Thursday, July 19, 2012

Questions 1 of 2


During our summer PiNK girls Bible study we allow girls to ask questions anonymously.  It's a safe and great way to ask things that normally don't get asked. 

Please know we don't have any back story to any of these questions. So with what was given to us, we seek Jesus and do our best to answer any question given. If you need someone to go deeper and speak to you more about a specific issue going on, please feel free to contact PiNK Ministries (pinkministries@yahoo.com) anytime and we would love to talk, pray, and seek Jesus with you. Know we love and are crazy about each of you.

How do you talk to your friends (even Christians) when you disagree with them about issues without burning that bridge?
Personalities and perspectives cause people to handle situations differently, unfortunately, not everyone handles things gently. God’s Word defines rules for how to deal with one another, but sometimes it can be harsh other times gentle.  You never want to “burn a bridge” if it can be avoided.  

That’s why Paul wrote,
Rom 12:18 NASB - "If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.”

For your friends, the above verse may give them a better perspective on not burning bridges.

Do everything you can to live in peace. But girlfriend, let me say this: don't back down on what you stand for. Standing up for what you believe in is not always the most popular choice, but standing up for what God's Word says is always worth it! 

I'll be praying for you, friend. Praying that God will show and guide you in this entire situation. 

Even though I’m a follower & a believer of Christ, how do I know whether I’m going to heaven or not?
If you have asked Jesus Christ to come into your heart and repented of your sins then it is by faith.  But, the more you live in Christ the more you will see the fruit of the Spirit.  Pray daily, study the Word, and live what He teaches and you will grow to a point in your relationship with God where there is no doubt about where you are going.  It is a walk of faith.

Believe in it, my friend. Don't allow the enemy to let you think any different. The enemy can feed us lies to make us think Jesus doesn't have a hold of us, but if you have given your life over to Him and repented of your sins - then you, girlfriend are His!  To answer your question - when You are His, you spend eternity with Him.

When relationships end and it ends badly because of things they were doing, do you still try to reach out to be friends or let it be?
If we have said or done something to deliberately harm someone, then God requires us to ask for their forgiveness.  So make sure you take care of anything you had a part in the relationship breaking up.  Then, walk away.  I know it is hard to leave a friendship, but if that person is not living for God or making bad decisions (that ultimately costed the friendship) it is best for you not to be involved in their lives. 

I'm so sorry you are having to go through this. I completely understand. Know I'm praying for you, friend.

When you die does your soul go straight to heaven or does it wait Judgment day?
Jhn 5:24 NASB - "Truly, truly , I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.”

If you are in Christ on earth then your soul goes straight to heaven and judgment on heaven and hell is already finished, but there is another judgment day when God will reward us for what we have done on earth.
2Cr 5:10 NASB - "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”

If you think God is testing you to quit doing something you love but then He gives it back to you what does that mean?
That you’ve been tested. God asked Abraham for Issac, Abraham gave Issac to God, and then God gave Issac back to Abraham.  
I feel like I’m the only one that has hurt someone dear to me. I know Jesus forgives me and has cleared me of sin, but what do you do when you have that guilt remain in you?

Rom 8:1 NASB - "Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."

Guilt is condemnation. God wants us to learn from our mistakes and not to continue to do them.  If guilt is still around we need to exam the situation.  Have I really repented (which means to turn around from what we were doing wrong in the first place) , if so, are we living in Christ.  Do our actions line up with God’s Word?  If so, then is the devil just trying to use it to hinder you from moving on in God.  If the enemy is trying to hinder us, then you must learn to walk-on knowing God has forgiven you.  Unfortunately, there are consequences to our sins..it may just take time for the relationship to heal and you need to do all you can to bring a quick healing.

And the great part about this is you obviously do want the relationship healed - so I'll be praying and agreeing for God to move in this relationship however He wants. 

Are body piercing against God’s will?  Like belly button piercings and nose piercing?
Exd 21:6 NASB - then his master shall bring him to God, then he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him permanently. 

Piercing use to be used as a sign of a slave. I cannot find any scripture against it, but, pray and see how God wants you to handle your body. BE SURE - to ask and obey your parents. It is sooo important to submit and follow what your parents (who are the leadership God has placed over you) say and ask of you. God tells us in Deuteronomy 5:16, "Honor your father and mother", and it's the first commandment with a promise! He gives you a promise that if you do honor them that, "you will live long and things will go well for you."

So friend, ask your parents and ask the LORD what you should do! The LORD is not going to guide you differently than your parents. 

When you’ve done everything to save something worth saving in a friend, when they've been sucked into the lies of the world, what do you do?
Pray. The most powerful thing you can do for someone is pray for them.  
Live it! Show them (example: actions, language, or even reactions) there is a different way of living, and it's the only way that has true life. 

Makes me think of Matthew 5:16 - "Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and praise your Father in Heaven."

Live your life so focused on Jesus being the core of who you are that He is just oozing out of you, my friend. 

Remember it takes nothing to live like the world, but it takes everything to live like Jesus.

I'll be praying that God will give you boldness, that God will give you strength to pray for your friend, and ultimately praying that your friend finds Jesus. 

If you forgive someone do you have to be friends with them still?
No, you do not have to remain friends.  Forgiveness is a commandment not a choice, so you will have to forgive whoever who hurt you.  But, God doesn’t expect you to have to remain friends with someone who hurts you; only remember God does expect you to take the high-road.  If you walk away from a friendship, don’t gossip, criticize, blame or do anything to slander them.  Just walk away.

I'm so sorry you are having to go through this...know I'm here any praying with you, girl!

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