Rhonda,
I really like this subject. I like what you said and also what Julie said.
Too many Christians are so judgemental when we confess our faults or talk
about those things that are wrong with us or try to get help.
I'll tell you all an example of this in another message tomorrow. It's
getting late now, and I must go to pillow land. lol.
Rhonda, I love your words of wisdom, encouragement, and love, You are so
strong for what you have been through! You are a real blessing! I love you!
Love and Blessings,
Pat Ferguson
At 09:50 PM 10/28/04, you wrote:
>Thanks, Julie, I too think that we need to tell friends areas in our lives
>with which we struggle, how sad it is to me, that many Christians pretend
>that they have it all together, when in all actuality, they are falling
>apart. We are controlled by the fear that others will think less of us if
>we show signs of anxiety, worry, or even admit that we have a problem with
>anger for example. I love when our real God is involved with Real people
>who have Real big problems, He makes a Real difference.
>
>I once attended a church where I often said there were "invisible rules"
>these weren't printed on a pamphlet, they weren't on a sign or even handed
>out during the services, but they were there. You knew they were there.
>They said that if you were ever sad, worried, or fearful or ever experienced
>a problem with your children or in your marriage, it was a clear indication
>that you weren't trusting God. So, when you had a problem, you surely
>didn't tell any of the church about it, well, maybe you did the first time,
>but not after that. Instead of unconditional love, and encouragement to
>pray and seek the power that only God can give, you received condemnation
>and rejection.
>
>So, you learned to play the game, to stand and smile, and sing the songs,
>and then you went home and cried yourself to sleep.
>
>God deliver us all from the fear of what others think, show us how to ask
>you, and hear your answer to our life's most challenging problems!
>
>Rhonda
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "JULIE MELTON" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Thursday, October 28, 2004 10:36 PM
>Subject: Re: confess your faults
>
>
>| This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
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>|
>| Rhonda,
>| I have two thoughts on this. THe first is that we shouldn't be afraid to =
>| admit when we've been wrong. We should go to whomever we offended and =
>| ask forgiveness as soon as possible after we've realized our wrong.
>|
>| However, I think confessing faults goes further. I think we need to =
>| talk to our close Christian friends about areas in which we need to grow =
>| and ask them to pray for us in those areas. We also need to do the same =
>| for them so that we all might grow in grace.
>|
>| Julie=20
>| ----- Original Message -----=20
>| From: Rhonda<mailto:[log in to unmask]>=20
>| To: =
>| [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]
>| U>=20
>| Sent: Thursday, October 28, 2004 8:32 PM
>| Subject: confess your faults
>|
>|
>| I was reading today and came across this verse
>| James 5:16
>| Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye
>| may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man
>| availeth
>| muchSo, what do you think it means to "confess your faults one to =
>| another"
>| I have my thoughts, just wanted yours.
>| I love when we all share our views on a verse, it often helps deepen =
>| my
>| understanding.
>|
>| Rhonda.
>|
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>| <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
>| <HTML><HEAD>
>| <META http-equiv=3DContent-Type =
>| content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1>
>| <STYLE></STYLE>
>|
>| <META content=3D"MSHTML 6.00.2900.2523" name=3DGENERATOR></HEAD>
>| <BODY id=3DMailContainerBody=20
>| style=3D"PADDING-LEFT: 10px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; =
>| COLOR: #000000; BORDER-TOP-STYLE: none; PADDING-TOP: 15px; FONT-STYLE: =
>| normal; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana; BORDER-RIGHT-STYLE: none; =
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>| prefix=3D"v" /><?xml:namespace prefix=3D"o" /><![endif]-->
>| <DIV>
>| <DIV> Rhonda,</DIV>
>| <DIV>I have two thoughts on this. THe first is that we shouldn't be =
>| afraid to=20
>| admit when we've been wrong. We should go to whomever we offended =
>| and ask=20
>| forgiveness as soon as possible after we've realized our wrong.</DIV>
>| <DIV> </DIV>
>| <DIV>However, I think confessing faults goes further. I think we =
>| need to=20
>| talk to our close Christian friends about areas in which we need to grow =
>| and ask=20
>| them to pray for us in those areas. We also need to do the same =
>| for them=20
>| so that we all might grow in grace.</DIV>
>| <DIV> </DIV>
>| <DIV>Julie </DIV>
>| <BLOCKQUOTE=20
>| style=3D"PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
>| BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
>| <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
>| <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>From:</B> <A =
>| title=3Dmailto:[log in to unmask]
>| href=3D"mailto:[log in to unmask]">Rhonda</A> </DIV>
>| <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A=20
>| title=3Dmailto:[log in to unmask]
>| =
>| href=3D"mailto:[log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]
>| TJOHNS.EDU</A>=20
>| </DIV>
>| <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, October 28, =
>| 2004 8:32=20
>| PM</DIV>
>| <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> confess your =
>| faults</DIV>
>| <DIV><BR></DIV>I was reading today and came across this =
>| verse<BR>James=20
>| 5:16<BR>Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, =
>| that=20
>| ye<BR>may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous=20
>| man<BR>availeth<BR>muchSo, what do you think it means to =
>| "confess your=20
>| faults one to another"<BR>I have my thoughts, just wanted yours.<BR>I =
>| love=20
>| when we all share our views on a verse, it often helps deepen=20
>| =
>| my<BR>understanding.<BR><BR>Rhonda.<BR></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV></BODY></HTML>
>|
>| ------=_NextPart_000_005E_01C4BD2D.D5E52A00--
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|
