God gave them what the people wanted.

Remember, if your Church is not an offense to the world, it then naturally is 'wordly'. God forbid!

I agree. The once in a while surprising, angry, hurtful comments, we see here, have a surprising different foreign spirit, especially on a Christian website.

Also, I will like to add another point, you don't have to tell the people of God to act holy, for God changes their heart so the new nature is more like him. A true Christian. A true follower. Praise the Lord!

That is why such books as the Purpose Driven Life, etc.., which tell 'Christians' w/o purpose how to obtain it. No way. That my friend is an oxymoron. It is impossible to be without purpose, hope, etc., and have the Holy Spirit of God in you?!

Once you repent and seek God and only God, dying to self, you then love life, you see God and purpose everywhere.

Enough already: I know. You are right. No doubt. None. Too many goats.

The focus is God 100% of the time.

He settles for no less.

The famous thought comes to mind. If you were to loose your health and your wealth, would you still love God?

Another thought. If I would use this much care in studying the Declaration of Independence, would I then just be lazy and prefer a pretty neat version in summary in todays language produced by companies looking for profit?

No way. I would rather use the Kings James Version and study from it, then trust a company with profit in mind to develop a modern version for me.

I don't trust this worlds new versions, changing this and that.

You all know what a 'slight' difference in wording can produce a huge error. Think of the Bible the Jehovah Witnesses use. You know it says 'Bible' on the cover.

So who cares about scripture memorization, confusion or accuracy. Who cares we can no longer read along together with all these translations. Leave your Bible at home, and you might just want to listen the Pastor.

By the way, wasn't the sole purpose of these translations to produce an amazing understanding of the gospel?

It is a tragedy on how much Biblical ignorance we have today.

Yet, the world really doesn't care.

What really matters to the unsaved has very little to do with religion.

What will be even better for Obama politically is if he can just 'say' he is a Christian so the whole matter may be completely solved.

LORD HELP US.

Just wanted to add another thought to all this. Even if some Liberal in Yale can 'prove' Homosexuality is a hereditary trait, this would still be as ridiculous as fish evolving to be Astronauts, if given lots of time.

Though lately it feels solid Bible believers are small in number, yet I praise our Lord and Saviour, that we are still here, unwavering, filled with passion for Jesus, fearing only that we might offend God, through a watered down 'nice' way of saying God hates the Gay life, that changes the word hate altogether.

The Bible is filled with no political correctness. No compromise. No gray.

God is not light on sin. The world might create another God which is. They choose to like that one better. This is a mistake that will cost them there very souls.

I'm sorry for your frustration.

Like you at one time I was equally frustrated with all religion and I guess also with people who were religious too.

Although if you asked me anytime in my 38 years of living, if I was a Christian, no time would I of said no. God now saved me and I am truly Born Again, Praise God, not by anything I did, ever. God saved me by his beautiful grace. Now I am truly all about him, dead to self.

Now the problem.

If the Catholics are right, the Christians cannot also be right.

I believe Jim quoted an excellent website for layed out, actual facts of the differences. I too would recommend you read that article.

Remember.

If what you believe in is truth, shouldn't it stand? Many are afraid of questioning there belief system. Why?? I encourage you!

Lastly, I will close with my favorite line.

He is so popular. So much to offer to the 'world' in little appealing 'smiles'.

The sad part? His preaching is useless to the saved and will not work for the unsaved.

For example. If I hate some one who really, truly, hurt me, but was told this hatred can hurt me, preventing my happiness, and I should love them. Although I follow the necessary steps for forgiveness etc., I cannot, apart from being saved, do this.

No one can.

The sad truth? This person is only deceived for a moment, and feels, just for a moment, hope. This moment is extremely valuable to the lost, therefore the world loves the possibility 'Joel Osteen' will work.

Men with evil hearts, driven by demonic spirits killed this Christian man. For he represented everything they hated. They couldn't see a soul. They saw flesh and had an excuse. Islam.

How wicked.

Yet if they too repented, and fell down, praying to God for forgiveness, and salvation, God could even transform there evil hearts. For although they 'seem' worse than us, and we can pride ourselves with that, according to the Bible we are the same as a murderer, if we had hatred in our hearts.* If these murderers would confess Jesus Christ is Lord, and Jesus transforms there hearts, we as Born Again Christians, would even call these them Brothers.

Imagine that.
***************************************