Persecution

[JudgeNot]

If a gunman walked through my front door this evening, my first reaction would most certainly be a defensive one,

LOL!
I'm an extremely "well prepared" person for that possibilty.  

But it is a dual readiness tool.  It enables me to both protect AND feed my family.  Call it a "constitutional crescent wrench."  It "adjusts" to the need at hand.  

Having said that;
Dear Lord Jesus - we pray that the strength you have given us is used in Your name, for Your good.  We wish Your goodness to be bestowed on ALL men, and that Your sword be used to spare and protect rather than to take.  We love You, Jesus,  Your will be done. AMEN!

JN

[Soldier4Christ]

Does this mean we shouldn't whup-up on terrorists???

I think this classifies as defense. Should we lower ourselves to their standards of tormenting a person once they have already been subdued and unable to harm us? This is the difference.

How far should we go in defending ourselves? There is a thing called "minimum force required to subdue". I think this is a pretty good rule of thumb. If a person comes in my house brandishing a gun I would not hesitate to take them out if at all possible. It would tare me up, I would feel bad that it had to come to that, but I would not regret having done it.

[2nd Timothy]

It would tare me up

LOL   For some reason the movie Billy Jack (i think is the name) comes to mind, where He says hes really a nice guy and kind and all, but when he sees the indian girl degraded He just goes bizerk.   Love that movie!


"I'm gonna take my right foot, and hit you on the left side of your face, and theres not anything you're going to be able to do about it".   "Oh yeah?"  "Yeah"...whack!.....ROFL

[Soldier4Christ]

....where He says hes really a nice guy and kind and all ..... He just goes bizerk

Is that thought toward me??    ME?? (I'll never tell.)

LOL ....  

I liked the Billy Jack movies also.

[2nd Timothy]

Why yes it was PR!  lol    

[nChrist]

If a gunman walked through my front door this evening, my first reaction would most certainly be a defensive one,

LOL!
I'm an extremely "well prepared" person for that possibilty.  

But it is a dual readiness tool.  It enables me to both protect AND feed my family.  Call it a "constitutional crescent wrench."  It "adjusts" to the need at hand.  

Having said that;
Dear Lord Jesus - we pray that the strength you have given us is used in Your name, for Your good.  We wish Your goodness to be bestowed on ALL men, and that Your sword be used to spare and protect rather than to take.  We love You, Jesus,  Your will be done. AMEN!

JN

JudgeNot,

Brother, I've got that tool set.    

I wonder if they are the same - mine has funny numbers and letters on them (i.e. 45, 9mm, 380, 870, 357, etc.).    It's not a complete tool set, but it's more than a starter set.

My home looks lived in 24/7, and it is. If someone breaks into my home knowing there is probably someone home, they are already prepared to deal with whoever is home. They've already thought things over and made their minds up what to do in numerous scenarios, but so have I. I do trust in God to protect my family and I, but I know that I am one of the tools God has furnished for that purpose.

Brother, I believe in the prayer you posted 100%. There is no contradiction between the Bible and the defense of family. Some confuse torts or civil wrongs mentioned in the Bible as meaning that Christians should simply lay down for the slaughter should that time of extreme danger ever come.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Philippians 1:6  And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you. (The Amplified Bible)

[Soldier4Christ]

Brother Tom,

I don't have any tools with those numbers on them. I live in government housing for the moment and such is not allowed here. I do have many tools that God gave me and the Military taught me how to use them effectively. They will have to do for the time being.

Brother, I believe in the prayer you posted 100%. There is no contradiction between the Bible and the defense of family. Some confuse torts or civil wrongs mentioned in the Bible as meaning that Christians should simply lay down for the slaughter should that time of extreme danger ever come.

Amen!

[2nd Timothy]

I wonder if they are the same - mine has funny numbers and letters on them (i.e. 45, 9mm, 380, 870, 357, etc.).    It's not a complete tool set, but it's more than a starter set.

LOL...good one!

I don't have that tool set brother, but I wish I did.   I do have an alternative however.   Two Rottwheilers I affectionately refer to as Alfa and Omega    

Its a little deterrent I like to call the revelation effect, or prophetic wisdom     Thus far, any would be trespassers have had the innate ability to see the immediate future from beginning to end, lest they repent....lol

[nChrist]

2nd Timothy,

   Brother, I had to laugh about the dogs, mainly because I also have two dogs.

The biggest one is about 20 pounds, and they are both mutts.

One is 15 years old and is missing over half his teeth.

The other one is 16 years old and doesn't have a mean bone in his body.

Both of them must be close to being deaf because I can sneak up on them both, and they can sleep through almost anything.

They love my family unconditionally, and we've all done the best we could to return their love and give them a happy and well-cared for life.

They are really a pretty good example of the love that JESUS commands us to have, and the Love of JESUS is exactly what I'm thinking about right now. It makes me happy every time I think about JESUS, real Love, and the blessings of Love that JESUS has provided in my life. 1) JESUS; 2) My wife of 33 years; 3) My parents, children, grandchildren, and family; 4) My brothers and sisters in Christ.

On the other side of the coin is sadness in realizing how often I fail in the Love JESUS wants me to have for others. Especially, considering the many blessings that have been bestowed on my family and I by God. I'm certainly not talking about material riches, rather of spiritual blessings and Salvation for my entire family. We all belong to JESUS, so what more could I possibly want. Yet, I don't measure up even to my dogs in terms of love. All I know to do is pray.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Matthew 22:36-40  Teacher, which kind of commandment is great and important (the principal kind) in the Law? [Some commandments are light--which are heavy?]  And He replied to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (intellect). [Deut. 6:5.]  This is the great (most important, principal) and first commandment.     And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself. [Lev. 19:18.]  These two commandments sum up and upon them depend all the Law and the Prophets. (The Amplified Bible)
 

[2nd Timothy]

You know Tom, I have felt the exact same way, as I am sure most Christians do at some time or other.   We truly are unworthy of His Love for us, but we are at the top of His agenda, and He Loves us more than we know.   That is the true definition of Grace I believe.  What Grace our Father has bestowed on us.   What an awesome God we serve!

[JudgeNot]

Yes sir, Mr. BEP - my tools are marked similarly:
.44, .44, .44, 12 ga, .22, .306...

For some reason I just LOVE the number 44.  I wonder if that has biblical significance?  

(Oh - and I've got a little Gamo break-barrel .177 with 1250 fps muzzle velocity - it's actually one of my favorite tools.  It's soooo quiet!  Its the first tool I use for my fried rabbit recipe )

(Uh-oh - I hope this conversation doesn't upset our northern neighbors who have demonized such tools...)    SO: JUST FOR THE RECORD:  I am entirely legal, registered and fully trained and permitted.  

[nChrist]

JudgeNot,

When or if the terrorists mount an assault on our soil, I don't think they will like or appreciate us.    There is a small army of older folks just in my neighborhood that are dangerous. In fact, I know quite a few grandmothers who would be dangerous if the terrorists started doing things to our children and grandchildren like they do in Israel. It would not be pretty. I might add that I'm afraid to cross grandma.  

[Soldier4Christ]

I'm reminded of "Granny Get Your Gun".

My Grandmother was an Appalachian Hill Folk. She kept a loaded shotgun next to her bed at all times and had a cupboard full of guns and ammo. I never crossed her.