UPC only?

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> If someone is saying something contrary to what you belive, don't get
> angry because you can't defent your belief and lash out at the questioner
> and call him/her a speaker of blasphemous words.  I think the one that's
> got your attention in this forum has done you a favor to root and ground
> you more in what you believe.

Or at least go back to the scripture to make sure, or even to learn other 
views about different things. That's what I'm looking to get out of 
H-F...learning different views.

I had been a member of a church that rarely fellowshipped with others, 
and where the pastor was severely authoritarian. Since leaving there, 
I've learned so much about the different views on biblical issues...not 
saying any of them is wrong....just different. I'm VERY interested in 
learning about cultural differences in worship and beliefs. That's why I 
ask so many questions and solicit so many different views on things.

I was thinking today as I was driving about many people on H-F probably 
live in relatively small towns and go to relatively small family 
churches. I was thinking about the way we worship and serve God can be 
so different depending on where we live and what one must go through 
during a given day.

For example, some of you may have posh jobs in small towns and go to 
church with few people where the majority are saved and have no problems 
in life.

On the other hand, someone like me, who doesn't have it quite so nicely, 
have to escort my wife to her car in the morning to make sure she isn't 
mugged by someone. I fear coming home after dark because I don't want to 
be car-jacked again. When I go to church, I have to remove radio's and 
put on clubs and pray that my car is still there after church. While in 
church, it is no surprise if someone walks in and starts yelling during 
the morning message.

Maybe your church's biggest concern is what color to paint the wall next 
year...well, at our church, we battle with how many teenage girls are 
going to come up pregnant this summer, or how long is that sister going 
to stay in the church "this time", or is half-saved brother so-and-so 
going to get mad and slug someone "this week"...

Our lives are different, and we all have different views. Let's learn 
from one another and stop judging one another. A lot of things I used to 
be against and thought people weren't saved if they did them, but through 
experiences of my own, I've learned that a lot of trivial things don't 
really matter in the big picture. I'm not saying that portions of the 
Bible are insignificant, but let's face it...certain portions are 
interpreted differently. As long as we have the salvation part together, 
and we know God's name, then the rest should be a learning experience.

It really bothers me when someone tells someone else to "pray that the 
Lord shows them the way" concerning a position that they may have...as if 
to say, "you're on your way to hell thinking that way, but pray that God 
changes your mind before it's too late!"

Many times people aren't wrong on issues, just they see it a different 
way, and usually is based on their particular upbringing, culture, and a 
number of other factors.

Let's learn to appreciate one another for our various views...and learn 
to love God for making us all so different.

One more thing...if your response to an issue begins with "my pastor 
says..." then you probably should read your Bible a bit more. (My pastor 
said that) : )

  What would you say if the Lord sent the one
> to question your standards to make you stronger?  I think a real good
> vigorous discussion helps us all.  It challenges what we think and why
> we think it.  It makes us stronger.  It forces us to look on things of a
> different light.
> 
> Had no challenge ever been put to your holiness (or holiness standards)
> and you hadn't ever checked out why you believed thus-n-so, then the
> reason you believe them, though honorable by faith, is shallow with no
> root.  Someone's eventually gonna hafta hold a fire to what you hold as
> true to test what you believe.  Nobody likes burned feet.
> 
> Bro. Tyler
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 _
> | Bro. Tyler Nally   ---[ Higher-Fire Co-Owner and Moderator ]---       |_| |_
> | Email addr : tgnally@prairienet.org  tnally@csci.csc.com              |_   _|
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