http://www.pandoras-archive.com en-us http://www.pandoras-archive.com N/A pandoras_archive@yahoo.com Sat, 30 Aug 2008 02:25:58 EEST 20 http://www.pandoras-archive.com/articles/1768/1/The-Responsible-Christian Stewardship Versus Ownership Christians share a position of responsibility in their own development and in the stewardship of earthly things. The differential between stewardship and ownership has caused the Christian to question his own, God granted position. No man may own any of God's creation. Man only has the right to occupy temporally as a condition of fulfillment. He must glorify God in his actions. Because man questions his arrangement with God, Satan has been able to exert his own agenda into the truth, leaving doubt and confusion. No created being or principality owns any part of the creation, they only make use of it. God never said He gave man or any one else anything. He always says things like - have dominion, stewardship, use. Satan twist man's mind into thinking he has ownership. Satan himself is only able to have what God allows him to have, and he may never afflict any pain of discomfort directly on man. Man always has power over Satan to reject any endeavor he may try. Man is the deciding factor. It's only through man's choice that good or bad can happen in his experience. Christians fear stepping out on their own because they do not want to offend God. They forget their relationship and God's promises. God clearly said man, and now Christians, have dominion over the world. 2 Timothy 2:1 Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. 3Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 4No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. 5And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. 6The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits. 7Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things. Hebrews 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. Satan has clouded the eyes of Christians and tricked them into believing that personal success is evil. And guess what, it is all about intent, if it is done entirely for personal gain then, it's wrong. It's the motivation that makes the difference. How can that be when all of the traits of success are godlike? Because, Satan represents failure and death and is the author of delusion. Image success is illumination and life which glorifies God through His people. Successful people pay tithes, help the poor, and contribute to society. Failures drain the spirit and deplete the soul. Christians who are failures tend to have low self esteems, and blame God for their woes. Haven't you heard a well meaning Christian say, "Oh, it's God's will" or "God wants you to be humble and meek." It is not God's will to see his people fail. Successful Christians tend to be high spirited and praise God for their position. A fellow Christian said, "the Lord uses diversity to test Christians." This is true in one since, diversity does indeed strengthen the soul and increase wisdom. Like the wind strengthens the tree, but, God does not bring diversity on His children just to make them stronger. People are made stronger by the elements of their choice. Frankly, when non-Christians see poverty and despair in Christians they ridicule them as it's a discredit to God. Satan loves failure because he/she has become ineffective as God's shining light and co-worker. It Is Gods world God does not have to make any explanation of his original purposes of wisdom and perfection. His plans are unwavering, his counsel unchallengeable, while his acts are divine and perfect. A thousand years in God's sight are only as yesterday and when it has past it is as a passing of the night. God is eternally and infinitely perfect, he can't personally know imperfection as his own experience, but he does share the consciousness of all the experience of mankind - which is imperfect. Inherent traits of people People want to be successful and productive, it's an inherent god-like trait that most all humans share. They want to have good relationships be good parents and be admired amongst their peers. They want prosperity and recognition because it is an inborn desire to excel. They desire to step out and make a difference in world conditions. They strive for peace, and want to put an end to fear, want and pain. They want to help their fellow man and be productive is their society. It's the God like qualities that make man special in His creation. When these qualities are not addressed, people become confused, depressed and unhappy. They turn away from all of the God like qualities that they possess and began a pattern of self-destruction in some manner or form. In doing so, they become servants to the burden of the material world and wallow in its degeneracy. They may think they are Christians, but they have become recruits for Satan. They exhibit qualities that are not God like. They become Satan's shining example for the world. They have allowed themselves to be influenced by Satan's false traditions and images. Hebrews 6:12That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. God is above and signifies the elevation of mankind through His spirit connection. You can't reach God through negative thinking or self-seeking association. When a person embraces the negative world, then they have turned away from God and submitted to Satan's authority. They become part of his designed method for propagating the justification of worldly mannerisms. If you understand that Jesus Christ is your salvation, then God's creation becomes your provider and you become his disciple. The fact is, Jesus was the last blood sacrifice as He paid the price for mankind's freedom from death's influence on the world. Romans 6: 18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. Romans 6: 22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 23For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. These verses are an example of God's laws where something thing will always replace something. It is natural man's own intellectual curiosity as truth seeking beings, that is revealed as superficial pretense to conceal the terror of being abandoned in the midst of an alien universe. Donald Yates Sun, 02 Dec 2007 00:00:00 EET http://www.pandoras-archive.com/articles/1488/1/The-Religion-That-Will-Destroy-Western-Civilization According to a recent Harris opinion poll only one in three people in England say they are "a believer".  In Italy less than two-thirds are believers, and in France it's less than one in three.... gen bixby Tue, 30 Jan 2007 00:00:00 EET http://www.pandoras-archive.com/articles/1359/1/In-Pursuit-of-the-Truth It all started way back early in November when I talked to this non-Catholic friend of mine. We talked about certain Christian beliefs and some realities in life. I was absolutely embarrassed that time because she was completely over me as she made most of the talking- not because I was shy. She handed me this booklet with some Christian stuffs there, and began talking -or lecturing I should say. For about 20-30 minutes, she talked, talked, and talked some more and I could do nothing but nod and pretended as if I understood everything she said. I was so amazed when she even prayed right in front of me. She also made me recite a prayer. Then she said, "Do you accept Jesus Christ as your Kenneth Regañon Wed, 06 Dec 2006 00:00:00 EET http://www.pandoras-archive.com/articles/1226/1/I-Knew-You-Would-be-Here An old woman leaned hard against the railing of the stairs. Using the sturdy post as a support, she slowly and painfully came to her knees. She looked at the point where she knelt and a tear rolled down her cheek. It had been forty-four years since she had made that silent promise. Forty-four years of obedience and respect. Each night she had knelt in the center of the main hallway of her home and lifted her prayers to the Lord. Sometimes they were prayers of Thanksgiving, sometimes they were prayers of decision, sometimes they were prayers of obedience because there was no understanding…but, mostly they were just common prayers of praise and quiet thoughts between friends. As the tear passed her cheek and fell to the floor she softly said, "Lord, you know I want to be in the middle of the hall, but these old bones just won't let me leave the rail." She felt the warm embrace of an old friend and though there was no one in the room, she was not alone. She opened her prayer in Thanksgiving; praising the Father for the simple accomplishments of the present - like allowing her arms to hold in place long enough to pin up her hair. And, she praised Him for her health. And as always, she still offered Him praise for protecting her family some forty years past, when without a penny and no place to turn, He had kept her family from losing their home. As her knees began to stiffen and the pain ran down her legs, her heart remembered the words of her husband, now gone more than a year… It was almost spring. There seemed to be a breath of newness in everything. The mother of seven inhaled deeply each time she pushed up a window and let fresh air in that room for the first time in a long winter. She bounded from room to room…calling to the kids to look out at the birds and blooming flowers. So alive, so beautiful, and yet so heart broken. It was that day that she and her husband walked slowly, hand in hand, around the town that God had brought them to. It was in that walk that they had decided to bring their family together on their knees and pray for strength. They were not going to tell the kids what was at risk. They did not need to know about the actions the bank would take tomorrow against their home. They just needed the children to know that when in life you struggle, there is no better place to be than with family, on your knees before the Lord. It was only a prayer of a few sentences, yet it lasted for an hour. The interruptions of the youngest children caused an elongation of the effort - yet, the parents continued. First the mother prayed, then the children who wanted to, then the father. Each in different words, all with the same heart..." Lord, please protect this family"…"Give us courage to do whatever you desire"…"Your will be done". He smiled at her. She smiled at him. Both were content with their example of obedience. Both were proud of their beautiful family. Then, moans and groans broke the moment. The teens complained about the length of time they had been on the hard wood floors. The Middle children questioned, "What is happening? Mom, are you sick?" The moment was changed back to reality. The soothing deep voice of her husband quieted the children. His words were, "Mom and I are fine- nothing is wrong with this family. And boys, the Lord suffered a huge amount of pain on the cross for us, surely our knees can endure this out of respect for Him." Knees can endure…knees can endure…knees can endure…and then he smiled at her, and she smiled at him as he faded away. Her prayers continued. She praised the Lord for the warm weather and the low heating bill. She praised the Lord for the health of her friends. She gave thanks for the visits of her children and grandchildren. Then she especially prayed for the new one on the way. She chuckled to herself and said, "That will be twenty-seven, Lord." She sighed with great satisfaction. She was so wrapped up in her prayers that she hadn't heard the door. Everyone knew she had an open door policy, but usually they knocked. She was gently surprised as the warm touch of her son sent shivers down her arm. He said, "I knew you would be here." "Where else would I be, son?" "No mom, I knew you would be on your knees." With voice cracking and tears in his eyes, he said, "Is it alright if I join you? I heard when you're struggling, there's no better place to be than with family, on your knees before the Lord." ABOUT THE AUTHOR Rhonda Loucks lives with her husband and 7 children. Her writings are taken from every day life experiences and reflect the challenge and delight of trusting God through life's daily difficulties. See her writings at http://www.inobedience.com Rhonda Loucks Thu, 21 Sep 2006 00:00:00 EEST http://www.pandoras-archive.com/articles/237/1/The-Blessing-of-the-Christian-Sabbath Discusses the true Christian Sabbath and the blessings of keeping it, both physically and spiritually... Pandoras Archive Sun, 25 Jun 2006 00:00:00 EEST http://www.pandoras-archive.com/articles/28/1/Did-you-know-That-Worry-And-Anxiety-Can-Lead-To-Infertility-%3F If you are facing infertility stop worrying. God will bless you with a child if you pray and ask him... Pandoras Archive Wed, 24 May 2006 00:00:00 EEST