Paradise Cafe Discussions - A Place For Bible Research And Christian Encouragement

Good afternoon all ... :D:grouphug:

warning ... If you have blood pressure problems, have been treated unlovingly, unkindly, or unfairly ... you might just want to 'skip over' :sheepy: the watchtower comments for today ...;):whistle::siskiss:

The Scripture for today is taken from Rom. 12:15 ...

Rejoice with people who rejoice; weep with people who weep.

Watchtower comments ...

''Loving Christian shepherds endeavor to show personal interest in each sheep in the congregation. (Phil. 2:4) One way shepherds become better acqyainted with individual sheep is by working side by side with them in the public preaching work. Jesus often had his followers with him in the preaching work and used occasions to give encouragement. (Luke 8:1) Love moved Jesus to share in the joys and sorrows of his followers. For example, when 70 of his disciples returned with joy from their preaching, Jesus became ''overjoyed.'' (Luke 19:17-21) However, when he saw the effect Lazarus' death had on Mary and her family members and friends, ''Jesus gave way to tears.'' (John 11:33-35) Likewise, caring shepherds today are not emotionally distant from the sheep. If you experience either joy or sadness in your life, feel free to share your feelings with Christian shepherds.''---Rom. 1:11,12. w5/1/06 6,7

My thoughts ... :giverose:

What is the main thrust of the 'list' of things Paul wanted fellow Christians to be with one another ...

In a word ...

:heartbeat: LOVE :heartbeat:

But what KIND of 'love' ...

Rom. 12:9a ...

(BBE) Let love be without deceit.

(ASV) Let love be without hypocrisy.

(Bishops) Loue without dissimulation,

(CEV) Be sincere in your love for others.

(Darby) Let love be unfeigned;

(ESV) Let love be genuine.

To me it is good to stop and think about this for a minute ...

Why you might ask ...?

Because there are those who could among God's people ... remember those 'wolves in sheep's clothing' (not you woofette :wolfsmile: :friends:) you may PRETEND to 'love' ... but they do not do so from a Godly heart of love, but rather from a self-serving or hypocritical kind of 'love' ... :(

So, many of us have been the 'victims' of this kind of love have we not ...:( we were thrown off kilter when the 'love' we thought we had amongst our brotherhood wasn't there when the 'chips were down' ... when we went to those 'loving shepherds' for 'help', 'advice', 'questions', 'concerns' and were quickly shown that the 'love' was indeed of the insincere kind ... that it only went 'so far' ... and most certainly not as far as the love that Christ had for us ... and the love that ALL of us need to strive to emulate, and especially those who volunteer to take the lead among us ...

Paul warned about this kind of 'surface' or 'insincere' love didn't he by penning the words at 1Cor. 13:1 ...

(ASV) If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal.

2 And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

3 And if I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profiteth me nothing.

This shows to me that there will be some who WILL DO things that 'look' like they have love ... that they care ... but in reality they DO NOT DO IT OUT OF LOVE ... :( and thus in the EYES OF GOD ... where it really counts ... it is worthless ...

So, WHY would someone do this ...? Why waste their time ...?

Because they are as Matt. 6:2 says ...

2 Hence when you go making gifts of mercy, do not blow a trumpet ahead of you, just as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be glorified by men. Truly I say to YOU, They are having their reward in full.

Yes, MEN may look up to them, praise them, think they are godly men and so on ... and so they have their TEMPORARY 'reward' now ...

But what about the future ... will their 'reward' extend that far ...? If they are in their hearts hypocrites and resentful of all they do ... or do it out of compulsion and so on ... well ... Jehovah who is always looking on will take note and act according to his will ...

So, for us ... let US ... each of us ... strive to make sure that OUR love is true, sincere, based out of a desire to walk in the loving and caring way our Lord walked as he imitated his Father ...

THEY have TRUE LOVE for us ...

And that is what we want to have as well ... :heartbeat::grouphug::friends::cheekkiss::happyheart:

So ...

if we need to take TIME with someone ... take it ...
if we need to LAUGH with someone ... then laugh ...
if we need to CRY with someone ... then cry ...
if we need to GIVE to someone (in whatever way) ... then give ...
if we need to to HUG someone ... then hug them ...
if we need to SHOW our love to someone ... then show it ...
if we need to LISTEN to someone ... then listen ...

And ALL of the above and MORE love takes EFFORT ... it is not a PASSIVE thing ... but requires ACTION ... sometimes it can take just a look, a phrase, some material thing ... and other times it requires real effort on a long time basis ...

That is WHY our love NEEDS to be ...

SINCERE
HEARTFELT
GENUINE
WITHOUT HYPOCRISY

Because if it is NOT ... then when we really need to show it ... to feel it ... to have it ... when the ULTIMATE TEST of it is required ... we won't have it ... :(

So, let us strive to have a deep and sincere unselfish love for our brothers and sisters ... for our neighbours ...

For only GOOD will result ... :happyheart:

We will have good and lasting relationships with others, with our God, with lord ... now ... and on into eternity ...:grouphug:

What could be better than that!!:thumbsup:

Hopefully someone else can add a thought or two or three ... ;)

Luv as always ... BR :sheepy: :bouncyhearts:

I have found there is great comfort in talking to a truly spiritual person who understands you and you can really trust--it brings a comfort unlike any other and I have found such people in these forums that we have shared more so than any other place--:heartbeat: and I believe there is great wisdom for everyone in learning to be to others what they need for you to be. I Love that whole chapter of Romans 12.....as far as the congregational arrangements go I found the Servants more encouraging and less judgemental than elders--until they became elders. It must have something to do with their training. These comments today from the organization show (to me) they know what they Should be. It would be interesting to me to know how many in the congregations felt the disharmony that most of us here do---:thinking: because I have had different ones tell me they felt they had No one to talk to. It is kind of sad really.....:grouphug: except we have the beautiful reminders in Romans 12--:happyheart: priceless :love: