quote: Originally Posted by nana young:
You know, a few days ago I was reading the forum and someone posted about all the confusion in the churches and as I read I was struck with the thought that maybe, just maybe someone was really interested in understanding why this is so. In my ignorance I thought I might could help.
Then all of a sudden I am getting replies from people accusing me of being someone else and they are not interested in my help. I want everyone to know that when I posted for the first time a man by the name of Bill Gray welcomed me to the forum and I thanked him because he also corrected something for me for which I am grateful. Someone else commented on my post but rest assured unlike Bill (who all of you seem to hate) you won't be bothered with me anymore.
Excuse me for caring.
Hi Nana,
Please do not allow this small cabal of malcontents to discourage you. If you will notice, there are about ten such malcontents who always jump on any Christian who posts. But, the last time I looked, which was a couple of years ago, there are over 12,000 forum members registered to post. That number is most likely up to 15,000 plus now.
And, an educated guess would say that there are many times that number who come to the TimesDaily Forums just to read -- and do not bother to become members. For example, right now, if you look in the lower right hand corner of the forum web page -- you will read this:
Current Visitors: 519 (Members: 9, Guests: 510)
This tells us that right now -- there are only 9 posting members logged on the forum -- but there are 510 GUEST who have come to read. Those people are our target audience for the Gospel. The naysayers and malcontents which continue to throw rocks at us -- are a puny minority. They just love to yell loud while they rant and rave at conservative Christians. So, hang in there -- for those reading GUEST.
When Christ gave us the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20, Acts 1:8, Mark 16:15) -- He didn't tell us we would not meet resistance. The world will always resist God's Word. Jesus told us the world, i.e., secular society, will hate us for His name sake. So, we just smile and tell them, "God loves you!" Matter of fact, that is my avatar: God Is Love!
Our job is not to make these malcontents listen, our job is not to convert these malcontents -- our job is to be sowing seeds of salvation and allow the Holy Spirit to do the harvesting. How do you know that something you wrote has not made a difference in some person's life -- today?
About 18 years ago, I worked for a computer company which integrated custom computer systems for clients. One Friday afternoon a customer in Houston called for help with his system. I told him, "I can help you for about an hour, but then I have to leave for I have Bible study tonight."
All of a sudden he perked up, seemed to have forgotten his computer problem, and said, "You are a Christian?" "Yes," I told him. And, then I told him about Christian newsletter called "The Good News" which I wrote, published, and mailed once a month.
He asked to be on my mail list -- and a couple of weeks later, I mailed my monthly The Good News newsletter, with him included. Fast forward a couple of weeks and we were talking again. The first thing he told me was, "Bill, I got your newsletter. It came just in time."
Because my boss and another client were in my office, I could not ask him what he meant that "it came just in time." I could only assume that this man had a need, a serious need, which my newsletter addressed -- and he received the answer he needed -- just in time.
About a week later I left the company -- and never got to follow up with that man. But, I have the peace of mind of knowing that my sharing the Word of God in that newsletter met a need he felt at that time. So, I was sowing seeds -- and whatever his need, the Holy Spirit used my newsletter to bring him the answer he sought.
Nana, please do not allow this handful of naysayers to drive you away. What I do is to take whatever they might write which can be used to share the Word of God with the GUESTS -- and use that as a platform for sharing the Gospel.
But, since most of their rantings are just "spitting contests" and "rock throwing" -- I ignore that. I have much better use of my time that to spend it in endless "spitting contests" with irate children who are angry with God.
So, my Friend, hang in there -- and keep sharing God's Word, planting seeds. The Holy Spirit will take care of the rest.
God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,
Bill