RSS SubscribeThis is a question sent in by anonymous on the “Ask Aaron Anything” link:
My Answer:
Thanks for asking your question even though you do not expect much. LOL. I am playing, I am sure God can answer these through other sources but make sure those other sources including myself do not contradict scripture to tell you what you want to hear.
(1) You can pray for yourself but in your prayers for yourself always surrender to the will and word of God. When Jesus prayed in the garden before his death in Mt 26:39 - ”Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” He prayed for it to be taken but He surrendered to the will of God. So in your prayers for yourself be open and honest with God about your fears, worries, desires but ultimately if your will is opposite of His, surrender.
(2) Yes. Jesus is the only way! So with love, conviction, and boldness share Jesus with them. You can disagree and preach truth and not disrespect them. This is one of my pet peeves, people starting to believe that it is wrong to preach Jesus or share truth because they do not want to offend someone or disrespect them. Do it in love built on a foundation of relationship but preach Jesus. Ro 10:14 “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?”
(3) I know this question is already being answered too late because you probably have already jumped the gun. My guess is you have Justified having sex before marriage and are just trying to find a loop hole. Marriage is, and always has been, a covenant between a man, a woman, and God. I think you need to do some research on how covenants were made in scripture and throughout church history. Being in the covenant of marriage is not just about having sex. It is about being one Spiritually, physically, and legally. Marriage was never just a man saying, “I love this girl so I want to have sex.” It is the 2 becoming 1 flesh. The sexual part is not the first part of the covenant it was the last part after all else had been done. If you really feel married then you need to get married Spiritually and legally THEN sex is blessed by God. You need to be a man and take complete responsibility for the woman “you love” financially, emotionally, spiritually, and legally. Loving a woman is not just about having sex with her it is a covenant. A covenant is increasing your responsibilities and laying down your rights. I could preach on this forever but it comes down to this… be a man of Godly conviction and wait to have sex until you are married (spiritually, legally, and physically).
September 18th, 2008 at 3:42 pm
I agree Pastor…The truth can and should be spoken. Approach is everything in this. Coming at someone with a defensive attitude or a prideful mentality doesn’t work. But speaking the truth in respect and love…that breaks down walls and has impact. I just always have to be mindful that God is our defender so I don’t become defensive.
September 22nd, 2008 at 10:42 pm
I get what this person is saying about praying for yourself, sometimes i to feel like it might be selfish to pray for myself, but our God is a loving God and Father who cares for us, if we ask him anything thats according to his word and will it will be given to us. Those who do not ask do not receive, if i need anything in my life i come to God, for he is my provider. I should not worry about the things in my life because im walking in Gods will, but when i do worry, like peter trying to walk on the water but starting to sink in because of lack of faith, i scream out to Jesus to pick me up, and Jesus as a loving Father picks me up.
November 10th, 2008 at 3:43 am
I have learned a lot since i asked these questions and would like to recap on what i have found that i think would be helpful to others who may ask the same questions.
First question: Can someone pray for themselves without being selfish?
Answer: Prayer is only selfish if the person praying is selfish. We must become individually and congregationally selfless in our actions. To do something for ourselves is to glorify ourselves. Well ask yourself this “what glory do i need?” My answer is none. I ask for nothing in return for my deeds and don’t do them to be respected by my peers. The only one who is to be Glorified is Christ Jesus. If we pray to Jesus then we must submit to his rule and know that he will give us the tools to do his work. For that we must then appreciate what he has given us and learn to recognize that our prayers are always answered the way he sees fit. That’s good enough.
Question Two: Should I speak boldy in defending the name and scripture of Jesus?
My anwser: If someone can’t defend scripture then they don’t know scripture. Let us speak to those who think they understand and pray that soon they’ll see the actual point. Defending the man who died for you is one of the most important things we must do as Christians. The point is this, People are constantly debating scripture and i think that is because they don’t agree with some of it because it seems to contradict what they think they should be able to do. While this is common of those who try to prove to us that God doesn’t exist (sad to say), its more common of those who believe he does exist and just think Jesus isn’t upholding their own beliefs. Sorry, but in the off chance you feel that something in scripture doesn’t fit to the way that you want to live your life, then it is you that are wrong. Jesus doesn’t live to follow us, we live to follow Jesus. Stop debating scriptures like politians do in the senate and congress. Jesus doesn’t want a debate, he wants praise; we should spend less time questioning interpretations of the bible and more time praising God, simply put.
Question 3: Is it okay to have a sexual relationship with someone who you consider to be your wife or that you feel confident enough about to marry.
My Answer: NO!!! Like Aaron said i was looking for loopholes and bringing politics to biblical scripture. I confess i was wrong and am not ashamed to say so. Judge me, It helps. Look i used to practice paganism until i was saved and was questioning whether or not it was okay to be sexually active with what used to be my pagan wife. I have seen that we did not have a legally binding union and know now that i need to be unified with christ first before her and so does she. She started as an observer of my faith and has now grown in her own to love Jesus as well. I am putting away sexual immorality. Its not worth a life without Jesus. When the time that we may be unified under Christ in a legal marriage then we might consimate the relationship. Until then i am focusing on Christ and urging her to do the same. If it is not proven that she really loves Christ then i will not unify our relationship and she knows this. Seems harsh but think, Joseph lost a battle with a tiny city because one man took a shirt and some money from Jericho. How then can i defeat little problems in life if my union is cursed with the poison of paganism? The truth is harsh but by Christ i am given strength to endure.
For those of you who read my questions Pastor Aaron was kind enough to keep me anonymous so that I wouldn’t be judged by people. At the time i honestly wasn’t ready. Now i am working hard enough to revoke sins in my life that i am able to take responsibility for what i say and do. Judge me, It helps me to learn where i need to judge myself, where i need some work, and where the plank in my eye starts. My name is Tarek Arek and I am proud in only two things…Jesus Loves Me and I Am A Humble Servant To His Love.