</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">spinster said:
struggle is what makes you compassionate towards others, yet some christians harden their hearts and become judgemental. witnessed this on here myself.</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Yes, struggle and the testing of our faith should make us more compassionate towards others but not compassionate toward the sins or weakness in that life.

Compassion! Ouch, my heart is so filled with passion and compassion towards certain people that much like Spurgeon I sometimes cry and cry and when the crying is finsihed I question why I was crying.

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">The religion scholars and Pharisees led in a woman who had been caught in an act of adultery. They stood her in plain sight of everyone and said, "Teacher, this woman was caught red-handed in the act of adultery. Moses, in the Law, gives orders to stone such persons. What do you say?" They were trying to trap him into saying something incriminating so they could bring charges against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger in the dirt. They kept at him, badgering him. He straightened up and said, "The sinless one among you, go first: Throw the stone." Bending down again, he wrote some more in the dirt. Hearing that, they walked away, one after another, beginning with the oldest. The woman was left alone. Jesus stood up and spoke to her. "Woman, where are they? Does no one condemn you?" "No one, Master." "Neither do I," said Jesus. "Go on your way. From now on, don't sin."
(John 8:3-11 MSG)
</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Christ spoke with comapssion toward the woman and said "Go on your way. From now on, don't sin.


So now I speak from a personal level. In reading here over the last several months I am hard pressed to see where anyone has been judgemental toward you. Many have spoken from their hearts, their own personal suffering in thier lives and have attempted to give direction and support. There are many here who have walked and experienced many of these struggles or testing in our own lives so we speak from personal experiences.


</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">
Jesus went straight to the Temple and threw out everyone who had set up shop, buying and selling. He kicked over the tables of loan sharks and the stalls of dove merchants. He quoted this text: My house was designated a house of prayer; You have made it a hangout for thieves. Now there was room for the blind and crippled to get in. They came to Jesus and he healed them.
(Matthew 21:12-14 MSG)

</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Christ drove out the buyers and sellers. Why? The abuses have to be removed and those things not of Christ have to be weeded out up before that which is right can be established or planted.

The buyers and sellers in the Temple's courts could be compared to sin and weakness in our lives. Since they were purged we now see what happens "Now there was room for the blind and crippled to get in. They came to Jesus and he healed them." There is now room for those that need Christ to enter in.

Much like our lives, we have to have those things not of Christ removed from our lives so the Truth can be planted, otherwise there is no room for that Truth. But...unless we keep those things out of our lives they will return and take up residence again if there is not a continual care to keep then out.

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Don't be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others--ignoring God!-- harvests a crop of weeds. All he'll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God's Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life.
(Galatians 6:7-8 MSG)</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I do not believe that there is any person on this site that would attempt to judge or harden their hearts toward another individual. Possibly harden themselves toward actions but not that person. Back to the old saying of "love the sinner but hate the sin."

Each of us are a work in progress, we are all under in learning and precense of the Holy Spirit as we grow in Christ each day. How are we growing? To be more like Him! Is not the simplest Will of God, to be obedient and becme more like Him.

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">But the fruit of the Spirit is: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
(Galatians 5:22-23 MKJV)</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">As we grow in Christ wach of these traits will become more evident in our lives. Each of us here are in different walks, different places in our relationship with Christ and others. We each are learning to let this fruit be evident in our relationships with others, but....we ain't all there yet!

Love, Joy, Peace...I've pretty much got those under control.

Long-Suffering...Ha! Let's just say that God and I are still working on that one.

Kindness, Goodness...for the most part. I can only say that there are a few circumstances or people where I find it hard to show kindness and goodness.

Meekenss! When one allows God to break their heart meekenss becomes second nature.

Self-Control! Can we take that one out of the list? It's probably one of the hardest for me and I would rather not have to deal with it. But...God wants me to bring all things under the control of His Will and the Holy Spirit.

So how do I end all of this?

I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward--to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back.
(Philippians 3:12-14 MSG)

God Blee Ya!

YEA SELF CONTROL IS HARD FOR ME TOO. thanks for reminder. I do have this new motto for 05, agree to disagree. compassion does go both ways. true. i dont mind some Constructive criticism towards my actions, but not destructive towards me as a person. however am super sensitive and thats why i need my anxiety rx, because im known by family to over react and read between lines. for example-theres ab earthquake in mexico, must be my fault! Ive already admitted earlier that im responsible for my comments too. and starting to understand where others are coming from. honesty is better than being just patronized. i do respect your honest opinion . [; God bless you for setting me straight again.