To: All
Hi,
The section in Eph does refer to both men and woman - to control our sexuality. I don't think it is refers to man only. I think it was the culture than for man to be sexually active (other than their wives) because of the nature of the culture. Woman were usually at home whilst men were "out on the street". In the gospels, Christ spoke to an adulterous "woman".
I also think that it is not only woman that need to "hold their tongue". I think man also need that "hold their tongue" The book of James does not refer only to woman, but to both man and woman.
I am interested to hear your thought on this.
Malcolm
what you do say is true, re inclinations of men & women to go wrong in all ways..
love Su Min.
Dear Uncle Su Min
I read your letter on fasting and have the following comments:
Malcolm
I read your letter on fasting and have the following comments:
God speaks to me in various ways, most commonly by an inner prompting: I just feel guided to do it. Not an actual still small voice, but an inner drive which I sense is God's prompting. How do I know it is God, not myself or the master of lies? I think the congruency between the action, the situation, and what I understand of God's will, seem to confirm.
Sometimes I do actually hear a still small voice. Sometimes God speaks through a scripture passage: It may be something I read. It may crop up again and again, in reading, in sermon, in conversation. Why does that passage jump up at me? Coincidence? Or is God greater than chance? I believe he is.
Sometimes God speaks to me through angel messengers, mostly not in the form of amorphous white spiritual beings, but in the form of dear Christian brothers and sisters who come with a prayer, a verse. I bump into them or the phone rings. Some one calls. "I have been praying for you. Here is a verse for you". Then I get given a verse un-prompted by me: Prompted by the Holy Spirit? I believe so.
Fasting for the average city dweller who usually eats 5 times a day must be carefully embarked on. For the nomadic type hunter who usually eats only once a day or less, a 12 hour fast is no big deal. For the city dweller, I suggest a gradual easing into the experience. Start by skipping one meal, then 2 then 3.
But I am no big expert on fasting, and speak primarily of my own experience. Why 18 hours? Because it seemed right so to do. Why water only not total fast, again, it seemed the correct thing to do, bearing in mind my age 50 this year, and my high blood pressure. The other people fasting was more of a congruent confirmation rather than the primary moving force. It was an inner prompting that guided me to fast.
>How do you relate the "angle in white" to God confirming to you that you are to fast???
Do not know: only remember it as an experience: may be figment of imagination: may be a messenger. Just reporting to you what I think I experienced. Does not happen every day.
>Do you think that "fasting during lent" is somewhat legalistic??? Is it the same as what pope John Paul requested a few days ago about "giving up TV".
Fasting anytime, all the time, may be a good experience, if the spirit is right.
In the same vein, abstinence from the good things of life?? Give up some favourite pleasure, be it radio, TV, newspaper, netsurfing, chocolate, whatever, if done for man's eye, you know the value or lack of.
But, if that abstinence (sex for some) is performed one to one between created and Creator, as an act of sacrifice: and the time and energy otherwise used in the sacrificed activity used instead in prayer and meditation, then I believe we clear the channel of communication: Better than 28.8 modem: It is my experience that we enter into a closer communion with God.
>Have u read the book "Experiencing God" by Jonathon Edwards. He address some of these issues!!!
have not: wanna share?
Malcolm may I have your permission to share this side discussion with the wider group, i.e. Forward and Redirect your and my email messages to the whole group, about 20 subscribers at present?
Uncle Su Min
Dear Su Min
Please go ahead and share our discussion.
The book by Jonathon Edwards, "Experiencing God" talks about knowing what and how to know that God is leading in your / our lives. The book discuss subjects like visions, speaking in tongues ......... The book lays out the guidelines as to knowing God's will for our lives. I encourage that you get a hold of it. I will get the name of the publisher.
Malcolm. +)
From: Su Min
Subject: Dialogue
The following discussion is circulated for sharing, with permission from the contributors:
Dear Brother Su Min
Dear Malcolm
Just thought I'd drop you a note to let you know I enjoy e-mail messages. I was reading your message on adultery and had a few comments to make:
RE>Adultery
many thanks for your comments:
In justification of what I said, it is more of a generalisation: but certainly yes, women are capable of adultery and men of grumbling, yet, if we take averages, it is the male who very very easily slips into sexual sin.
I guess I would first ask about your experience on fasting. You mentioned that you were led to fast. How did you know that??? and why only eighteen hours (time frame????) and why not a total fast??? Were you led because "other groups were fasting"
Have u read the book "Experiencing God" by Jonathon Edwards. He address some of these issues!!!
How do you relate the "angel in white" to God confirming to you that you are to fast???
Do you think that "fasting during lent" is somewhat legalistic??? Is it the same as what pope John Paul requested a few days ago about "giving up TV".
I guess I would first ask about your experience on fasting. You mentioned that you were led to fast. How did you know that??? and why only eighteen hours (time frame????) and why not a total fast??? Were you led because "other groups were fasting"
As I faced a spiritual crisis, I felt that praying and fasting would enhance my spiritual awareness, and in so doing increase the spirit of wisdom and discernment.
If you fast for public admiration, you have already got your rewards, so our Teacher tells us. Fasting as punishment does not seem to carry the right sentiment for me. Fasting as a sacrifice does. I can see that fasting from food and water can help discipline the mind to be in tune for more spiritual awareness. Abstinence from meat is another form of fasting, hence some people go fish only on Friday. Again, if the doing becomes a ritual for man's eye, you know the value! (or lack of).
