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Moses was a murderer
Saul/Paul was a roman military officer who sought out and put Christians in jail for being Christian
The woman at the well was an adulterer
The woman who was about to be stoned was an adulterer
The woman who washed Jesus' feet was a prostitute
Rahab was a prostitute and is Jesus's great great great..... grandmother
Matthew 18:12-13 (NLT):
The parable of the sheep
If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine that didn’t wander away!
Saul/Paul was a roman military officer who sought out and put Christians in jail for being Christian
The woman at the well was an adulterer
The woman who was about to be stoned was an adulterer
The woman who washed Jesus' feet was a prostitute
Rahab was a prostitute and is Jesus's great great great..... grandmother
Matthew 18:12-13 (NLT):
The parable of the sheep
If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine that didn’t wander away!
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Hi Susanna,
I apologize that this post will probably be quite long.
It seems every Christian will compare their own "good" and "bad" habits with those of other Christians. I suppose it's part of our human nature. And the way we think we can "measure" or own "good" or "bad" deeds with someone else always leaves us feeling better or worse as a result.
By nature, I'm a nerdy introvert who doesn't doesn't drink or smoke because it would make me very sick. I don't like parties because I don't like being in an atmosphere where people are losing control. But for whatever reason, like a moth to a flame, I have always been drawn to people who are very different from me.
I've posted before about going through a long time of corresponding with inmates and a few people in the military. The reason I was drawn to those populations is because I felt a calling to people who have been through extreme things. And it taught me so much about what people go through, and that I can't judge how other people choose to cope with life.
I'm certainly not asking or expecting you to post your personal stories here, but you've obviously been through a lot -- losing your husband, being in the military, trying to deal with what I'm sure were extremely stressful situations. My divorce has taken me decades to work through, so I can only imagine what it's been like for you as a young widow, and I am so sorry for that.
I'm guessing maybe the alcohol, smoking, and partying is a way to deal with the extremities of life?
It reminds me of some of the people I used to write -- like the guy who was so good-looking he could rival any Hollywood celebrity (I only saw a picture, never met him,) but his own father took advantage of that by prostituting him out for drugs since he was a boy. There were countless other stories like this -- parents, coaches, and what were supposed to be trusted adults abusing their positions in the worst possible ways. And the things they went through in their now-daily lives weren't any better.
Almost all were involved in "bad habits" -- and some were in prison because they had killed their abusers, resulting in a Life Without Parole sentence.
I also remember some of the correspondence I had with a few soldiers -- such as the young man who had held his dying best friend who had stepped on a hidden explosive... Another who spoke of wanting to kill the foreigner he had been teamed up with. And a prominent person in a church I was part of whose military spouse couldn't take it anymore and chose to violently end their life.
I've said all this to say -- I don't know your story, and I'm surely not expecting you to spill it all here. But I am guessing that you have seen and been through some things, perhaps far beyond what most of us could even comprehend.
Like all of us, you are on a journey in which God is transforming us, even though that process won't be completed in this lifetime.
I think we as people make the mistake of seeing others' "bad habits" as being worse than our own (because self-righteousness itself can be quite addictive.) I've read that the people who make the harshest judgments regarding others' actions tend to be:
1. Those who have never struggled in the same way, and therefore think no one else should either.
2. Those who HAVE struggled in the same way, and either chose "healthy" ways to cope OR overcame their bad habits, therefore, they now think everyone else can and should as well.
I have heard some of the worst judgments of others' habits... coming from people who are extremely overweight. Now some people have conditions that make it very hard or nearly impossible to lose weight -- I get that, as I have such a condition. But I can also make a choice as to whether I have a burger, fries, and milkshake vs. steamed chicken and broccoli. I can't point fingers at someone sles who is smoking and drinking if I'm choosing to gorge myself and mistreat my body as well.
I personally find it terribly ironic -- and dare I say, hypocritical -- when I hear someone who is 50 pounds overweight criticizing someone else for having a drink. Maybe it's just me, but I think eating to excess (causing the body great harm) is a sin, just like any other harmful habit against the body. For some reason, gluttony is excused -- yet how many people use it to cope with the stress of daily life. One sin is seen as "normal" everyday life, while other sins are always the scapegoats.
Right now I'm sitting here with a jumbo-sized cup of coffee. Seeing as I'm very sensitive to caffeine, for me to even have it might be a sin against my own body, but yet I do, because I like the taste, and the morning ritual. It's one of the ways I cope with life. But in all honesty, if I truly listened to God in this area, I might never be able to have caffeine again. But I know I would.
So who am I to judge someone else's habits when every person is tied to some kind of habit we all find nearly impossible to break? God knows where each of us is in the process, and what step needs to be taken next. I might occasionally say something harsh to a friend out of concern, but I also feel my job is to show them as much love and compassion as I can along the way.
One other point I wanted to make was about some of the inmates I wrote who were Christians -- many of the ones I wrote were in for murder, because I purposely sought out those with the most extreme crimes. Of those, some believed God had forgiven them -- even of murder -- and that they too are going to heaven. Whether they were truly saved or not was not my place to judge -- I just wanted to hear their stories and how it had affected their relationship with God. I would set their letters out on the table (following the example of Hezekiah in Isaiah,) and ask God how, or if, I should reply.
This is something I have thought about often -- what it must be like to have committed what we as human beings believe are the worst possible sins -- but to also believe that God has fully forgiven those sins... And that someday, He will grant those who are truly repentant believers a place in heaven right next to (or very far above) me as well. God is more than willing to forgive even what we see as the worst of sins.
I've said all this to say, I believe you when you say you believe you are going to heaven. And I believe that like all of us, you are allowing God to work His personalized plan in your own life, which is unique to you. I am happy to pray for you and offer support and encouragement along the way.
One last thing: don't let the people with the supposed "good" habits fool you.
Whenever I think I'm doing "good," God always sends me someone who is doing 100 times better than I am, and won't let me forget about it until I finally have to repent of my own pride!
After all, the Bible says: "All of us have become like one unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags. We dry up like leaves, and our sins are like wind storms, sweeping us far away from God." (Isaiah 64:6.)
God knows what you've been through, Susanna, and He loves you just the way you are and wants to help you through your struggles. ❤️❤️❤️
I'm really glad you are here.
I am so sorry for the troubles you've been through, but I appreciate the wisdom (and humor!) you share with us, and I am here if you ever need to vent or talk. 🥰🌹🙏
Much love to you!
I apologize that this post will probably be quite long.
It seems every Christian will compare their own "good" and "bad" habits with those of other Christians. I suppose it's part of our human nature. And the way we think we can "measure" or own "good" or "bad" deeds with someone else always leaves us feeling better or worse as a result.
By nature, I'm a nerdy introvert who doesn't doesn't drink or smoke because it would make me very sick. I don't like parties because I don't like being in an atmosphere where people are losing control. But for whatever reason, like a moth to a flame, I have always been drawn to people who are very different from me.
I've posted before about going through a long time of corresponding with inmates and a few people in the military. The reason I was drawn to those populations is because I felt a calling to people who have been through extreme things. And it taught me so much about what people go through, and that I can't judge how other people choose to cope with life.
I'm certainly not asking or expecting you to post your personal stories here, but you've obviously been through a lot -- losing your husband, being in the military, trying to deal with what I'm sure were extremely stressful situations. My divorce has taken me decades to work through, so I can only imagine what it's been like for you as a young widow, and I am so sorry for that.
I'm guessing maybe the alcohol, smoking, and partying is a way to deal with the extremities of life?
It reminds me of some of the people I used to write -- like the guy who was so good-looking he could rival any Hollywood celebrity (I only saw a picture, never met him,) but his own father took advantage of that by prostituting him out for drugs since he was a boy. There were countless other stories like this -- parents, coaches, and what were supposed to be trusted adults abusing their positions in the worst possible ways. And the things they went through in their now-daily lives weren't any better.
Almost all were involved in "bad habits" -- and some were in prison because they had killed their abusers, resulting in a Life Without Parole sentence.
I also remember some of the correspondence I had with a few soldiers -- such as the young man who had held his dying best friend who had stepped on a hidden explosive... Another who spoke of wanting to kill the foreigner he had been teamed up with. And a prominent person in a church I was part of whose military spouse couldn't take it anymore and chose to violently end their life.
I've said all this to say -- I don't know your story, and I'm surely not expecting you to spill it all here. But I am guessing that you have seen and been through some things, perhaps far beyond what most of us could even comprehend.
Like all of us, you are on a journey in which God is transforming us, even though that process won't be completed in this lifetime.
I think we as people make the mistake of seeing others' "bad habits" as being worse than our own (because self-righteousness itself can be quite addictive.) I've read that the people who make the harshest judgments regarding others' actions tend to be:
1. Those who have never struggled in the same way, and therefore think no one else should either.
2. Those who HAVE struggled in the same way, and either chose "healthy" ways to cope OR overcame their bad habits, therefore, they now think everyone else can and should as well.
I have heard some of the worst judgments of others' habits... coming from people who are extremely overweight. Now some people have conditions that make it very hard or nearly impossible to lose weight -- I get that, as I have such a condition. But I can also make a choice as to whether I have a burger, fries, and milkshake vs. steamed chicken and broccoli. I can't point fingers at someone sles who is smoking and drinking if I'm choosing to gorge myself and mistreat my body as well.
I personally find it terribly ironic -- and dare I say, hypocritical -- when I hear someone who is 50 pounds overweight criticizing someone else for having a drink. Maybe it's just me, but I think eating to excess (causing the body great harm) is a sin, just like any other harmful habit against the body. For some reason, gluttony is excused -- yet how many people use it to cope with the stress of daily life. One sin is seen as "normal" everyday life, while other sins are always the scapegoats.
Right now I'm sitting here with a jumbo-sized cup of coffee. Seeing as I'm very sensitive to caffeine, for me to even have it might be a sin against my own body, but yet I do, because I like the taste, and the morning ritual. It's one of the ways I cope with life. But in all honesty, if I truly listened to God in this area, I might never be able to have caffeine again. But I know I would.
So who am I to judge someone else's habits when every person is tied to some kind of habit we all find nearly impossible to break? God knows where each of us is in the process, and what step needs to be taken next. I might occasionally say something harsh to a friend out of concern, but I also feel my job is to show them as much love and compassion as I can along the way.
One other point I wanted to make was about some of the inmates I wrote who were Christians -- many of the ones I wrote were in for murder, because I purposely sought out those with the most extreme crimes. Of those, some believed God had forgiven them -- even of murder -- and that they too are going to heaven. Whether they were truly saved or not was not my place to judge -- I just wanted to hear their stories and how it had affected their relationship with God. I would set their letters out on the table (following the example of Hezekiah in Isaiah,) and ask God how, or if, I should reply.
This is something I have thought about often -- what it must be like to have committed what we as human beings believe are the worst possible sins -- but to also believe that God has fully forgiven those sins... And that someday, He will grant those who are truly repentant believers a place in heaven right next to (or very far above) me as well. God is more than willing to forgive even what we see as the worst of sins.
I've said all this to say, I believe you when you say you believe you are going to heaven. And I believe that like all of us, you are allowing God to work His personalized plan in your own life, which is unique to you. I am happy to pray for you and offer support and encouragement along the way.
One last thing: don't let the people with the supposed "good" habits fool you.
Whenever I think I'm doing "good," God always sends me someone who is doing 100 times better than I am, and won't let me forget about it until I finally have to repent of my own pride!
After all, the Bible says: "All of us have become like one unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags. We dry up like leaves, and our sins are like wind storms, sweeping us far away from God." (Isaiah 64:6.)
God knows what you've been through, Susanna, and He loves you just the way you are and wants to help you through your struggles. ❤️❤️❤️
I'm really glad you are here.
I am so sorry for the troubles you've been through, but I appreciate the wisdom (and humor!) you share with us, and I am here if you ever need to vent or talk. 🥰🌹🙏
Much love to you!
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This is what the apostle Paul wrote about his struggles:
Romans 7:15-25 (BSB):
I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do, I do not do. But what I hate, I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I admit that the law is good. In that case, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh; for I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do. Instead, I keep on doing the evil I do not want to do. And if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
So this is the principle I have discovered: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law. But I see another law at work in my body, warring against the law of my mind and holding me captive to the law of sin that dwells within me.
What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, with my mind I serve the law of God, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.
Romans 7:15-25 (BSB):
I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do, I do not do. But what I hate, I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I admit that the law is good. In that case, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh; for I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do. Instead, I keep on doing the evil I do not want to do. And if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
So this is the principle I have discovered: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law. But I see another law at work in my body, warring against the law of my mind and holding me captive to the law of sin that dwells within me.
What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, with my mind I serve the law of God, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.
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If someone (other than you) who knows you well were to describe you to another person who has never met you....
What would they say?
Would the words "committed Christian" be the first thing out of their mouth? Would they use these words at all?
Or
Would they describe your relationship with God as something casual...not very serious....almost as a guilt reduction crutch?
I don't have the answers to this....you do.
And if you don't like the answers....then you need to change. Because if you claim Christ publicly....then people look to you for answers about God. Even if they don't actually talk to you.....you are always being watched. And people are very duplicitous. (Saying one thing to your face and another behind your back)
Do what you can to make the rumors about you more in line with the image you wish to project. Life won't be safer that way....but it will be more in line with what you want.
What would they say?
Would the words "committed Christian" be the first thing out of their mouth? Would they use these words at all?
Or
Would they describe your relationship with God as something casual...not very serious....almost as a guilt reduction crutch?
I don't have the answers to this....you do.
And if you don't like the answers....then you need to change. Because if you claim Christ publicly....then people look to you for answers about God. Even if they don't actually talk to you.....you are always being watched. And people are very duplicitous. (Saying one thing to your face and another behind your back)
Do what you can to make the rumors about you more in line with the image you wish to project. Life won't be safer that way....but it will be more in line with what you want.
As I'm sure you're aware, salvation is based on faith in the person and finished work of Jesus Christ, not on your habits and lifestyle. Abstaining from "bad habits" didn't get you saved, and continuing in them doesn't get you unsaved. If you're concerned, invite His input.
Regarding not remarrying, that's between you and the Lord, period, and is nobody else's business.
As for you being a soldier, thank you for serving.
Regarding not remarrying, that's between you and the Lord, period, and is nobody else's business.
As for you being a soldier, thank you for serving.
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Hi Susanna,
I apologize that this post will probably be quite long.
It seems every Christian will compare their own "good" and "bad" habits with those of other Christians. I suppose it's part of our human nature. And the way we think we can "measure" or own "good" or "bad" deeds with someone else always leaves us feeling better or worse as a result.
By nature, I'm a nerdy introvert who doesn't doesn't drink or smoke because it would make me very sick. I don't like parties because I don't like being in an atmosphere where people are losing control. But for whatever reason, like a moth to a flame, I have always been drawn to people who are very different from me.
I've posted before about going through a long time of corresponding with inmates and a few people in the military. The reason I was drawn to those populations is because I felt a calling to people who have been through extreme things. And it taught me so much about what people go through, and that I can't judge how other people choose to cope with life.
I'm certainly not asking or expecting you to post your personal stories here, but you've obviously been through a lot -- losing your husband, being in the military, trying to deal with what I'm sure were extremely stressful situations. My divorce has taken me decades to work through, so I can only imagine what it's been like for you as a young widow, and I am so sorry for that.
I'm guessing maybe the alcohol, smoking, and partying is a way to deal with the extremities of life?
It reminds me of some of the people I used to write -- like the guy who was so good-looking he could rival any Hollywood celebrity (I only saw a picture, never met him,) but his own father took advantage of that by prostituting him out for drugs since he was a boy. There were countless other stories like this -- parents, coaches, and what were supposed to be trusted adults abusing their positions in the worst possible ways. And the things they went through in their now-daily lives weren't any better.
Almost all were involved in "bad habits" -- and some were in prison because they had killed their abusers, resulting in a Life Without Parole sentence.
I also remember some of the correspondence I had with a few soldiers -- such as the young man who had held his dying best friend who had stepped on a hidden explosive... Another who spoke of wanting to kill the foreigner he had been teamed up with. And a prominent person in a church I was part of whose military spouse couldn't take it anymore and chose to violently end their life.
I've said all this to say -- I don't know your story, and I'm surely not expecting you to spill it all here. But I am guessing that you have seen and been through some things, perhaps far beyond what most of us could even comprehend.
Like all of us, you are on a journey in which God is transforming us, even though that process won't be completed in this lifetime.
I think we as people make the mistake of seeing others' "bad habits" as being worse than our own (because self-righteousness itself can be quite addictive.) I've read that the people who make the harshest judgments regarding others' actions tend to be:
1. Those who have never struggled in the same way, and therefore think no one else should either.
2. Those who HAVE struggled in the same way, and either chose "healthy" ways to cope OR overcame their bad habits, therefore, they now think everyone else can and should as well.
I have heard some of the worst judgments of others' habits... coming from people who are extremely overweight. Now some people have conditions that make it very hard or nearly impossible to lose weight -- I get that, as I have such a condition. But I can also make a choice as to whether I have a burger, fries, and milkshake vs. steamed chicken and broccoli. I can't point fingers at someone sles who is smoking and drinking if I'm choosing to gorge myself and mistreat my body as well.
I personally find it terribly ironic -- and dare I say, hypocritical -- when I hear someone who is 50 pounds overweight criticizing someone else for having a drink. Maybe it's just me, but I think eating to excess (causing the body great harm) is a sin, just like any other harmful habit against the body. For some reason, gluttony is excused -- yet how many people use it to cope with the stress of daily life. One sin is seen as "normal" everyday life, while other sins are always the scapegoats.
Right now I'm sitting here with a jumbo-sized cup of coffee. Seeing as I'm very sensitive to caffeine, for me to even have it might be a sin against my own body, but yet I do, because I like the taste, and the morning ritual. It's one of the ways I cope with life. But in all honesty, if I truly listened to God in this area, I might never be able to have caffeine again. But I know I would.
So who am I to judge someone else's habits when every person is tied to some kind of habit we all find nearly impossible to break? God knows where each of us is in the process, and what step needs to be taken next. I might occasionally say something harsh to a friend out of concern, but I also feel my job is to show them as much love and compassion as I can along the way.
One other point I wanted to make was about some of the inmates I wrote who were Christians -- many of the ones I wrote were in for murder, because I purposely sought out those with the most extreme crimes. Of those, some believed God had forgiven them -- even of murder -- and that they too are going to heaven. Whether they were truly saved or not was not my place to judge -- I just wanted to hear their stories and how it had affected their relationship with God. I would set their letters out on the table (following the example of Hezekiah in Isaiah,) and ask God how, or if, I should reply.
This is something I have thought about often -- what it must be like to have committed what we as human beings believe are the worst possible sins -- but to also believe that God has fully forgiven those sins... And that someday, He will grant those who are truly repentant believers a place in heaven right next to (or very far above) me as well. God is more than willing to forgive even what we see as the worst of sins.
I've said all this to say, I believe you when you say you believe you are going to heaven. And I believe that like all of us, you are allowing God to work His personalized plan in your own life, which is unique to you. I am happy to pray for you and offer support and encouragement along the way.
One last thing: don't let the people with the supposed "good" habits fool you.
Whenever I think I'm doing "good," God always sends me someone who is doing 100 times better than I am, and won't let me forget about it until I finally have to repent of my own pride!
After all, the Bible says: "All of us have become like one unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags. We dry up like leaves, and our sins are like wind storms, sweeping us far away from God." (Isaiah 64:6.)
God knows what you've been through, Susanna, and He loves you just the way you are and wants to help you through your struggles. ❤️❤️❤️
I'm really glad you are here.
I am so sorry for the troubles you've been through, but I appreciate the wisdom (and humor!) you share with us, and I am here if you ever need to vent or talk. 🥰🌹🙏
Much love to you!
I apologize that this post will probably be quite long.
It seems every Christian will compare their own "good" and "bad" habits with those of other Christians. I suppose it's part of our human nature. And the way we think we can "measure" or own "good" or "bad" deeds with someone else always leaves us feeling better or worse as a result.
By nature, I'm a nerdy introvert who doesn't doesn't drink or smoke because it would make me very sick. I don't like parties because I don't like being in an atmosphere where people are losing control. But for whatever reason, like a moth to a flame, I have always been drawn to people who are very different from me.
I've posted before about going through a long time of corresponding with inmates and a few people in the military. The reason I was drawn to those populations is because I felt a calling to people who have been through extreme things. And it taught me so much about what people go through, and that I can't judge how other people choose to cope with life.
I'm certainly not asking or expecting you to post your personal stories here, but you've obviously been through a lot -- losing your husband, being in the military, trying to deal with what I'm sure were extremely stressful situations. My divorce has taken me decades to work through, so I can only imagine what it's been like for you as a young widow, and I am so sorry for that.
I'm guessing maybe the alcohol, smoking, and partying is a way to deal with the extremities of life?
It reminds me of some of the people I used to write -- like the guy who was so good-looking he could rival any Hollywood celebrity (I only saw a picture, never met him,) but his own father took advantage of that by prostituting him out for drugs since he was a boy. There were countless other stories like this -- parents, coaches, and what were supposed to be trusted adults abusing their positions in the worst possible ways. And the things they went through in their now-daily lives weren't any better.
Almost all were involved in "bad habits" -- and some were in prison because they had killed their abusers, resulting in a Life Without Parole sentence.
I also remember some of the correspondence I had with a few soldiers -- such as the young man who had held his dying best friend who had stepped on a hidden explosive... Another who spoke of wanting to kill the foreigner he had been teamed up with. And a prominent person in a church I was part of whose military spouse couldn't take it anymore and chose to violently end their life.
I've said all this to say -- I don't know your story, and I'm surely not expecting you to spill it all here. But I am guessing that you have seen and been through some things, perhaps far beyond what most of us could even comprehend.
Like all of us, you are on a journey in which God is transforming us, even though that process won't be completed in this lifetime.
I think we as people make the mistake of seeing others' "bad habits" as being worse than our own (because self-righteousness itself can be quite addictive.) I've read that the people who make the harshest judgments regarding others' actions tend to be:
1. Those who have never struggled in the same way, and therefore think no one else should either.
2. Those who HAVE struggled in the same way, and either chose "healthy" ways to cope OR overcame their bad habits, therefore, they now think everyone else can and should as well.
I have heard some of the worst judgments of others' habits... coming from people who are extremely overweight. Now some people have conditions that make it very hard or nearly impossible to lose weight -- I get that, as I have such a condition. But I can also make a choice as to whether I have a burger, fries, and milkshake vs. steamed chicken and broccoli. I can't point fingers at someone sles who is smoking and drinking if I'm choosing to gorge myself and mistreat my body as well.
I personally find it terribly ironic -- and dare I say, hypocritical -- when I hear someone who is 50 pounds overweight criticizing someone else for having a drink. Maybe it's just me, but I think eating to excess (causing the body great harm) is a sin, just like any other harmful habit against the body. For some reason, gluttony is excused -- yet how many people use it to cope with the stress of daily life. One sin is seen as "normal" everyday life, while other sins are always the scapegoats.
Right now I'm sitting here with a jumbo-sized cup of coffee. Seeing as I'm very sensitive to caffeine, for me to even have it might be a sin against my own body, but yet I do, because I like the taste, and the morning ritual. It's one of the ways I cope with life. But in all honesty, if I truly listened to God in this area, I might never be able to have caffeine again. But I know I would.
So who am I to judge someone else's habits when every person is tied to some kind of habit we all find nearly impossible to break? God knows where each of us is in the process, and what step needs to be taken next. I might occasionally say something harsh to a friend out of concern, but I also feel my job is to show them as much love and compassion as I can along the way.
One other point I wanted to make was about some of the inmates I wrote who were Christians -- many of the ones I wrote were in for murder, because I purposely sought out those with the most extreme crimes. Of those, some believed God had forgiven them -- even of murder -- and that they too are going to heaven. Whether they were truly saved or not was not my place to judge -- I just wanted to hear their stories and how it had affected their relationship with God. I would set their letters out on the table (following the example of Hezekiah in Isaiah,) and ask God how, or if, I should reply.
This is something I have thought about often -- what it must be like to have committed what we as human beings believe are the worst possible sins -- but to also believe that God has fully forgiven those sins... And that someday, He will grant those who are truly repentant believers a place in heaven right next to (or very far above) me as well. God is more than willing to forgive even what we see as the worst of sins.
I've said all this to say, I believe you when you say you believe you are going to heaven. And I believe that like all of us, you are allowing God to work His personalized plan in your own life, which is unique to you. I am happy to pray for you and offer support and encouragement along the way.
One last thing: don't let the people with the supposed "good" habits fool you.
Whenever I think I'm doing "good," God always sends me someone who is doing 100 times better than I am, and won't let me forget about it until I finally have to repent of my own pride!
After all, the Bible says: "All of us have become like one unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags. We dry up like leaves, and our sins are like wind storms, sweeping us far away from God." (Isaiah 64:6.)
God knows what you've been through, Susanna, and He loves you just the way you are and wants to help you through your struggles. ❤️❤️❤️
I'm really glad you are here.
I am so sorry for the troubles you've been through, but I appreciate the wisdom (and humor!) you share with us, and I am here if you ever need to vent or talk. 🥰🌹🙏
Much love to you!
I can’t muster up enough concentration for a desk job so I’m still working out on the streets even though I could choose to sit behind my desk. Honestly, I love it.
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I don't know that smoking and drinking is a sin. Someone once said " Smoking won't send you to hell, but it will make you smell like you've been there". I think the Bible says that God looks at the heart. My husband is saved and he has struggled to quit smoking. I simply pray for him, otherwise I am silent. I don't see how my judging him or nagging will help. Drinking is a little different. Though I know people who are Christians drink, there comes a point where you are no longer in control, and that to me, runs into the area of sin. Party is I think the same thing. There is a line where I think we know we have crossed to far. But the Bible says to work out your own salvation. All that being said, we're not suppose to be walking a line to see how close we can get to the world and not sin. But from any of the opinions I've read from you here I don't think that is your attitude. Again, God knows us better than any other person. The only thing is that we make sure we don't cause others to stumble. I have addiction and alcoholism in my family, so I simply decided I wasn't going to put it to the test. I stay away from anything addicting. Except CC.
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Hi Susanna,
Thanks so much for your reply.
I hope you won't be offended by this (just tell me if I'm stepping too far,) but what you're describing reminds me of a few other people I know or have talked to. I've come to realize that some people just seem to have what I can only describe as a much higher, nearly superhuman GO GO GO rate than most people. I don't know what an official term would be for that, I just know there are people whom, whether naturally or through life conditioning, seem to be built to go 1000 mph all the time, and they have to find a way to channel that energy.
I once corresponded with an inmate who liked to say he could have led a Fortune 500 company -- and I have no doubt he could have. He was intensely smart and I'm sure could have been extremely successful. But he said his downfall was that street life was the only thing that kept his interest -- "normal" life at a boring 9-5 put him into a deep state of depression -- and so he was always attracted to the "game with the highest stakes."
I've been seeing that in the financial community as well -- some people who always feel drawn to take the biggest risks, and are automatically attracted to the highest stakes with the most to lose.
I've been friends with a few people like this over the years, and I always think about the fact that if anyone tried to make them "settle" down into a "normal" life, it would be utter torture for them. And I'm sure I would burn out in a week if I tried to live a jet-propelled life like them. But God made us all different for His own reasons.
Your story reminds me of a particular friend of mine. I know that to ask her to change things in her life to what "I" think would be "better" for her would make her feel trapped in a cage -- and I know God built her that way for a reason. For me to try to judge what she "needs" or what "rules" she "should" follow would be her undoing. And so all I find myself doing is telling her, "I love you, I hope you'll make the best decisions you can, and I pray always that God will keep you safe."
One thing I do know is that God calls and uses what you might see as an "enfant terrible" to some very special, and intense things that most others (like me!) could not handle -- such as your military service.
Thank you for choosing to channel some of your boundless energy into serving and protecting the masses, including just a simpleton like me. ❤️
As I tell my friend -- we love you, and pray that God will always keep you safe as He helps and enables you to make the best decisions you can.
Thanks so much for your reply.
I hope you won't be offended by this (just tell me if I'm stepping too far,) but what you're describing reminds me of a few other people I know or have talked to. I've come to realize that some people just seem to have what I can only describe as a much higher, nearly superhuman GO GO GO rate than most people. I don't know what an official term would be for that, I just know there are people whom, whether naturally or through life conditioning, seem to be built to go 1000 mph all the time, and they have to find a way to channel that energy.
I once corresponded with an inmate who liked to say he could have led a Fortune 500 company -- and I have no doubt he could have. He was intensely smart and I'm sure could have been extremely successful. But he said his downfall was that street life was the only thing that kept his interest -- "normal" life at a boring 9-5 put him into a deep state of depression -- and so he was always attracted to the "game with the highest stakes."
I've been seeing that in the financial community as well -- some people who always feel drawn to take the biggest risks, and are automatically attracted to the highest stakes with the most to lose.
I've been friends with a few people like this over the years, and I always think about the fact that if anyone tried to make them "settle" down into a "normal" life, it would be utter torture for them. And I'm sure I would burn out in a week if I tried to live a jet-propelled life like them. But God made us all different for His own reasons.
Your story reminds me of a particular friend of mine. I know that to ask her to change things in her life to what "I" think would be "better" for her would make her feel trapped in a cage -- and I know God built her that way for a reason. For me to try to judge what she "needs" or what "rules" she "should" follow would be her undoing. And so all I find myself doing is telling her, "I love you, I hope you'll make the best decisions you can, and I pray always that God will keep you safe."
One thing I do know is that God calls and uses what you might see as an "enfant terrible" to some very special, and intense things that most others (like me!) could not handle -- such as your military service.
Thank you for choosing to channel some of your boundless energy into serving and protecting the masses, including just a simpleton like me.
❤️As I tell my friend -- we love you, and pray that God will always keep you safe as He helps and enables you to make the best decisions you can.
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Being saved is about putting your belief, faith, and trust in God/Jesus - the other things are a separate issue.
If you know-that-you-know-that-you-know that you are born-again - because, you have indeed placed your belief, faith, and trust in God/Jesus - and, you know you are forgiven - because, it is about knowledge and not how you feel - then you may rest assured that you are saved and that the Holy Spirit is ready-and-able to help you with the rest...
1 John 5:
13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
I created this thread so that folks could declare with confidence that they know they are saved:
https://christianchat.com/christian-family-forum/i-want-to-know-that-you-know.192556/
The thread is based on a short song (< 2 minutes) that says a lot...
If you know-that-you-know-that-you-know that you are born-again - because, you have indeed placed your belief, faith, and trust in God/Jesus - and, you know you are forgiven - because, it is about knowledge and not how you feel - then you may rest assured that you are saved and that the Holy Spirit is ready-and-able to help you with the rest...
1 John 5:
13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
I created this thread so that folks could declare with confidence that they know they are saved:
https://christianchat.com/christian-family-forum/i-want-to-know-that-you-know.192556/
The thread is based on a short song (< 2 minutes) that says a lot...