these so called christians are getting worse because they are rebelling against God. you dont get better on your terms. its on his terms I know because i use to be one that kept getting worse. until you surender things to God ( really surender) you wont get better God gives us all the tools to be obedient. if you want a changed life stop saying no to God. what are the motives for obaying God is it so youll go to heaven or is it because hes your God and he deserves it. may God seek all our hearts and show us his way.

What is the topic again?

Is there anyway I can exchange them for…say, get heavily involved with a political party precinct, get 'plugged in' to a very aggressive accountability program or basically worship my church leadership?

If not, I will work real hard to earn another 3 sins and come back at redemption time….or call in on my cell phone, whichever I can get to first.

Steve’s teachings will usher many into a relationship with Christ. Not by frightening the hell out of them, but by listening and loving them as Christ loves us.

Lee

jesus in the eyes of God.

Mathew 6:14-15

14 "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

From "A Dictionary of Catch Phrases: American and British, from the Sixteenth Century to the Present Day,":

[quote]"Orig. Southern US, it soon became gen. U.S., and has been heard in UK since the 1930s, often with an understood implication of its origin. Of the U.S. usage, Prof. John W. Clark, 1977, has noted that it was, at first, used seriously—'like a white man, not like a Negro. Now used everywhere, by everyone to anyone, but always jestingly (and sometimes sarcastically), and with full consciousness that it is a provincial expression—and NOT racist'. . . . [/quote]

Please not the last two lines: "…with full consciousness that it is a provincial expression - and NOT racist".

Regardless I prayed for you and I hope you prayed for me.

Yeah, I regret saying that. It was unfair of me to say that. To be honest, I said it more out of frustration at attacks by his followers than anything to do with him.

My apologies to Steve.

I know that was directed at Steve, but you are here on the site I manage making argumentative comments (prolifically I might add) like the one for which you apologized. But that's not the point…

I have forgiven you.

Will you forgive me?

Well, that's mighty white of you, since I'm not the one who did anything.

I'm not joking around here (and I don't think George is either). Since you mentioned emails again, why won't you respond to mine? I'll post what I sent you this morning in case you missed it.

Mike,

Erik

In Matthew 18, Jesus tells the story of a servant who was forgiven a great debt who subsequently refused to have mercy on his fellow servants. I'll quote the end of the story.

32 Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. 33 Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?' 34 And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.
35 "So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses."

I think it's plain to see from that passage that people who receive mercy should be merciful. If you won't be merciful, there's a good chance that 1) You don't understand the magnitude of what or the extent to which you've been forgiven, or 2) You haven't really received forgiveness.

Either way, I pray you find it in your heart to stop ignoring me and forgive me.

I forgive you.

I really am holding nothing against you man, and hope that we can put all this behind us and hold hands and tell each other stories about Jesus.

Don't flatter yourself.

A couple of children calling me names and sending me rude emails isn't nearly enough to get me down.

In order for me to feel "down and persecuted", I'd actually have to care what you thought of me.

MikeMcK is feeling down and persecuted. So EVERYONE send Mike a message and tell him you love him as a brother in the Lord and you're praying for him.

God Bless you Mike! Love ya Bro! I will pray for you today that you will feel God's love in all this.

Me too. I spent 23 years with a very large Christian para-church group and quickly learned that I was not perfect, nor could i live up to the "spiritual giants." But, I didn't have to.

Steve Brown has been a breath of fresh air and has encouraged me to seek the Lord and trust Him for my salvation, not my good works.

I would like to add that being reviled for Jesus' sake and being reviled for being an ass are two different things.

Please don't take that the wrong way. I'm not calling you an ass by saying that. I've repented of that kind of behavior (and I'm still begging for your forgiveness). I'm just stating a fact that you may want to consider when feeling persecuted.

Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven."

So far, I've been called an ass by a representative of Key Life, a self righteous hypocrite, been told that I'm living in some sort of unrepentant lifestyle, and had all sorts of false accusations made.

What's one more log on the fire.

Jesus said, "blessed are you when men revile you for My sake" so I guess I ought to be grateful.

Sorry, Mike… couldn't resist.