeper to a gate that is not our own when we try to impose more restrictions than what the Lord said. He said for us to follow him. He is our Shepard and he is our Guide.
I am not the judge, but I feel that there are many who will be in Heaven at the last day that may surprise us, and many who will fall short of their great goal who we thought would certainly be there.
Only one can judge, and that is the Lord.
In that same light, as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and in regards to the 3 kingdoms, I feel that in many ways we receive what we expect, after what we deserve. The afterlife is still a great unknown to us, and thus in reality we can only postulate on it in many ways. This, therefore is more postulation rather than fact, doctrine or the reality of the situation.
If one expects to live a paradisiacal glory, and they have lived in accordance with the laws and rules that the Lord has set forth, perhaps that is what they will receive. If one expects to live in a great realm with the Lord as their King, but with no marriage and no other form of progression, perhaps that is also what they will receive, as long as they have lived in accordance with the laws and rules that the Lord has set forth. In that light, perhaps as well, we can be joint-heirs with the Lord (as I feel he implies in the New Testament) in the Kingdom of Heaven, once again, if we have lived in accordance with the laws and rules the Lord has set forth for us to receive such in this life.
Thus, it may be that many of our fellow Christians will receive the reward they have so sought in this life, and as seeking it will find happiness and joy in the Kingdom of Heaven of their choice. We may call these different choices as the Telestial, Terestrial, and Celestial (as they match up remarkably well to many of the varied Christian descriptions of heaven, but as Saints we believe in all of them existing), but in many ways they fulfill the deepest desires of many worshippers for what they find is the ideal afterlife.
In this, we could say the Prophet Joseph Smith was trying to expand our own desires of what is possible, so that we too may become joint-heirs as long as we truly strive for that. In this (applying the Lectures on Faith) it requires Faith on our part in order for action to occur. Without faith there is no action, and without action we do not accomplish. We must exercise Faith in order to follow the order which leads us to heaven, and with that faith find the Grace of the Lord that grants us the mercy to be judged to attain that reward in Heaven.
We obtain as to our faith.
However, as the Lord is the true judge, we do not truly know who will go where in Heaven. As I said above, it may be that many will go to the Celestial Kingdom whom we would have never dreamed, and others go to the Telestial who we thought were bound for the Celestial. The only ones that we can truly work on is ourselves, though as Christians we hopefully will do all we can to assist our fellow brothers and sisters sharing this mortal coil to be the best they can be and to become the best individuals that is possible.
I hold that almost all will end up in the Kingdom of Heaven, though I know not exactly where. Ultimately though, I am happy that it is the Lord who is the judge for I feel he is probably far more loving and merciful than any of us could even come close to, and it is just that type of judge we would want to judge us rather than those we know of men. It could be we will all find ourselves in the Celestial Kingdom at the end of all there is, but we know not but that we must follow the Lord and the path he has set for us.
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Harrison got a reaction from brotherofJared in Not believing in the traditional Christ
Now, it's even more difficult for me.
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Harrison got a reaction from prisonchaplain in Not believing in the traditional Christ
Well, Brother, unless I'm hearing only what I want to hear you seem to have mortared the bricks I placed. I hope you'll welcome my continual questions as time goes on knowing that this particular one has so many more questions than answers. I look forward to more conversations with you.
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Harrison got a reaction from mordorbund in Not believing in the traditional Christ
Yes, you're right. I was thinking the very same thing as I wrote. I asked myself, "How is it, Harrison, that you find it easy to accept the possibility of one God instead of many or that God always existed, but difficult to comprehend some other doctrines?" And I confess that people were telling me such from a very early age. So, I counseled myself that some other person such as @Maureen could just as easily perhaps accept the doctrines you (and @prisonchaplain ) have endeavored to explain to me.
So, I appreciate your patience with me, and taking a little extra time to share your beliefs. I hope my respect has been apparent.
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Harrison reacted to JohnsonJones in Not believing in the traditional Christ
My understanding from that of a previously being Catholic, but the extent of my deep doctrine education simply being the Catholic school education all Catholics (should, or normally) get, regarding the trinity is as follows, at least as best as I can explain it. (This is not necessarily what I believe being a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...it is simply my understanding I obtained as a Catholic earlier in Life).
First, one principle that constantly gets ignored (though I suppose it depends on what creed one is looking at) is that one can comprehend the nature of Diety, but at the same time, this is also incomprehensible. Our feeble, limited, mortal minds cannot comprehend the very nature of Deity because we are finite and limited and cannot comprehend the infinite of him. This is why, though we can try to look at the subject, in many instances, despite our best attempts, we cannot truly or fully understand it.
That said...
The trinity is a three in one idea. They are three individual and different beings. Just like you and I are different individuals, so they are also different individuals.
Now, the difficult interpretation comes in that they are also consubstantial, or of the same substance. This makes them effectively ONE being. Discussions of HOW this comes about is the subject for MANY debates.
Many shy away from trying to define how this is, as in reference to the first item I stated, even if we try, we cannot actually comprehend how this is possible or done. There are other debates about this.
One that I prefer to utilize is to think about our bodies. We have many different body parts. Three of these are my right hand, my left hand, and my head. They are all parts of my body. However, my head is distinctly NOT my right or left hand and the same applies to my hands. These body parts can operate independently of each other. You can see them at various times together but you can also tell that they are not the same thing. At the same time, they are ALL part of me, they are the same person as I am.
Now, there are many Trinitarians that do not agree with that example, as they would say that these body parts are still the same being and not three independent minds. There are several branches of this idea as well. One would be the same as I described above, but imagine that each body part also has a mind of it's own. It is all still part of me, and the same body, but each part is also independent in that it has it's own mind and ability to act.
Others say this is still too restrictive. That, rather than just the same body, each portion of me would need to be it's independent part, unconnected to the rest of my body, with it's own mind, but still at the same time a part of me.
As we deviate further and further from my original example one actually gets CLOSER to our Church's idea of what the trinity is. In effect, one could look at our ideas and say that we are at the far extremes of what trinity is, but in debate could still fall under that umbrella.
One of these extremes that I have heard discussed among Catholics is that of what substance is and consists of. I did not agree with this idea as a Catholic, but I know there are some that refer to this idea.
In this there is the idea that there are several different substances in the universe. One of those is what makes us human or people. The Lord is NOT of this substance. He is of another substance. We, as humans are all individuals. We are all separate and different beings. On the otherhand, as we are all made of the same substance, we are part of the whole humanity. In this, we are many, but created of the same substance. We are all the same type of creature and make.
On the otherhand, the trinity is made up of another substance, but it is the same substance of their body. In this way, they are also independent beings, but as they are made of the same substance, also one. Thus they are three in one.
As you can see from the last idea, it is getting VERY close to what the LDS believe...though we still have different ideas. In the same way that the fringes of Trinitarian thought may think of the three in one being three separate characters but made of the same stuff, just like humans and humanity are many beings but made of the same stuff..we believe that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are three different beings (though not necessarily in the same way humans are different but of the same stuff).
This is from my years prior to joining the church, where obviously I now believe in what the Church teaches. In reflection and having learned much about other religions, I find something rather unique which normally Trinitarians object to. This thought is that Trinitarian ideology actually is VERY close in perception to what some Hindu sects also view about what their god/gods are and how they are defined (same substance, different beings). Unfortunately, rather than see the things that unite these ideas, most normally want to deny the similarities (on both sides) and try to prove why they are more correct than the other in their three in one beliefs (whether Trinitarian, modalism, or otherwise).
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Harrison reacted to prisonchaplain in Not believing in the traditional Christ
I have been presuming that you are LDS, so I did not think you were embracing Modalism. Rather, you seemed to suggest that if we say God is the Father (rather than the Father is God) it could lead to a Modalistic understanding. I believe that you and I both would see a problem with that. As for scripture-adherence, sure there are some debates in which both sides claim the Bible supports their side. My point was that if the Bible does not say a thing (or even answer a particular question) then I tend to say so. Too often we (maybe I) treat our conjectures as expressed truth. As you read posts here you will find that most posters are pretty faithful about distinguishing opinion, interpretation, and church-approved doctrine. Enjoy the site, friend!
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Harrison got a reaction from NeedleinA in Playing with opposite gender--primary age
As I think about your questions I find myself also thinking about my grandchildren, my kids when they were your daughter's age, and myself when I was that age. At times as I remember my childhood experiences I shudder at how quickly and for how long I often wandered from a point where my parents knew my precise location to places where they couldn't possibly have a clue where I was. Partly because of those memories some of my parenting tactics differed from those of my mom and dad, and I went to great lengths to "keep my kids in my sights" even when they didn't know. And yet some things I didn't particularly approve still occurred--no surprise, right?
By contrast, sort of, a friend years ago when I was raising my babies *seemed* to let her 8 children do what they wished and where they wished to do it. There were broken bones, bandages crutches, etc., etc. But as far as I can know those kids survived to adulthood. (And their father, a bishop, was recently killed by a drunk driver.)😭
I have a dear friend who as a child before the age of 12 was sexually abused repeatedly by a cousin.😡
And today I worry constantly about my sweet grandsons.
You probably didn't find anything in my remarks that qualifies as advice. Neither did I. If I try to think of a point perhaps its only to observe that being a parent is at once so darned tough and so marvelously sweet, so sublime and so scary. I suppose that I'm like you--I prayed a lot, I cried a lot, I laughed a lot, I relied at times on some of the other villagers, I regretted some of my mistakes (both the commissions and the omissions), I thanked God for these precious souls, and I sometimes looked up at the sky and cried out, "Why?".
In my heart I wish everything good for you and your sweet daughter. 💛
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Harrison got a reaction from prisonchaplain in Not believing in the traditional Christ
Thank you for saying so (with regard to turning the sentences around). Thus, I have a better understanding of some fundamental differences in the ways you and I would approach this issue.
With regard to being lead toward Modalism I may have been less than clear. I don't feel lead that way. I only used it as an example because you had mentioned it earlier. Moreover, I'm unclear myself on what you mean about going beyond scripture. As an outsider to so many of these doctrines it seems that one person's strict adherence to scripture is another person's erroneous interpretation of scripture or wayward venture away from scripture.
But in any event thank you for patiently responding to my questions.
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Harrison got a reaction from prisonchaplain in Not believing in the traditional Christ
Yes, you're right. I was thinking the very same thing as I wrote. I asked myself, "How is it, Harrison, that you find it easy to accept the possibility of one God instead of many or that God always existed, but difficult to comprehend some other doctrines?" And I confess that people were telling me such from a very early age. So, I counseled myself that some other person such as @Maureen could just as easily perhaps accept the doctrines you (and @prisonchaplain ) have endeavored to explain to me.
So, I appreciate your patience with me, and taking a little extra time to share your beliefs. I hope my respect has been apparent.
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Harrison got a reaction from Maureen in Not believing in the traditional Christ
Yes, you're right. I was thinking the very same thing as I wrote. I asked myself, "How is it, Harrison, that you find it easy to accept the possibility of one God instead of many or that God always existed, but difficult to comprehend some other doctrines?" And I confess that people were telling me such from a very early age. So, I counseled myself that some other person such as @Maureen could just as easily perhaps accept the doctrines you (and @prisonchaplain ) have endeavored to explain to me.
So, I appreciate your patience with me, and taking a little extra time to share your beliefs. I hope my respect has been apparent.
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Harrison reacted to aeglyn in Broken Hearts
His heartfelt blessings full of love
A promised hope of calm and peace
To all honest seekers thereof
In prayers and tears that never cease
I say, my brothers, sisters all
Who, in goodness, still hold trust
But question why they still feel small
And deem are lower than the dust
This meekness draws the eyes of God
Who loves you more than you will know
It’s humility He applauds
Your willingness to let it show
He answers every tear that falls
With care towards your broken fate
He guides you up above the walls
And lifts you to a higher state
Always there, He anxiously awaits
A Parent watching you in stride
For any chance to show His traits
And lead you Home where He abides
Oh then look up and never doubt
About the love He has for you
Pre-destined for a greater route
In your heart of hearts, believe it’s true.
Aeglyn Nov 2019
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Harrison got a reaction from JohnsonJones in Are We Overly Compelled by Church Culture and Human Tendencies to Say I Know This Church is True?
Pretty sure I wouldn't choose to say *compelled* by the Church. I suspect most cultures have a pretty strong influence particularly when one is surrounded by people saying the same thing and one wants to be part of it all. When young people are just stepping into the water, as it were, many adults certainly encourage them in what to say; but that's only natural and I'm sure is intended to build confidence. As for you and me, I don't think someone else can tell us whether our motivation is a mere desire to conform or to be liked, but I'm sure you already know that. Likewise, It's a little risky (for you and for me) to suggest to others that their expressions of conviction aren't what they ought to be.
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Harrison got a reaction from Iggy in Are We Overly Compelled by Church Culture and Human Tendencies to Say I Know This Church is True?
Pretty sure I wouldn't choose to say *compelled* by the Church. I suspect most cultures have a pretty strong influence particularly when one is surrounded by people saying the same thing and one wants to be part of it all. When young people are just stepping into the water, as it were, many adults certainly encourage them in what to say; but that's only natural and I'm sure is intended to build confidence. As for you and me, I don't think someone else can tell us whether our motivation is a mere desire to conform or to be liked, but I'm sure you already know that. Likewise, It's a little risky (for you and for me) to suggest to others that their expressions of conviction aren't what they ought to be.
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