tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3671303250243641170.post4364854774299480593..comments2023-11-03T03:53:55.052-06:00Comments on unfolding: Grace on a Thursday: Christians being all judgeyLeslie @ top of the pagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10003880675646742286noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3671303250243641170.post-62105177914707570942012-06-16T17:26:49.304-06:002012-06-16T17:26:49.304-06:00Hi Leslie! I've been reading your blog for jus...Hi Leslie! I've been reading your blog for just about a year or so now, and I just wanted to let you know how much of a mentor you seem to me. We've exchanged a brief email interaction awhile ago about heartache and breakups and ever since then, there's been this little thread connecting the two of us through the internet. Your posts about grace, our Heavenly Father and the ups and downs of life are so inspiring and light-giving. Even though I'm a ways behind you in life experience, your words are so invaluable to me and have been nothing but encouraging and have helped me refine who I am and how to truly find my identity in the Lord. Thank you for being bold enough to share pieces of yourself. I appreciate it more than you could imagine :)<br /><br />Love love love,<br />RachelAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3671303250243641170.post-49427291711092870952012-06-15T16:53:20.838-06:002012-06-15T16:53:20.838-06:00this is such a beautiful, refreshing and needed re...this is such a beautiful, refreshing and needed reminder. you are such a grace-filled woman and i look up to you so much!<br />xoErin James https://www.blogger.com/profile/01329012663561297080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3671303250243641170.post-45516921689101471182012-06-15T11:48:47.619-06:002012-06-15T11:48:47.619-06:00Hi Leslie,
There's an friend from church who ...Hi Leslie,<br /><br />There's an friend from church who had asked about borrowing the books from her Facebook friends at large a few weeks ago. God has kept her on my heart since then, and so, after reading your post, I felt convicted to send her a note with a bit of my testimony as well as why I thought the books were out of line with what the Bible says God wants for us.<br /><br />Thank you for your grace and honesty and your encouragement for us to bring grace and honesty.Meadow Briannahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08157360675522962385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3671303250243641170.post-46322573062035313922012-06-15T09:17:47.751-06:002012-06-15T09:17:47.751-06:00Oh, Leslie. You ARE a person who continues to offe...Oh, Leslie. You ARE a person who continues to offer so much grace to others and to accept and live in Jesus' grace. But, I also hope readers catch the fact that grace and truth go together. God doesn't offer us grace so that we can keep on sinning. Romans 6:1 talks about this very subject. Also, in Matt 7 it says don't look at the speck in your brothers I before you deal with the plank in your own eye. But, it does go on to say once you deal with your plank you will be able to help your brother deal with his speck. See the circle? We help each other. It is a good thing! Your tone has been nothing but loving, truthful, compassionate, and biblical. <br /><br />Another perspective is possibly we are all so used to doing what we want when we want, or having what we want when we want it that we no longer understand the difference between feeling judged and conviction. Is it possible that defensiveness towards your post from people who follow Jesus confused the two feelings? I obviously don't know, but I do have my suspicions. Am I being judgmental? No. I'm part of the body of Christ and all members belong to the others. (Rom 12) I've experienced defensiveness from feeling judged and conviction from the Holy Spirit. They are remarkably related. <br /><br />One more thought, I think growing in holiness as we get closer to God through an intimate relationship with Jesus is like a funnel. As I started my journey years ago, my funnel was wide. My understanding of living a holy life was broad and undefined. As I've grown in him, prayerfully and thankfully, my character is refined as I allow him to prune branches in my life so that I will bear fruit. (John 15) When I look at women much older than me that seriously and intimately walk with Jesus, they almost seem perfect because they are walking such a narrow road (or funnel) of holiness. They have become more and more like Jesus. I'm sure what seemed acceptable to them at a much younger age they would never consider in their current stage of life. May we all continue to grow in godliness because He is doing a good work in our lives if we allow him. May we love the things He loves, and hate the things He hates, laugh at the things He laughs at, and mourn the things He mourns.Angelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06963541298118334744noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3671303250243641170.post-64196172031715636792012-06-14T23:02:11.095-06:002012-06-14T23:02:11.095-06:00I didn't get a chance to reply to your email s...I didn't get a chance to reply to your email so I will do so here :) I really enjoyed this post and am much more appreciative of your intentions now. In truth (as you know) it did feel judgmental to me, but in your clarification here, I can really appreciate your stance and understand the root from where it stems. Love. <br /><br />It has been a very enjoyable dialogue to have with you and I so appreciate your candor. I do believe the Bible is open to interpretation and expansion as we review its word with relevant eyes. We live in a much different world and I think it's appropriate to seek out new meaning of the scriptures (some of them, at least) to mold to our current societies realities without allowing for too much straying from the original intentions. <br /><br />And, with that insane run-on sentence, I wish you a goodnight! Haha! Thank you for such intellectual material. It's given me much to consider.Jamiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01940398112204004313noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3671303250243641170.post-59705898640341977992012-06-14T20:15:02.991-06:002012-06-14T20:15:02.991-06:00You are right on here, and I commend you for divin...You are right on here, and I commend you for diving into a sticky topic like 50 shades. I haven't read the books and probably won't for all the reasons you stated. But I love how this opened a bigger conversation on grace and judgment and doing what really, Christ wanted us to do: encourage one another. And I couldn't agree more, todays morality is, unfortunately, all about what is relevant and true for each individual. And that has pulled us so far from God's best in our lives. For my own life I keep going back to the Psalm that says I will set before my eyes no vile thing. It's a choice I make based on what God has revealed to me. I guess that looks different for each one of us based on our walk with the Lord, and that is why I am so grateful for grace. Grace to accept my own place in my journey and grace to pray for my sisters as they walk out their own journey. <br /><br />Thank you for standing up for truth, and sticking to your guns! You are an encouragement!Ginahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15231197848904182078noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3671303250243641170.post-56247328703682204282012-06-14T15:54:27.071-06:002012-06-14T15:54:27.071-06:00It's so refreshing to read someone standing up...It's so refreshing to read someone standing up for what is right with love and grace. i know it's hard to take a stand, but you're right it's obedience.Jessicahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09486556902687283508noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3671303250243641170.post-56456136175581837512012-06-14T11:19:05.372-06:002012-06-14T11:19:05.372-06:00I like this follow up to the ongoing conversation....I like this follow up to the ongoing conversation. Your perspective challenged mine, and I feel grateful for having your point of view on my radar; not on this topic, alone, but on all those I've read over the past year or so. Keep it up, because, at the end of the day, you are a rare gem, and I really enjoy the balance of truth and grace for which you strive. It's a lofty goal I can certainly try harder to reach. <br /><br />Vanessavanessa alejihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18010195320357000221noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3671303250243641170.post-85946402587913400652012-06-14T09:39:30.453-06:002012-06-14T09:39:30.453-06:00I'm a new reader and have been going back and ...I'm a new reader and have been going back and reading your posts about this topic. I loved that you took a stand! I love that these posts got people talking, and not just talking about a book, but talking about GOD and HIS WORD! I love that it got people opening up scripture! I love that even in reading your posts I can feel the Holy Spirit moving! <br />I love the line in your last post, "It is not judgement; it is obedience" <br />Period. The Bible is open to interpretation in some areas, but when it flat out, in strong words says DON'T DO IT...there is no interpretation there. <br />Thank you for your brave stance on this!Blessed Little Curlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01129677615686579795noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3671303250243641170.post-1616615574107995112012-06-14T08:09:14.825-06:002012-06-14T08:09:14.825-06:00I found myself nodding my head over and over while...I found myself nodding my head over and over while reading this post! I think the word "judge" has been made ugly and harsh by a lot of Christians. The way I think about it is we're not supposed to judge the world. That's God's job. We are supposed to keep each other, as believers, accountable to His standards. We do have freedom in Christ but that freedom doesn't equal permission to abuse His grace. <br />Thank you again Leslie for speaking the truth in love. Thank you for being obedient to His prompting you to share this. He's going to do good through it, I just know it!Kellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00192972998727462569noreply@blogger.com