Staying Public

We've had some steller services at Faith. Another person was saved in the morning service Sunday and it was wonderful. If it makes us this happy when someone gets saved, can you imagine what goes on in Heaven? The response to my April Fool's post was great. Y'all are good sports. I did have someone at church tell me they were near tears and when they got to the bottom they wanted to kill me. I'm sorry, Mrs. Carolyn. You know I love you. :) If I EVER have a bad day like the one in that post, I doubt I'll blog about it. Just sayin'.... I've also received some very kind comments and responses to Thimble Thoughts going private. After some pretty good reasons as to why I shouldn't go private I've decided to keep it public. To be honest, there are people in my personal life I really do not wish having access to my blog. Not to mention annonymous comments that are either, not very nice, or people trying to cause trouble. And then there are websites that like to critique blogs like mine. Blogs where people like to talk about all the "wacky" things IFB people do and say and how they live. And their response to *us* becoming upset over that fact is that, what we're putting on the Internet is out there for anyone to read so we shouldn't get upset when they talk about *us.* And you know what? They're right. We shouldn't. I mean...we're out there. It's up to us how much people know about us, our families, and our beliefs. So if we put it out there, why should we be upset when people talk about *us.* People will always find something to talk about. And if you hand it to them, you can't very well get upset. If you don't like it you have to take steps to change what information you give them or just learn to ignore it. When you're living for the Lord there will always be *that* crowd out there that doesn't understand. That's Bible for ya. There are Pharisees that will claim Christianity and yet they will do everything BUT live for Christ or they'll strive to do things to impress the people that do everything BUT live for Christ. It is easier to go with the flow of the world than it is to die to self and live for Christ. See, that's Bible too. The spirit is willing...but the flesh is weak. I recently found out about this site and while I was reading, I literally became obsessed with what was being said. I found what was being said about me. It wasn't too, too bad. Much nicer, I suppose, than what was being said about my other IFB bloggy friends. One person really surprised me, though. They claimed they knew me and said some very untrue things. And I have to admit that the people that brought Thimble Thoughts to *said site* in the first place started taking up for me. I mean one guy nailed it to the wall with something they said and that person, as far as I know, never came back to rebuttle. It was great. I'm sorry, that's my flesh speaking. Several things I read made me want to join and *GIVE THEM A PIECE OF MY MIND* for some of the things they were saying about my friends. Friends I know in real life and friends I know through blogging. But then I got to thinking...what good would it do? They feed their need to talk about *us* through angry fundamentalists. I was sharing something the Lord showed me to some of these bloggy friends that have been "eaten" up on this site and had read these things already themselves. For one thing I hoped to encourage them. And for another, the Lord showed me that *we* don't have to worry about them. HE will worry about them for *us.* Here's what I shared with my friends:

"2 John 1:8 says, "Look to yourselves that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward." When you're dealing with the Internet, it is very easy to lose sight of those things we, as Christians, believe in and stand for. Not that it makes us weak, but some of the things out there don't exactly give us spiritual strength. *said site* being one of those places. If anything, I find my flesh becoming quite weak there. So it was good I disconnected myself from their site and plunged further into the Word and Christian blogs that uplifted, encouraged, and fed my spiritual needs. And I know that we are to be in the world and not of the world, but there's no reason for me to be on *said site*. I don't have to be there and I don't believe God wants me there either. It's kind of like walking into a bar to witness to the patrons, if that makes sense. Then reading over more of 2 John, verse ten popped out and reaffirmed that *said site* and all those other places like that aren't just bad, but they are a SIN to go to as well. LOL I know what you're thinking. A sin? Really? Yeah, a sin. Verse 10 says, "If there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine, receive him NOT into your house, neither bid him God speed." Now, on that particular site you have Mormons, JWs, Catholics, athiests, agnostics, people that claim Christianity and just want to sow discord and such. And everytime I go to that site, I'm inviting them into my house!! And it is clear we are not to do that. But that's what I've been doing. And I had to ask forgiveness and ask the Lord to help my nosy-self stay off that stupid site."

If they come here to Thimble Thoughts, they are inviting me into their home, or wherever it is they may be at the time. If they want to read what I have to say, so be it. But just like I don't have to go to their website, they don't have to come to my blog. And they don't have to like what is said on my blog, just like I don't have to like what is said on their website. :) Now, do I have something against Mormons, JWs, Catholics, athiests, agnostics, people that claim Christianity and just want to sow discord and such? Not personally, no. How can I? I once walked in the same darkness they walk in today. I Corinthians 6:9a, 6:11 "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?.... And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." Hey, these people need prayer. These people truly need Jesus. I certainly can not speak for all of them, but I can tell you now, that *said site* has some bitter Christians and professed unbelievers on it that *we* are not to have fellowship with. The Bible does warn us of having fellowship with those that are not like minded and preach not the gospel *we* preach. I can be friendly to them. I just can't be FRIENDS with them. To you that have come here and are members of *said site* you are always welcome to be here, where the cause of Christ, the name of Christ, and the love of Christ will be high and lifted up and you will always be treated with mutual respect. To Sisters that have been mocked, abused, cursed, and hated by *said site* I want to encourage you to stay away from *said site*. 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 says, "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.