“Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice”
King James Version (KJV)
Chris's comment on 2020-11-21 18:40:17:
What you've just shared dear brother, has indeed both gladdened & comforted my heart that all is well in your relationships with those here or elsewhere. I'm all too aware that we must be quick to pick up one who has fallen & restore him to faith & joy but I'm truly glad this has not been your case & that the error was mine.
Thank you too for your very kind comments: we all sit as lovers of our blessed Saviour, learning at His Feet. If we learn something to impart that will enrichen another life or draw him closer to the Lord, then we have used our learning as the Lord intended. The blessing of the Lord then falls on both. As "iron sharpeneth iron, so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend".
Aside from being in a position to offer guidance & instruction, what I appreciate also from interactions on this Site, is to understand what other Christians think or glean from the Word. Often we are insulated from this aspect by spending most of our time in 'closed' circles & we rarely encounter believers who actually understand Scriptures quite differently to us. True, there are many worthy & unworthy thoughts proffered, but in our desire to understand the other's position, we increase our knowledge by having our minds so exercised to re-examine our own beliefs & understanding. And yet, I also wonder, even with the limitations we have by expressing ourselves via the written page, if discussing a point we conflict on, whether we are actually in some agreement yet viewing the matter from a different angle or having failed to include some vital point. So it takes some special help from the Lord to look past the words & to see that the Spirit of the Lord is still evident & giving us another dimension in the study.
But your example of 'love that covers all our differences' is truly worthy of all acceptation & truly "covers a multitude of sins", especially of ignorance & false surmisings. May He continue to bless you Richard as we look forward to your further input.
Richard in Christ's comment on 2020-11-21 10:10:08:
My special brother Chris. The post, I made, was really not toward any certain comment. As to just spread peace. Your warm, thoughtful, and kind reply has truly touched me. The Holy Spirit invigorated me after reading it. As you are much more learned than I, have much more time and experience with the Lord, have done so many more good deeds and know the Holy Bible, or the Word of God, very well. You have my deep respect and am very thankful for all your thoughtfulness and care. Which of coarse is the Lord's Spirit shining through you. I always give credit to our Father, or the Lord, for everything, and always keep a humble mind thinking everyone is of more importance than me. As we are all truly unique and special in our own way. Sometimes the smallest things can make the greatest impact on people. Which then the love of God flows like a ripple on to others. Making our Father rejoice in gladness. Praise the Lord!
So true. As anyone who would every judge, or condemn, me has no effect at all on my relationship with our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. It may only sadden me a bit as I would much rather see people in joy, peace, and happiness together rather than quarreling about something. As I do understand we are all different and conversing with one another is a good thing. Love for each other is truly the most important thing I feel. As, of coarse, being saved by Jesus Christ our Lord and Salvation. Who is the only way to the Father which is pure love. As He loves us all so very much.
It will be of glory and marvel past our comprehension. Know that you are someone that I truly want to meet and will be asking about you when we are at Home in our Fathers Kingdom. God Bless you brother.
Chris's comment on 2020-11-21 03:08:34:
I'm unsure whether you're referring to particular comments, but you can rest assured dear brother Richard, you are well thought of & I particularly have been blessed by your comments to me & others. You have exuded Christlikeness that most of us fail to aspire to - your very real love for the Lord & the saints is certainly not veiled in what you write. And this I sense in my spirit, that you share your thoughts with those seeking help, not "by (your) might, nor by power, but by God's Spirit" & we are blessed thereby.
So be encouraged & strengthened in your mind & spirit that those who oppose or judge you, do so ignorantly & are in need of extra grace that only the Spirit can give. God has done a mighty work in your life and in very truth, "He which hath begun a good work in you, will perform (perfect & complete) it until the day of Jesus Christ".
And, "When we all get to Heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be; when we all see Jesus, we'll sing & shout the victory". Every blessing & encouragement from the Lord.
Richard in Christ's comment on 2020-11-20 23:56:33:
If anybody, even a brother or sister in Christ, wants to condemn me and call me a sinner. To judge me and say I'm not going to Heaven. Or that I don't know Jesus Christ or our Perfect Father in Heaven. I still love you and hope to see you at Home. You are in my prayers with everyone else. Blessings of pure love, to all, from our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Chris's comment on 2020-11-20 17:43:45:
That's a good question. However, we would need to ask, "who or what caused these apparent anomalies to occur?" We know that the Scriptures were never written in chapter & verse form as we have it now; they were just a single writing (or, letter) with the usual breaks afforded by the language in which they were written.
Then various folk involved in dealing with these various writings applied there own 'break ups' over the centuries, so there was no consistency in this & with punctuation over the myriad of translations produced. As history would show, the Hebrew Old Testament into verses were done by a Jewish Rabbi, Nathan, in AD 1448 & a Robert Estiennne did a similar work in the New Testament in AD 1555. Therefore, once a passage of writing is so broken up into chapters & verses, we can only conclude the same folk also applied their punctuation as they deemed necessary.
The English Bible we have now that first used chapters & verses, was the Geneva Bible in AD 1560, though the dividing of the Books into chapters & verses went on much earlier than this. Though I do admit, Psalm 96:12,13 does look peculiar as given to us, though, looking at the other verses in the Psalm which are quite short in length, Nathan may have given this strange separation in the verses to maintain the style he applied to the other verses. Just my thoughts.
Andy's comment on 2020-11-20 03:10:06:
Why does Psalm 96:12 end where it does? Most verses end with punctuation, but verse 12 and another verse in Psalms seem to be about the only exception to this. I was curious as to why.