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We Lose Our Fathers Much Too Soon

Fathers are our rock, our support, and is frequently the issuer of stern punishment.  We may have grown up resenting our fathers.  We may have grown up never acknowledging his support.  We may have grown up fearing our fathers.  We may have grown up feeling our fathers are absent from our lives.  We may have grown up taking our fathers for granted.  Most of all we may have grown up never really knowing how much they really mean to us and even more tragically, we never get the chance to really know him.

I offer this story.  There is a tragic relationship between a father and his son.  Growing up there were many arguments, hurtful words, and hard feelings between them.  The basis of the tension is hard to nail down.  Did the father resent the son because the father had to marry?  Did he feel robbed of his youth, made to make a living?  Did the father feel like an outsider; always ganged up on by his son and wife?  Was he a little jealous of his son?  Did the son resent his father for never trying to be close?  Did the son feel his father didn’t understand him and didn’t even try?  Did he feel his father would much rather hide in the basement workshop than to spend time with his family?  Did the son hate the father and didn’t care to know his father.

Their lives took one unforeseen event that turned their relationship around; the sudden death of the mother.  The son started to realize how such a short time we have with those we love.  From that point on the son didn’t miss the opportunity to say “I love you” to his father and the father said “I love you” back to his son.  I think both were sorry it had taken so long and it took a tragic turn of events to finally have a father and son relationship.  They spoke almost daily on the phone (the 2 lived on opposite ends of the east coast).  The father stayed with his son every summer.  They never missed an opportunity to tell the other that he loved him.  They had the next five years in a close father/son relationship.  One evening, after a long phone call, the son thought his father sounded better and stronger than he had in the past.  He sounded forty years younger to the son.  They ended the call with their usual parting “love you, bye” (which sounded like one word loveyoubye).  The next morning the son received the call his father had passed away during the night.  The son was grief-stricken but was comforted in the knowledge that the rift between father and son had been mended.

Now the son finds himself as the father with a daughter that has pulled away from him.  The distance was the result of a petty disagreement.  She will not return any texts or emails from her father.  The father has reached out time after time but the daughter ignores him.  Will she put aside the disagreement?  Will she return his texts and emails? Will she call her father?  Will she make the call to her father? One would hope the father and daughter can reconnect before he is gone. 

The time passes much quicker than we realize.  We always think we have more time.  We forget to make connections to our loved ones.  Before we know it, time passes, loved ones die, and opportunities missed.  Don’t put off telling one another how you feel about your family.  Open lines of communication to mend whatever comes between you and your love ones or you may find out that time has passed and your loved ones are gone.  Let bygones be bygones; make the call and surprise your love ones and yourself.

Many may think this story is not real life but is just a dramatic story to make a point and could never happen to me. It can without you even aware of it. You see, I am that son who repaired his relationship with his father and the father trying to patch up the relationship with his daughter.

Gay Marriage and the Church or Why Do You Care?

 

 

Gay Marriage and the Church

or

Why Do You Care?

 

It has been a source of struggle for me to understand separation of church and state.  The church, according to "separation of church and state" is not to be taxed, the state cannot regulate the church, and a bevy of other perks.  In return, the church is separate from the state and cannot be involved in the state's business. 

 

Ok, the state stays out of church and the church should stay out if the state's business.  That is the deal; too bad the church doesn't live up to its end of the deal.  The church actively campaigns their agenda.  Most recently the issue of gay marriage.  The state makes it legal so same sex partners can have the same marriage laws that the state affords to heterosexual couple enjoy. 

 

How is it that the church keeps violating the "separation of church and state".  How is it the church isn't taxed and regulated as restitution to the state?  Gay couples aren't looking for any religious sanctions (although it would be nice) so why does the church care?

 

The word "love" is used in the King James Version of the Holy Bible 429 times; yet so many pious church goers love only when it favors them.  To smite another because of who they are and who love is a; for He smite against God.   We are His creation and He loves all of us and all He asks is to love Him and believe.

Matthew 22:39  You shall love your neighbor as yourself. No where does it say love your neighbor as long as they think like you. 

Finally MATTHEW 7:1-5  “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 3Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.


Crossway Bibles (2011-02-09). The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (Kindle Locations 37822-37828). Good News Publishers/Crossway Books. Kindle Edition.
 

Does the Qur'an Teach Violence?

Does the Qur'an Teach Violence?

By Anonymous

 

Let me explain before I am accused of being a sympathizer, I am a non-denominational minister, and as such, I must not exclude but include them whether or not I practice.  I do not follow or condone evil based religions like devil worshipers.  Read the entire posting and draw your own conclusions.

Q: Does Islam really teach peace? I am a Christian and I do not hate Muslims, but I read in the Qur’an verses like, “And slay them wherever ye catch them..” (2:191) and “..But if they turn away, seize them and slay them wherever ye find them; and (in any case) take no friends or helpers from their ranks.” (4:89). How can a peaceful religion teach these things? How do you explain these verses? These quotations from your Holy Book do really make us very uneasy with your faith. I would appreciate your reply.

 

A: Thank you very much for your kind words that you do not hate Muslims. Hate is not good for any person. I want to assure you that we Muslims also do not hate non-Muslims, be they Christians, Jews, Hindus, Buddhist or followers of any religion or no religion. Our religion does not allow killing any innocent person regardless of his or her religion. The life of all human beings is sacrosanct according to the teachings of the Qur’an and the guidance of our blessed Prophet Muhammad -peace be upon him and upon all the Prophets and Messengers of Allah.

 The Qur’an says about the prohibition of murder:

 

وَلاَ تَقْتُلُوا النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلاَّ بِالْحَقِّ ذَلِكُمْ وَصَّاكُمْ بِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ

 “..Take not life, which Allah hath made sacred, except by way of justice and law: thus does He command you, that ye may learn wisdom.” (al-An’am 6:151)

and Allah says in the Qur’an:

وَلاَ تَقْتُلُوا النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلاَّ بِالْحَقِّ وَمَنْ قُتِلَ مَظْلُومًا فَقَدْ جَعَلْنَا لِوَلِيِّهِ سُلْطَانًا فَلاَ يُسْرِفْ فِي الْقَتْلِ إِنَّهُ كَانَ مَنصُورًا

 “Nor take life – which Allah has made sacred – except for just cause. And if anyone is slain wrongfully, we have given his heir authority (to demand Qisas or to forgive): but let him not exceed bounds in the matter of taking life; for he is helped (by the law)” (al-Isra’ 17:33)

According to the Qur’an, killing any person without a just cause is as big a sin as killing the whole humanity and saving the life of one person is as good deed as saving the whole humanity. (See al-Ma’idah 5:32)

 However, your question is valid then how come the Qur’an says:

“kill them wherever you find them…”as it is mentioned in Surah al-Baqarah 2:191 and Surah al-Nisa’ 4:89. The answer is simple and that is you should read these verses in their textual and historical context. You should read the whole verse and it is better that you read few verses before and few after. Read the full text and see what is said:

وَقَاتِلُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ الَّذِينَ يُقَاتِلُونَكُمْ وَلاَ تَعْتَدُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يُحِبُّ الْمُعْتَدِينَ وَاقْتُلُوهُمْ حَيْثُ ثَقِفْتُمُوهُمْ وَأَخْرِجُوهُمْ مِنْ حَيْثُ أَخْرَجُوكُمْ وَالْفِتْنَةُ أَشَدُّ مِنْ الْقَتْلِ وَلاَ تُقَاتِلُوهُمْ عِنْدَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ حَتَّى يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ فِيهِ فَإِنْ قَاتَلُوكُمْ فَاقْتُلُوهُمْ كَذَلِكَ جَزَاءُ الْكَافِرِينَ فَإِنْ انتَهَوْا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ وَقَاتِلُوهُمْ حَتَّى لاَ تَكُونَ فِتْنَةٌ وَيَكُونَ الدِّينُ لِلَّهِ فَإِنْ انتَهَوْا فَلاَ عُدْوَانَ إِلاَّ عَلَى الظَّالِمِينَ الشَّهْرُ الْحَرَامُ بِالشَّهْرِ الْحَرَامِ وَالْحُرُمَاتُ قِصَاصٌ فَمَنْ اعْتَدَى عَلَيْكُمْ فَاعْتَدُوا عَلَيْهِ بِمِثْلِ مَا اعْتَدَى عَلَيْكُمْ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الْمُتَّقِينَ

“Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do not transgress limits; for Allah loves not transgressors. And kill them wherever ye catch them, and turn them out from where they have turned you out; for tumult and oppression are worse than slaughter; but fight them not at the Sacred Mosque, unless they (first) fight you there; but if they fight you, kill them. Such is the reward of those who reject faith. But if they cease, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. And fight them on until there is no more tumult or oppression, and there prevail justice and faith in Allah; but if they cease, let there be no hostility except to those who practice oppression. The prohibited month, for the prohibited month, and so for all things prohibited, there is the law of equality. If then any one transgresses the prohibition against you, transgress ye likewise against him. But fear Allah, and know that Allah is with those who restrain themselves.” (al-Baqarah 2:190-194)

For your second quotation also read the full text:

وَدُّوا لَوْ تَكْفُرُونَ كَمَا كَفَرُوا فَتَكُونُونَ سَوَاءً فَلاَ تَتَّخِذُوا مِنْهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءَ حَتَّى يُهَاجِرُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَإِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَخُذُوهُمْ وَاقْتُلُوهُمْ حَيْثُ وَجَدْتُمُوهُمْ وَلاَ تَتَّخِذُوا مِنْهُمْ وَلِيًّا وَلاَ نَصِيرًا إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ يَصِلُونَ إِلَى قَوْمٍ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُمْ مِيثَاقٌ أَوْ جَاءُوكُمْ حَصِرَتْ صُدُورُهُمْ أَنْ يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ أَوْ يُقَاتِلُوا قَوْمَهُمْ وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَسَلَّطَهُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ فَلَقَاتَلُوكُمْ فَإِنْ اعْتَزَلُوكُمْ فَلَمْ يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ وَأَلْقَوْا إِلَيْكُمْ السَّلَمَ فَمَا جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ سَبِيلاً سَتَجِدُونَ آخَرِينَ يُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يَأْمَنُوكُمْ وَيَأْمَنُوا قَوْمَهُمْ كُلَّ مَا رُدُّوا إِلَى الْفِتْنَةِ أُرْكِسُوا فِيهَا فَإِنْ لَمْ يَعْتَزِلُوكُمْ وَيُلْقُوا إِلَيْكُمْ السَّلَمَ وَيَكُفُّوا أَيْدِيَهُمْ فَخُذُوهُمْ وَاقْتُلُوهُمْ حَيْثُ ثَقِفْتُمُوهُمْ وَأُوْلَئِكُمْ جَعَلْنَا لَكُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ سُلْطَانًا مُبِينًا

 “They but wish that ye should reject Faith, as they do, and thus be on the same footing (as they): so take not friends from their ranks until they flee in the way of Allah (from what is forbidden). But if they turn renegades, seize them and slay them wherever ye find them; and (in any case) take no friends or helpers from their ranks. Except those who join a group between whom and you there is a treaty (Of peace), or those who approach you with hearts restraining them from fighting you as well as fighting their own people. If Allah had pleased, He could have given them power over you, and they would have fought you: therefore if they withdraw from you but fight you not, and (instead) send you (guarantees of) peace, then Allah hath opened no way for you (to war against them). Others you will find that wish to gain your confidence as well as that of their people: every time they are sent back to temptation, they succumb thereto; if they withdraw not from you nor give you (guarantees) of peace besides restraining their hands, seize them and slay them wherever ye get them; in their case We have provided you with a clear argument against them. (Al-Nisa’ 4:89-91)

Now tell me honestly, do these verses give a free permission to kill anyone anywhere? These verses were revealed by Allah to Prophet Muhammad (Salla Allah Ta’ala Alaihi Wa Salam) at the time when Muslims were attacked by the non-Muslims of Makkah on a regular basis. They were frightening the Muslim community of Madinah. One may say using the contemporary jargon that there were constant terrorist attacks on Madinah and in this situation Muslims were given permission to fight back the “terrorist”. These verses are not a permission for “terrorism” but they are a warning against the “terrorists.” But even in these warnings you can see how much restraint and care is emphasized.

It is important that we study the religious texts in their proper context. When these texts are not read in their proper textual and historical contexts they are manipulated and distorted. It is true that some Muslims manipulate these verses for their own goals. But this is not only with Islamic texts, it is also true with the texts of other religions. I can quote dozens of verses from the Bible which seem very violent, if taken out from their historical context. These Biblical texts have been used by many violent Jewish and Christian groups. Crusaders used them against Muslims and Jews. Nazis used them against Jews. Recently Serbian Christians used them against Bosnian Muslims. Zionists are using them regularly against Palestinians.

Let me mention just a few verses from the Old Testament and New Testament and tell me what do you say about them:

“When the LORD your God brings you into the land where you are entering to possess it, and clears away many nations before you, the Hittites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and stronger than you. And when the LORD your God delivers them before you and you defeat them, then you shall utterly destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them and show no favor to them. (Deutronomy 7:1-2)

“When you approach a city to fight against it, you shall offer it terms of peace. If it agrees to make peace with you and opens to you, then all the people who are found in it shall become your forced labor and shall serve you. However, if it does not make peace with you, but makes war against you, then you shall besiege it. When the LORD your God gives it into your hand, you shall strike all the men in it with the edge of the sword. Only the women and the children and the animals and all that is in the city, all its spoil, you shall take as booty for yourself; and you shall use the spoil of your enemies which the LORD your God has given you… Only in the cities of these peoples that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, you shall not leave alive anything that breathes (Deutronomy 20:10-17)

Now therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known man intimately. But all the girls who have not known man intimately, sparefor yourselves. (Numbers 31:17-18)

Even in the New Testament we read the following statement attributed to Jesus saying to his disciples:

“I tell you that to everyone who has, more shall be given, but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. But these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them in my presence. (Luke 19:26-27)

Source: http://www.pakistanlink.com/religion/2001/1012.html

See this article on the concept of Just War in the Qur’an.

For more details about the concepts of “jihad,” “war,” and “peace” in the Qur’an, see Jihad in the Qur’an.

Reposting courteously from http://www.islamicwritings.org/Thank you.

For more of this post http://www.islamicwritings.org/quran/peace/does-the-quran-teach-violence/

Married For the Long Haul

Married For the Long Haul

Before we get started let us pray:

Loving heavenly Father we come to you this hour asking for your blessing and help as we are gathered together. We pray for guidance in the matters at hand and ask that you would clearly show us how to conduct our work with a spirit of joy and enthusiasm. Give us the desire to find ways to excel in our work. Help us to work together and encourage each other to excellence. We ask that we would challenge each other to reach higher and farther to be the best we can be. We ask this in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen 

Today we attempt to answer the question if DIVORCE is ever acceptable to God.  Is there ever a reason to divorce and what are the reasons? 

v I was once married.  In 1983 the secular courts divorced us.  I never remarried because I had taken an oath to God that I would marry only once.  I took my pledge to God seriously and did not consider myself as divorced in the eyes of the Lord but I do consider myself divorced in the eyes of man.  God would have granted me to marry again because my wife has married another man, thus guilty of adultery. 

Ø Matt 5:32; 19:9

Ø You can get a court to call you divorced, you can call yourself divorced, but in God’s eyes a couple is only truly “unbound” by two things: death or adultery. Consequently, if a “divorced” person gets remarried, the Bible calls that adultery. 

v “Marriage is not a human invention, it is the creation of God; it did not originate in the mind of man, but in the mind of God. This being the case, man cannot change the definition or purpose of marriage to suit him. The redefinition of marriage is the negation of marriage.” 

v Your wedding vows included some version of this pledge made to your partner and God:  Minister: (First to the groom then to bride) “wilt thou have this woman to be thy wedded wife, to live together after God’s ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony? Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health, and forsaking others, keep thee only unto her, so long as you both shall live?”  After which you all said “I do.” 

v Soon after the ceremony, the pledge made to God is forgotten.  What remains is the secular definition marriage and they are bound to, legality.  There are more reasons people use to divorce than to stay together.  Some of the reasons are bored, no longer in love, drifted apart, etc.  In addition, the Bible’s words at 1 Corinthians 7:10-16, while encouraging marriage mates to stay together, allow for separation. Some, after trying very hard to preserve their marriage, feel they have no choice but to separate. What can be acceptable Scriptural grounds for such a step? 

v One is willful nonsupport. When getting married, a husband assumes the responsibility of providing for his wife and children. The man who willfully fails to provide the material necessities of life “has disowned the faith and is worse than a person without faith.” (1 Timothy 5:8) So separation is possible. 

v Another is willful nonsupport, emphasis on willful. When getting married, a husband assumes the responsibility of providing for his wife and children. The man who willfully fails to provide the material necessities of life “has disowned the faith and is worse than a person without faith.” (1 Timothy 5:8) So separation is possible. 

v  Another is extreme physical abuse. So then, if a mate physically abuses his wife, the victim may separate. (Galatians 5:19-21; Titus 1:7)

v Another ground for separation is the absolute endangerment of a believer’s spirituality, one’s relationship with God. When a mate’s opposition, perhaps including physical restraint, has made it impossible to pursue true worship and has imperiled the believer’s spirituality, then some believers have found it necessary to separate. Matthew 22:37; Acts 5:27-32.

v  However, if divorce is pursued under such circumstances, one would not be free to enter a new marriage. According to the Bible, the only legitimate ground for divorce that permits remarriage is adultery or “fornication.” Matthew 5:32.

v  The Bible allows only one reason for getting a divorce that frees a person to remarry, and that is fornication, gross sexual immorality). If fornication is committed (extra marital sex), then the innocent mate may decide whether to get a divorce or not. Matthew 5:32. 

v  After telling the Pharisees that the Mosaic concession of divorcing their wives was not the arrangement that had prevailed “from the beginning,” Jesus said: “I say to you that whoever divorces his wife, except on the ground of fornication, and marries another has committed adultery.”

v “It is clear that divorce is like a person cutting off an arm or leg because he has a splinter in it. Instead of dealing with whatever trouble arises between a husband and wife, divorce tries to solve the problem by destroying the union. On a deeper level, divorce destroys a union that God Himself has made. That is why Jesus said unequivocally, “What therefore God has joined together let no man separate” (Matt. 19: 6). The union of marriage is one which God, as its Creator, never desires to be broken. Divorce is a denial of His will and a destruction of His work.

 

Ø ‘To paraphrase (Jer. 16: 12; Luke. 12: 1; Rom. 12: 18; 14: 19; 1 Cor. 7: 12-16; Ephesians. 4: 3; 6: 4; 1; 1 Tim. 4: 12; Heb. 12: 25.

Ø It is not good for the children to have to live in a home with so much conflict, hatred, and disharmony’).

 

v Many divorcing Christians use these passages to justify that it is better for the children of an unhappy couple to divorce than to raise their children in the atmosphere of an unhappy marriage.

 

v “In hard, cold reality, a person rarely seeks divorce for the well-being of the children. What is distressing about this myth is not so much the fallacy of it as its blatant hypocrisy. If people were really concerned for the well-being of their children, I would think they would move heaven and earth to transcend their false dilemma and move in the direction of responsible parenthood. With the use of this myth as a justification for divorce, humankind exposes its capacity for calling good evil and evil good. Here an act of selfishness is painted or portrayed as a noble act of self-sacrifice for the good of the children.”

 

v “Marriage is not a mere civil thing, but is partly spiritual and divine, and therefore God alone has the power to appoint the beginning, the continuance, and the end thereof.”

 

v “In every marriage that ends in disaster, some stupid decisions were made with respect to God’s regulations. If God’s regulations were followed diligently, thoroughly, and extremely attentive to details, not only would there be no divorces; there would be no unhappy marriages. To violate the regulations of God is not only an exercise in disobedience but also an exercise in foolishness. If you want a happy marriage, the most intelligent thing you can do is to submit to God’s regulations. They are designed to promote and protect your full happiness.”

 

§  Luke 16: 18

Ø “For example, a man who divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery. And anyone who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.” 

 

Ø I can’t stress this enough! Extra marital sex.  Not irreconcilable differences, grew apart, no longer in love.  These are not anything that God would view as reasons for divorce reasons.  

Ø In many countries, divorce is not difficult to obtain, but in the eyes of a Christian, the marriage relationship is sacred. It is ended only for a very serious reason. (Matt. 19:9) Christian spouses can avail themselves of wise counsel from the Bible, support from fellow Christians, and a close, prayerful relationship with God. A successful marriage endures, and over the years, it brings happiness and contentment to husband and wife. More important, it brings honor to God, the Originator of marriage. 

 

v One final thought: The marriage vows;  you either already took or will take this vow in the future something similar:

I, [bride’s/groom’s name], take thee, [bride’s/groom’s name]to be my wedded wife/husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God’s holy ordinance; and thereto do I give thee my pledge.

v Don’t take these vows lightly.  Be sure you can live up to your vows.

Let us pray:

Heavenly Father as we come to the end of our time together we thank you for what has been accomplished here today. May the matters discussed serve as a catalyst to move us forward and cause us to advance and see growth in all areas of our lives. May we leave here recognizing You are the God of all wisdom and You are willing to lead us forward. This we pray in the name of the Lord Jesus. Amen

 

God Bless

Random Thought

Random Thoughts

The morning after pill?  How about the night before restraint.

Language Murder:

It's Ask a question not Ax a question.
It's both not bof
Literally is used too frequently and incorrectly; literally