TRUE BELIEVERS - Religious beliefs, verses, poems and prayers...

[Kent]

First of all, I'd like to let everyone know that this is a safe place for us guys to post our thoughts and feelings about our religious beliefs, verses, poems and prayers. We want this to be a positive space. Everyone is welcome to join in the discussion or to post. However, there is no room for any negative remarks toward any of the thoughts or posts. Let's keep this positive and uplifting!


February 26

I AM LEADING YOU, STEP BY STEP, through your life. Hold My hand in trusting dependence, letting Me guide you through this day. Your future looks uncertain and feels flimsy - even precarious. That is how it should be. Secret things belong to the Lord, and future things are secret things. When you try to figure out the future, you are grasping at things that are Mine. This, like all forms of worry, is an act of rebellion: doubting My promises to care for you.
Whenever you find yourself worrying about the future, repent and return to Me. I will show you the next step forward, and the one after that, and the one after that. Relax and enjoy the journey in My Presence, trusting Me to open up the way before you as you go.

DEUTERONOMY 29:29; PSALM 32:8

[justanolecowboy]

I am thankful - grateful for this thread. I think it important for men of faith - to be strong in our faith - to express support and strength for like minded (brothers) for ourselves - and for those we love and care about.

For me - my strength comes from Him and I pray that I grow in His love and guidance everyday ... I'm not perfect by any stretch - but I strive to be a better man for myself - and for those I care about - (and) for me - that means - a strong faith and belief in God.

I've so much to be thankful and grateful for in my life ... and I thank Him daily for those blessings...and try to always remember all good things come from Him - and it is only through Him that I am made strong in all things and in all ways.

My blessings and prayers for each of you ... I look forward to this space to share and to grow and share with others.

[Gentle Tiger]

The Way of Love

13 If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate.

2 If I speak God’s Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, “Jump,” and it jumps, but I don’t love, I’m nothing.

3-7 If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.

Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love doesn’t strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head,
Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always “me first,”
Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.
8-10 Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled.

11 When I was an infant at my mother’s breast, I gurgled and cooed like any infant. When I grew up, I left those infant ways for good.

12 We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!

13 But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.

[Blade]

Don't worry, because I am with you. Don't be afraid, because I am your God. I will make you strong and I will help you; I will support you with my right hand that saves you. I am the Lord your God, who holds your right hand, and I tell you "Don't be afraid, I will help you."

Isaiah 41:10, 13

Many times God has held me up when I thought I couldn't stand. He has made me strong when I was at my weakest. He has instilled faith and trust in me for Him, when I was afraid. He's never let me down, when I have faith in Him

[justanolecowboy]

Those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.They will soar high on wings like eagles.They will run and not grow weary.They will walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

[justanolecowboy]

http://i1262.photobucket.com/albums/ii603/NIGHTrambler/482355_416521201775141_2078185755_n_zps57414533.jp g


A little boy wanted to meet God.

He knew it was a long trip to where God lived, so he packed his suitcase with cookies and six cans of lemonade and he started his journey. When he had gone about three blocks, he met an old woman.

She was sitting in the park just staring at some pigeons. The boy sat down next to her and opened his suitcase. He was about to take a drink from his lemonade when he noticed that the old lady looked hungry, so he offered her a cookie.

She gratefully accepted it and smiled at him. Her smile was so pretty that the boy wanted to see it again, so he offered her a lemonade. Again, she smiled at him.

The boy was delighted! They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling, but they never said a word. As it grew dark, the boy realized how tired he was and he got up to leave, but before he had gone more than a few steps, he turned around, ran back to the old woman, and gave her a hug.

She gave him her biggest smile ever.

When the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later, his mother was surprised by the look of joy on his face. She asked him “What did you do today that made you so happy?”

He replied, “I had lunch with God.” But before his mother could respond, he added, “You know what? She’s got the most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen!”

Meanwhile, the old woman, also radiant with joy, returned to her home.

Her son was stunned by the look of peace on her face and he asked, “Mother, what did you do today that made you so happy?” She replied, “I ate cookies in the park with God.”

However, before her son responded, she added, “You know, he’s much younger than I expected.”

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.

People come into our lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime.

[Daktari]

As a Christian I take great comfort from all of the New Testament. I believe that God sent his Son to save us because we didn't do so good sticking to the rules (Old Testament).

I barely pay any attention to the 'rules' and stories of the Old Testament.

[Kent]

February 27


KEEP YOUR EYES ON ME! Waves of adversity are washing over you, and you feel tempted to give up. As your circumstances consume more and more of your attention, you are losing sight of Me. Yet I am with you always, holding you by your right hand. I am fully aware of your situation, and I will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able to bear.

Your gravest danger is worrying about tomorrow. If you try to carry tomorrow's burdens today, you will stagger under the load and eventually fall flat. You must discipline yourself to live within the boundaries of today. It is in the present moment that I walk close to you, helping you carry your burdens. Keep your focus on My Presence in the present.


PSALM 73:23; 1 CORINTHIANS 10:13

[meridiantoo]

I don't have anything to add at this point, but I love this thread!

[justanolecowboy]

___________CHOOSE to view life through God's eyes. This will not be easy because it doesn't come naturally to us. We cannot do this on our own. We have to allow God to elevate our vantage point. Start by reading His Word, the Bible...Pray and ask God to transform your thinking. Let Him do what you cannot. Ask Him to give you an eternal, divine perspective.

__________blessings and prayers for all this night....

[meridiantoo]

_SgBhWhEtHY

Hope someone can enjoy this...reminds me of this thread.

:praying:

[meridiantoo]

N_lrrq_opng

[justanolecowboy]

N_lrrq_opng


i have always loved this song - thanks for posting. Blessings this night.

[socialjustice_fsu]

N_lrrq_opng

This moves my soul. Many of my hospice patients ask to hear this piece when they are aware of moving near the end of life. Peace be with you.

[OldSchoolButch]

We so needed this thread Kent....Beyond words. A heart felt thank you my friend.

God Bless OSB

[Blade]

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and hope.
Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord......this verse stirs up a controversy among Christians sometimes.

I ask those of you participating in this thread, are we predestined? Do you believe in predestination? Is our destination changed as we stroll threw life making decisions? When we make decisions on our own and they turn out badly does our destination change from the path God has prepared for us? Or is that part of the path God has prepared for us? Are we predestined to make bad decisions/choice?

[meridiantoo]

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and hope.
Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord......this verse stirs up a controversy among Christians sometimes.

I ask those of you participating in this thread, are we predestined? Do you believe in predestination? Is our destination changed as we stroll threw life making decisions? When we make decisions on our own and they turn out badly does our destination change from the path God has prepared for us? Or is that part of the path God has prepared for us? Are we predestined to make bad decisions/choice?


I believe we are predestined as God being omniscient knew before we were born what our destiny would be. However, I don't believe it is without human will and action involved. It's a like a movie already watched by God....He knows what will be already....for us, it is in the moment living, making decisions and acting on them. I think God has a path for us, but not everyone takes that path. Is this what you were asking?

Thanks for this thread, kent!

[betruetoyoursoul]

Meri, that is an excellent question! I tend to believe we have free will and choose our own roads to travel in this journey of life. There are times doors just seem to open, pointing in a positve direction, I count that as a blessing amongst all good things that come my way*S
Ty Kent&S

[Kent]

I need your prayers now.. I just found out today about 5:30 p.m. that my Mom died on the 17th of this month. I feel so raw. I cannot describe to you how I feel. We have not spoken to each other in 4 years and to find this out today via google was well, it was beyond what words can convey. Please include me and my family in your prayers. Thank you all.

[meridiantoo]

I need your prayers now.. I just found out today about 5:30 p.m. that my Mom died on the 17th of this month. I feel so raw. I cannot describe to you how I feel. We have not spoken to each other in 4 years and to find this out today via google was well, it was beyond what words can convey. Please include me and my family in your prayers. Thank you all.

Kent,

:praying: You are in my thoughts, my condolences to you.

[Jesse]

Kent,

Sending healing light and prayers to you this day. My condolences on your loss bro.

Jesse

[Ginger]

Kent, I'm very, very sorry for your loss. Scout

[LOQUI]

Hello Kent,
I was following the True Believers thread and I read your post...Im sorry for your lost and the way in which you found about it. You and your family are in my prayers. May the peace of God 'which passes all understanding keep your heart and mind'...may the Holy Spirit comfort and strengthen you in your inner being...
Paz...

[justanolecowboy]

I ask those of you participating in this thread, are we predestined? Do you believe in predestination? Is our destination changed as we stroll threw life making decisions? When we make decisions on our own and they turn out badly does our destination change from the path God has prepared for us? Or is that part of the path God has prepared for us? Are we predestined to make bad decisions/choice? [/B][/SIZE][/COLOR][/QUOTE]

Very good questions - ones which deserve some thought before replying quickly -I will write out some thoughts later on this - thank you - for prompting the deeper thoughts on these questions - have a blessed day brother.

[justanolecowboy]

I need your prayers now.. I just found out today about 5:30 p.m. that my Mom died on the 17th of this month. I feel so raw. I cannot describe to you how I feel. We have not spoken to each other in 4 years and to find this out today via google was well, it was beyond what words can convey. Please include me and my family in your prayers. Thank you all.


Kent -

As I pray for you this day - Psalms 23 keeps coming to my mind....there are no "words" that I can say personally that will help bring some comfort or peace - but God is the great comforter - beyond anything I could write or convey - so I direct my prayers to Him for your comfort - and of course send my own words of comfort for your peace and understanding. Please let me know if you need anything. - blessings and prayers.

Psalm 23
A psalm of David.

1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,[a]
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.

[DMW]

Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury,pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.


O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen

[Talon]

I move through life with spiritual grit.


The word courage comes from the Latin word for heart.
My heart takes courage when I boldly break through fear,
refusing to be crippled by it for one moment.

I have all the spiritual grit I need to make whatever changes or decisions are neccesary.
I have the courage to climb any mountain, however insurmountable it may appear.

I am not dismayed by life's setbacks or derailed by doubt.
I rely on my spiritual tools to steady my mind and fuel the faith of my courageous heart.

Right now, I step out with daring and take clear action.
I am a courageous conqueror, and victory is already won.


Be strong and courageous;
do not be frightened or dismayed,
for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

~Joshua 1:9

[justanolecowboy]

I pray everyday - some more than others - but everyday ... time spent with God in prayer - conversation is one of the best parts of my day...and I've been praying about and reading about responsibility to the one you love ... how some men (as i see them act and talk at work) - are so haphazard in how they conduct themselves and are seem to be (in my opinion) - lazy in their actions and words and responsibilities to their wives and/or girlfriends...and it makes me even more conscious of how I want to treat the one I love - how we as men of faith - should be responsible and honorable in our thoughts and actions and deeds for the women we love ... (no exceptions) ... and I think that "loving them" through God is one of the best ways to be responsible ... to show them that love - that strength you have for them through God...

So, many think of the word responsibility as a (bad thing or a have too) kinda thing - me - I (want) to be responsible.. to and for the one i love - it is one of the greatest honors and privileges i have ever know - and I thank God for that every day - and ask for His guidance...

Being responsible - (for me) - a good thing ...

I read a lot - biographies/published journals/etc...I was re-reading some letters from Ronald Regan and thought I would post it ... its from him to his son regarding marriage and responsibility...


Dear Mike:

“…You've heard all the jokes that have been rousted around by all the "unhappy marrieds" and cynics. Now, in case no one has suggested it, there is another viewpoint. You have entered into the most meaningful relationship there is in all human life. It can be whatever you decide to make it.

Some men feel their masculinity can only be proven if they play out in their own life all the locker-room stories, smugly confident that what a wife doesn't know won't hurt her. The truth is, somehow, way down inside, without her ever finding lipstick on the collar or catching a man in the flimsy excuse of where he was till three A.M., a wife does know, and with that knowing, some of the magic of this relationship disappears. There are more men griping about marriage who kicked the whole thing away themselves than there can ever be wives deserving of blame. There is an old law of physics that you can only get out of a thing as much as you put in it.... let me tell you how really great is the challenge of proving your masculinity and charm with one woman for the rest of your life. Any man can find a twerp here and there who will go along with cheating, and it doesn't take all that much manhood. It does take quite a man to remain attractive and to be loved by a woman who has heard him snore, seen him unshaven, tended him while he was sick and washed his dirty underwear. Do that and keep her still feeling a warm glow and you will know some very beautiful music. If you truly love a girl, you shouldn't ever want her to feel, when she sees you greet a secretary or a girl you both know, that humiliation of wondering if she was someone who caused you to be late coming home, nor should you want any other woman to be able to meet your wife and know she was smiling behind her eyes as she looked at her, the woman you love, remembering this was the woman you rejected even momentarily for her favors…..there is no greater happiness for a man than approaching a door at the end of a day knowing someone on the other side of that door is waiting for the sound of his footsteps.

Love,

Dad

P.S. You'll never get in trouble if you say "I love you" at least once a day.

_____I don't know about anyone else - and I only speak for myself - but, for me...I (always) ... (always) want (she who holds my heart) to be happy and waiting for the sound of my footsteps on the other side of the door - because she knows in her heart - that I am true - and faithful and honor and cherish her in every way possible - not just (sometimes) - but every single day.

[Kent]

Thank you all for your kind words and prayers. I am blessed to be a part of this community and I appreciate every kind word and prayer. I must continue to be close to God and to keep believing that He has a master plan for me.


February 28

STOP JUDGING AND EVALUATING YOURSELF, for this is not your role. Above all, stop comparing yourself with other people. This produces feelings of pride or inferiority; sometimes, a mixture of both. I lead each of My children along a path that is uniquely tailor-made for him or her. Comparing is not only wrong; it is also meaningless.

Don't look for affirmation in the wrong places: your own evaluations, or those of other people. The only source of real affirmation is My unconditional Love. Many believers perceive Me as an unpleasable Judge, angrily searching out their faults and failures. Nothing could be farther from the truth! I died for your sins, so that I might clothe you in My garments of salvation. This is how I see you: radiant in My robe of righteousness. When I discipline you, it is never in anger or disgust; it is to prepare you for face-to-Face fellowship with Me throughout all eternity. Immerse yourself in My loving Presence. Be receptive to My affirmation, which flows continually from the throne of grace.

LUKE 6:37; JOHN 3:16-17; ISAIAH 61:10 (NASB); PROVERBS 3:11-12

[justanolecowboy]

[QUOTE=Kent;758989]Thank you all for your kind words and prayers. I am blessed to be a part of this community and I appreciate every kind word and prayer. I must continue to be close to God and to keep believing that He has a master plan for me.


Kent - you continue to be in all our prayers and thoughts.

[Talon]

God is greater than our knowledge of Him.


The Father does not want us to worship or serve something so small
that a human, finite mind could envision it.
He is greater than our vision of Him.
Knowledge is important, but it is merely symbolic.
It is only a reflection of reality, never the substance.
Our thoughts are helpful, but they are not comprehensive.
Even of the Bible itself Jesus said..

"You search the scriptures, because, you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is these that bear witness of Me;
and you are unwilling to come to *ME* to have life."

John: 5:39-40

[justanolecowboy]

“Faith is not the belief that God will do what you want. It is the belief that God will do what is right.”
― Max Lucado, He Still Moves Stones


“The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather to change the nature of the one who prays.”
― Søren Kierkegaard

________I have found this to be so true ... simply put - prayer makes you a better person - time spent with God - talking to Him - about (everything) - because I have found - he cares just as much about what you might call the "little" things as he does the "big" things...time spent with God - transforms you - daily - makes you (better) for you - and for all those you care about.

[Kent]

March 1


WHEN SOMETHING IN YOUR LIFE OR THOUGHTS makes you anxious, come to Me and talk about it. Bring Me your prayer and petition with thanksgiving, saying: "Thank You, Jesus, for this opportunity to trust You more." Though the lessons of trust that I send to you come wrapped in difficulties, the benefits far outweigh the cost.

Well-developed trust will bring you many blessings, not the least of which is My Peace. I have promised to keep you in perfect Peace to the extent that you trust in Me. The world has it backwards, teaching that peace is the result of having enough money, possessions, insurance, and security systems. My Peace, however, is such an all-encompassing gift that it is independent of all circumstances. Though you lose everything else, if you gain My Peace you are rich indeed.

PHILIPPIANS 4:6 (NASB); ISAIAH 26:3

[always2late]

Kent, I am so sorry for your loss and more sorry that you found out about it the way that you did. You are in my thoughts and prayers.

[always2late]

I have a few questions to start a discussion for anyone who wishes to answer. How did you come by your faith? Is it a part of your upbringing? Or was it some other circumstance, or moment in your life that brought you to it? Do you still follow the faith you were raised with? Or have you chosen another path?

[Kent]

YOU ARE ON THE RIGHT PATH. Listen more to Me, and less to your doubts. I am leading you along the way I designed just for you. Therefore, it is a lonely way, humanly speaking. But I go before you as well as alongside you, so you are never alone. Do not expect anyone to understand fully My ways with you, any more than you can comprehend My dealings with others. I am revealing to you the path of Life day by day, and moment by moment. As I said to My disciple Peter, so I repeat to you: Follow Me.

PSALM 119:105; JOHN 21:22

[CaliFemmeGirl]

Kent, I am so sorry to hear of your loss. My heart aches for the way you learned of her loss. I will be keeping you and your family in my thoughts and prayers. *Big Hugs*

I need your prayers now.. I just found out today about 5:30 p.m. that my Mom died on the 17th of this month. I feel so raw. I cannot describe to you how I feel. We have not spoken to each other in 4 years and to find this out today via google was well, it was beyond what words can convey. Please include me and my family in your prayers. Thank you all.

[Kent]

March 2


I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE; all lasting Life emanates from Me. People search for life in many wrong ways: chasing after fleeting pleasures, accumulating possessions and wealth, trying to deny the inevitable effects of aging. Meanwhile, I freely offer abundant Life to everyone who turns toward Me. As you come to Me and take My yoke upon you, I fill you with My very Life. This is how I choose to live in the world and accomplish My purposes. This is also how I bless you with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory. The Joy is Mine, and the Glory is Mine; but I bestow them on you as you live in My Presence, inviting Me to live fully in you.

JOHN 11:25; MATTHEW 11:28-29; 1 PETER 1:8-9 (KJV)

[Trev]

Kent I am keeping you in my thoughts and prayers.

http://www.broadwayfurniture.net/portlandoregonfurniturestores/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/candle_holder.jpg

[Kent]

I have a few questions to start a discussion for anyone who wishes to answer. How did you come by your faith? Is it a part of your upbringing? Or was it some other circumstance, or moment in your life that brought you to it? Do you still follow the faith you were raised with? Or have you chosen another path?

Always,

I remember being a small child standing and sitting between my father and mother in Sacred Heart Catholic Church here in Wichita Falls, Texas. Church was definitely a part of my upbringing. After my parents split up and divorced, my grandmother, Mama Lou, would take me and my cousins to Sunday school and when it was over, we met her in the church and sat through the Sunday service with her. We all felt so proud to be sitting with Mama Lou in church. She was such a great woman, a stand up woman. We'd all pile up in her old car and we usually fought over who got shotgun. *smile...

I continue to believe what I was taught as a child and what I have learned as an adult. I do not necessarily follow the Catholic church anymore. But, I have it ingrained in my memory and my soul, so it is always with me. In the last several years, I have attended a few different churches. I've been to a few non-denominational churches, Pentecostal and my old Catholic church.

When I go to church, I always look for signs from the Pastor, Preacher or Priest that let me know that he is a good man and he believes in what he is preaching. I cannot sit in a church and listen to just anyone preach. I have to have a connection and feel that the pastor is really into what he is preaching.

I've been to two different churches here in town over the last month. I have been to the MCC church and to a non-denominational church. Tomorrow, I am visiting a Lutheran church after I go to the 9:15 a.m. service at the non-denominational church. I met a guy, Steve, the other day and he invited me to his Lutheran church.

I really like the non-denominational church because the Pastor is phenomenal and he always gives me plenty of notes to take. This church helps people who need help with recovery from drugs and they help the homeless. Last week, they gave the homeless people coats and jeans and a good dinner after the 3:00 p.m. Saturday service. I enjoyed that Saturday service more than any of the other services I've attended since being here. I've been to church service 7 or 8 times and a few more times for different functions in the month of February. I am still searching for my church home.

I still say my prayers most nights that Mama Lou taught me from my Catholic church. I still have my Dad's prayer book that he had when he was a child. It is one of my most prized possessions.

I hope that I was able to answer the questions you posed, Always. Now, it's time for my brothers and sisters to join in this discussion. I am so happy that justanolecowboy suggested this thread and he helped me to get it started. This thread has given me strength when I have needed it most. Thank all of you for posting and please continue to post your thoughts, feelings, ideas, prayers and verses and whatever you want to add to this thread. It is good to praise the Lord and we honor Him by participating in this thread.

[justanolecowboy]

http://i1262.photobucket.com/albums/ii603/NIGHTrambler/david_zps1ec92b7b.jpg

Charles Swindoll - one of my favorite authors - has a series of these books ...I am currently re-reading David - a 'man after God's own heart' - I read them all when I was (ahem- younger) - now that I have grown in (years) ... and (maturity) and I have a different perspective .... so am reading again .... GOOD reads....

[Blade]

I have a few questions to start a discussion for anyone who wishes to answer. How did you come by your faith? Is it a part of your upbringing? Or was it some other circumstance, or moment in your life that brought you to it? Do you still follow the faith you were raised with? Or have you chosen another path?

I was thinking of posting this question a few days ago, glad you did A2L. Several years ago a guy I work with ask me what happened that brought me to the Lord. I said nothing, He's just always been there. He said, no I mean what happened to you that made you call on God.....I realized that he thought you had to have some event to happen in your life for you to be saved, be a Christian, recieve Christ whatever. I told him I call on God daily, praying for many things, rarely praying for myself, which I have since learned to do.

I was raised in church from birth. My family is rich in faith and has had many pastors, deacons, Sunday school teachers, youth directors, board members and various other positions in religion based rolls, both men and women. I was raised Lutheran. I have strayed from that and currently attend a non-denominational chuch that has a Penecostal bass. I have attended a variety of denominational churches over the years. Mostly just visiting them or going with a friend or going to a singing or some kind of benefit.

I go to church where I feel God is present and where I feel the pastor is a good teacher not a preacher and where I feel the people in the congregation are good teachers as well, because I feel that we all have an occasion at some point to cultivate others spiritually.

[thedivahrrrself]

"God is a presence that I can never define but I could never deny."
Bishop John Shelby Spong

"We may be surprised at the people we find in heaven. God has a soft spot for sinners. His standards are quite low."


"God is not upset that Gandhi was not a Christian, because God is not a Christian! All of God's children and their different faiths help us to realize the immensity of God."

My humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together.


Bishop Desmond Tutu

[Talon]

Do Not judge and criticize and condemn others,
so that you may not be judged and criticized and condemned yourselves.


For just as you judge and criticize and condemn others,
you will be judged and criticized and condemned,
and in accordance with the measure you use to deal towards others,
it will be delt out again to you.

Why do you stare at the speck in your brother's eye but do not
become aware of the beam of timber within your own eye?

Or how can you say to your brother, Let me get the speck out of your eye, when there is a beam of timber in your own eye?

You hypocrite, first get the beam of timber out of your own eye,
and then you will see clearly to take out the speck from your brother's eye.

[Blade]

Look Out For Others Interest
do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.
Philippians 2:4

WORDS OF CHRIST
'For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.' "Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You drink? 'And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 'And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' "And the King will answer and say to them,

'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.
Matthew 25:35-40

Reward for Giving
"Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, they will pour into your lap. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return."Luke 6:34

[Jesse]

Romans: 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what to pray as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh request for us with sighs, which cannot be expressed.

[Kent]

March 3


I LOVE YOU FOR WHO YOU ARE, not for what you do. Many voices vie for control of your mind, especially when you sit in silence. You must learn to discern what is My voice and what is not. Ask My Spirit to give you this discernment. Many of My children run around in circles, trying to obey the various voices directing their lives. This results in fragmented, frustrating patterns of living. Do not fall into this trap. Walk closely with Me each moment, listening for My directives and enjoying My Companionship. Refuse to let other voices tie you up in knots. My sheep know My voice and follow Me wherever I lead.

EPHESIANS 4:1-6; JOHN 10:4

[Talon]

John 15: 1-8 tells us that if we stay connected to God, we will bear much fruit.In order to stay spiritually strong, you and I need to protect the habits that keep us connected to God.
We may even be led to form a few new ones.

God is always with us helping us along.
And when we take the necessary steps to let Him into our life, we can expect to hear His still, small voice. More often than not, He'll lead us to do one thing: stretch.

When we're fearful, He'll stretch us to be bold. When we fall on our face, He'll stretch us to persist. When we're confused and struggling for control, He will stretch us to trust Him more completely.

In the end it's a great comfort to know that however God may stretch us,
we'll always end up finding our rest in Him.

[Daktari]

Might be an idea to say in the thread title that all are welcome to post seeing as this thread is in the Trans zone.

[meridiantoo]

I love Joyce Meyer! I'm glad to see someone else her enjoys her also.

[meridiantoo]

Might be an idea to say in the thread title that all are welcome to post seeing as this thread is in the Trans zone.

Is everyone welcome, even though this is a Trans thread?

[Daktari]

Is everyone welcome, even though this is a Trans thread?

Not sure. It appears to be good form to refrain from posting on threads in areas specific to a gender/id unless the OP states that all are welcome.

:chaplin:

[Blade]

First of all, I'd like to let everyone know that this is a safe place for us guys to post our thoughts and feelings about our religious beliefs, verses, poems and prayers. We want this to be a positive space. Everyone is welcome to join in the discussion or to post. However, there is no room for any negative remarks toward any of the thoughts or posts. Let's keep this positive and uplifting!

Everyone is welcome to participate in the thread according to the OP. Perhaps Kent or Justanolecowboy will come in and confirm this.

[Daktari]

Everyone is welcome to participate in the thread according to the OP. Perhaps Kent or Justanolecowboy will come in and confirm this.

Thanks for pointing this out to my old eyes Blade. I didn't remember seeing it in the OP.

Perhaps a less gender/id specific place would be better for such a thread?

:chaplin:


ETA
First of all, I'd like to let everyone know that this is a safe place for us guys to post our thoughts and feelings about our religious beliefs, verses, poems and prayers. We want this to be a positive space. Everyone is welcome to join in the discussion or to post. However, there is no room for any negative remarks toward any of the thoughts or posts. Let's keep this positive and uplifting!


I guess I assumed that 'us guys' meant those of us either trans or who id on the male side of the spectrum. I guess I know better now.

[Kent]

Is everyone welcome, even though this is a Trans thread?

Yes, everyone is welcome to post in this thread. We just want to make sure that it stays positive and uplifting.

[Kent]

March 4


REFUSE TO WORRY! In this world there will always be something enticing you to worry. That is the nature of a fallen, fractured planet: Things are not as they should be. So the temptation to be anxious is constantly with you, trying to worm its way into your mind. The best defense is continual communication with Me, richly seasoned with thanksgiving. Awareness of My Presence fills your mind with Light and Peace, leaving no room for fear. This awareness lifts you up above your circumstances, enabling you to see problems from My perspective. Live close to Me! Together we can keep the wolves of worry at bay.

LUKE 12:25-26; 1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-18

[AmazonWoman1]

I consider myself sort of a buddhist who believes in reincarnation.I find its the most spiritual of all religions as it wants each of us to become as self aware & happy as possible by releasing all desires .

[justanolecowboy]

Everyone is welcome to participate in the thread according to the OP. Perhaps Kent or Justanolecowboy will come in and confirm this.


Yes - we want everyone to feel welcome to post - we put this in the "trans" thread - because we wanted this to be a positive place of faith and sharing for yes, "us guys" - but that certainly does not "exclude" others that want to read or post - as Kent states - as long as it stays positive and uplifting. We are happy to share with everyone who cares to join us in a sharing of our faith and beliefs.

[Kent]

March 5


MAKE FRIENDS WITH THE PROBLEMS IN YOUR LIFE. Though many things feel random and wrong, remember that I am sovereign over everything. I can fit everything into a pattern for good, but only to the extent that you trust Me. Every problem can teach you something, transforming you little by little into the masterpiece I created you to be. The very same problem can become a stumbling block over which you fall, if you react with distrust and defiance. The choice is up to you, and you will have to choose many times each day whether to trust Me or defy Me.
The best way to befriend your problems is to thank Me for them. This simple act opens your mind to the possibility of benefits flowing from your difficulties. You can even give persistent problems nicknames, helping you to approach them with familiarity rather than with dread. The next step is to introduce them to Me, enabling Me to embrace them in My loving Presence. I will not necessarily remove your problems, but My wisdom is sufficient to bring good out of every one of them.

ROMANS 8:28; 1 CORINTHIANS 1:23-24

[DMW]

http://imgc.allpostersimages.com/images/P-473-488-90/28/2810/ZQIOD00Z/posters/dalai-lama.jpg

[justanolecowboy]

If a man should live many years,
let him rejoice in them all.
Ecclesiastes 11:8

Happiness is for today. Joy is available now. We are not to put it on hold.

Happiness isn't something that will secretly open up to us when we turn fifty-five or when we reach some goal or find the right marriage partner. Happiness is for now. It is inseparably linked to the living Lord.

A typical question is: "What is the chief end of man?"

The answer to that question is familiar to many: "The chief end of man is to love God and enjoy Him forever." Not just serve Him, not just obey Him, not just sacrifice to Him, not simply commit ourselves to Him, but enjoy Him—"laugh through life with Him." Smile in His presence. So much more is included in enjoying Him forever than most would ever believe.

Happiness is to pervade all the years of our life.

We don't have to wait until we reach some magical age when we are allowed to crack open the door and slip silently into the realm of happiness. It's there for us to enjoy throughout our days.

[justanolecowboy]

I believe the single most significant decision I can make on a day-to-day basis is my choice of attitude.

It is more important than my past, my education, my bankroll, my successes or failures, fame or pain, what other people think of me or say about me, my circumstances, or my position.

Attitude . . . keeps me going or cripples my progress. It alone fuels my fire or assaults my hope.

When my attitudes are right, there's no barrier too high, no valley too deep, no dream too extreme, no challenge too great for me.

Yet, we must admit that we spend more of our time concentrating and fretting over the things that can't be changed in life than we do giving attention to the one thing that can, our choice of attitude.

[thedivahrrrself]

It is not for kings to drink wine,
not for rulers to crave beer,
lest they drink and forget what has been decreed,
and deprive all the oppressed of their rights.
Let beer be for those who are perishing,
wine for those who are in anguish!
Let them drink and forget their poverty
and remember their misery no more.
Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
for the rights of all who are destitute.
Speak up and judge fairly;
defend the rights of the poor and needy.

[Talon]

It is not for kings to drink wine,
not for rulers to crave beer,
lest they drink and forget what has been decreed,
and deprive all the oppressed of their rights.
Let beer be for those who are perishing,
wine for those who are in anguish!
Let them drink and forget their poverty
and remember their misery no more.
Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
for the rights of all who are destitute.
Speak up and judge fairly;
defend the rights of the poor and needy.

>>May I ask from which version of the Bible this is from?

[deb0670]

http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/481875_10151805040693902_1793924529_n.jpg

[Kent]

March 6


CONTINUE ON THIS PATH WITH ME, enjoying My Presence even in adversity. I am always before you, as well as alongside you. See Me beckoning to you: Come! Follow Me. The One who goes ahead of you, opening up the way, is the same One who stays close and never lets go of your hand. I am not subject to limitations of time or space. I am everywhere at every time, ceaselessly working on your behalf. That is why your best efforts are trusting Me and living close to Me.

HEBREWS 7:25; PSALM 37:3-4

[justanolecowboy]

God has seen what you have been through, every tear you’ve shed. He knows the disappointment, the heartache you feel, and this is not the end. It’s a new beginning.

[Cailin]

Seven woman hooded and cloaked
Six men also ready to invoke
a whirl of the wind rustles the leaves
a gathering of old among the trees
an ancient spirit forgotten by most
nothing but a fairytale nothing but a ghost
but a goddess remains through distant tolls
a chanting soon thus will unfold
a beautiful woman from the moon she will fall
a transparent aura seen different by all
middle of the circle a goddess doth stand
a naked splendor holding out her hands
Pagan words out from her lips
soon a magical glow from her finger tips
an enchanting smile upon her face
opening her arms to this mystical place
a single rose was given to the Lady
white in its color for pure divinity
she kissed the messenger on her cheek
stepping back she started to speak
"Bide within the Law you must,
in perfect Love and perfect Trust.
These Eight words the Rede fulfill:
"An Ye Harm None, Do What Ye Will"
with her words she ascended
back to the moon as the gathering ended
away they walk in pagan stride
remembering her words and to abide
28 days a full moon soon to be
and again they will gather underneath a clearing in the trees

-ccl feb 13 2005

[Kent]

March 7


LET ME HELP YOU through this day. The challenges you face are far too great for you to handle alone. You are keenly aware of your helplessness in the scheme of events you face. This awareness opens up a choice: to doggedly go it alone or to walk with Me in humble steps of dependence. Actually, this choice is continually before you, but difficulties highlight the decision-making process. So, consider it all joy whenever you are enveloped in various trials. These are gifts from Me, reminding you to rely on Me alone.

PSALM 63:7-8; JAMES 1:2-3

[justanolecowboy]

Know that the LORD has
set apart the godly man for Himself;
the LORD hears when I call to Him.
Psalm 4:3

Where are you today on your own journey?

Are you discounting the significance of your days? Are you sighing rather than singing? Are you wondering what good can come from all that you have to live with?

We tend to think that if God is really engaged, He will change things within the next hour or so. Certainly by sundown. Absolutely by the end of the week. But God is not a slave to the human clock. Compared to the works of mankind, He is extremely deliberate and painfully slow.

As religious poet George Herbert wisely penned, "God's mill grinds slow, but sure."

God's hand is not so short that it cannot save, nor is His ear so heavy that He cannot hear. Whether you see Him or not, He is at work in your life this very moment. God specializes in turning the mundane into the meaningful.

[Kent]

March 8


SAVE YOUR BEST STRIVING FOR SEEKIN MY FACE. I am constantly communicating with you. To find Me and hear My voice, you must seek Me above all else. Anything that you desire more than Me becomes an idol. When you are determined to get your own way, you blot Me out of your consciousness. Instead of single-mindedly pursuing some goal, talk with Me about it. Let the Light of My Presence shine on this pursuit, so that you can see it from My perspective. If the goal fits into My plans for you, I will help you reach it. If it is contrary to My will for you, I will gradually change the desire of your heart. Seek Me first and foremost; then the rest of your life will fall into place, piece by piece.

1 CHRONICLES 16:11; MATTHEW 6:33

[Kent]

March 9


REST IN MY RADIANT PRESENCE. The world around you seems to spin faster and faster, till everything is a blur. Yet there is a cushion of calm at the center of your life, where you live in union with Me. Return to this soothing Center as often as you can, for this is where you are enerized: filled with My Love, Joy, and Peace.

The world is a needy place; do not go there for sustenance. Instead, come to Me. Learn to depend on Me alone, and your weakness will become saturated with My Power. When you find your completeness in Me, you can help other people without using them to meet your own needs. Live in the Light of My Presence, and your light will shine brightly into the lives of others.

GALATIANS 5:22; 1 JOHN 4:12

[justanolecowboy]

Being a godly man has never been more challenging—or more necessary—than it is today. Immersed in stereotypes that paint men as either weak-kneed wimps or muscle-bound brutes, the biblical view of Christlike manhood has not fared well. And we Christian men who try to base our lives on biblical principles often meet tough resistance – in this age of political correctness – attaching masculinity to manhood isn’t always popular – learning to be tender – while having a tough hide (so to speak).


I’m talking about men who are discerning, decisive, strong hearted, who know where they are going and are confident enough in themselves (and their God) to get them there. Men who aren’t afraid to take the lead, to stand tall, firm in their principles, even when the going gets rough.


Such qualities not only inspire the respect of women, they also engender healthy admiration among younger men and boys who hunger for heroes. We need clear-thinking, hard-working, straight-talking men who, while tender, thoughtful, and loving, don’t feel the need to ask permission for taking charge.


Over the last three decades we have seen a major assault on masculinity.



On the heels of a bloody Civil War, Josiah Holland wrote a passionate prayer on behalf of our country. It begins, "God, give us men. . . ." But the truth is, God doesn’t give a nation men; He gives us boys. Baby boys, adolescent boys, impressionable boys, who need to know what becoming a man is all about. God’s plan is still as He designed it at creation. And it starts in the home – and it starts with (men) who aren’t afraid to be (men) of God and principal…men who aren’t afraid to pray and stand up for what they believe – no matter the resistance or ridicule.


I pray everyday – to become (better) – in every way … for myself – for the woman I love – for my family – for all those around me – and even those I don’t know...do I fall short – absolutely – but God is gracious – he never expected or expects us to be perfect – but only to strive to be all that we can be within His love and guidance – for all those we love and care about….there is no greater way to honor them – the ones you love – than to be a man of integrity – a man of prayer – yes, indeed a man of God.

[thedivahrrrself]

Proverbs 5:19

A loving doe, a graceful deer—
may her breasts satisfy you always,
may you ever be intoxicated with her love.

[thedivahrrrself]

>>May I ask from which version of the Bible this is from?

The New Living Translation

[justanolecowboy]

Let us hold fast the confession
of our hope without wavering,
for He who promised is faithful.


Hebrews 10:23


Hope is a wonderful gift from God, a source of strength and courage in the face of life's harshest trials.

When we are trapped in a tunnel of misery, hope points to the light at the end.

When we are overworked and exhausted, hope gives us fresh energy.

When we are discouraged, hope lifts our spirits.

When we are tempted to quit, hope keeps us going.

When we struggle with a crippling disease or a lingering illness, hope helps us persevere beyond the pain.

When we fear the worst, hope brings reminders that God is still in control.

When we are forced to sit back and wait, hope gives us the patience to trust.

Put simply, when life hurts and dreams fade, nothing helps like hope.

[Katniss]

**I realize this is a bit long, but the message seems worth the posting. Also, I realize this is in the Trans Zone but Kent said it was ok for others to post and I am thankful for that opportunity.**


This is about seven Trappist monks living at Tibhirine, a remote monastery in the Atlas Mountains of Algeria, who were kidnapped and murdered in 1996.
Below is the text of a letter written by the abbot shortly before the kidnapping.


Testament of Dom Christian de Chergé

(opened on Pentecost Sunday, May 26, 1996)

Facing a GOODBYE....

If it should happen one day - and it could be today -
that I become a victim of the terrorism which now seems ready to engulf
all the foreigners living in Algeria,
I would like my community, my Church and my family
to remember that my life was GIVEN to God and to this country.
I ask them to accept the fact that the One Master of all life
was not a stranger to this brutal departure.
I would ask them to pray for me:
for how could I be found worthy of such an offering?
I ask them to associate this death with so many other equally violent ones
which are forgotten through indifference or anonymity.
My life has no more value than any other.
Nor any less value.
In any case, it has not the innocence of childhood.
I have lived long enough to know that I am an accomplice in the evil
which seems to prevail so terribly in the world,
even in the evil which might blindly strike me down.
I should like, when the time comes, to have a moment of spiritual clarity
which would allow me to beg forgiveness of God
and of my fellow human beings,
and at the same time forgive with all my heart the one who would strike me down.
I could not desire such a death.
It seems to me important to state this.
I do not see, in fact, how I could rejoice
if the people I love were indiscriminately accused of my murder.
It would be too high a price to pay
for what will perhaps be called, the "grace of martyrdom"
to owe it to an Algerian, whoever he might be,
especially if he says he is acting in fidelity to what he believes to be Islam.
I am aware of the scorn which can be heaped on the Algerians indiscriminately.
I am also aware of the caricatures of Islam which a certain Islamism fosters.
It is too easy to soothe one's conscience
by identifying this religious way with the fundamentalist ideology of its extremists.
For me, Algeria and Islam are something different: it is a body and a soul.
I have proclaimed this often enough, I think, in the light of what I have received from it.
I so often find there that true strand of the Gospel
which I learned at my mother's knee, my very first Church,
precisely in Algeria, and already inspired with respect for Muslim believers.
Obviously, my death will appear to confirm
those who hastily judged me naïve or idealistic:
"Let him tell us now what he thinks of his ideals!"
But these persons should know that finally my most avid curiosity will be set free.
This is what I shall be able to do, God willing:
immerse my gaze in that of the Father
to contemplate with him His children of Islam
just as He sees them, all shining with the glory of Christ,
the fruit of His Passion, filled with the Gift of the Spirit
whose secret joy will always be to establish communion
and restore the likeness, playing with the differences.
For this life lost, totally mine and totally theirs,
I thank God, who seems to have willed it entirely
for the sake of that JOY in everything and in spite of everything.
In this THANK YOU, which is said for everything in my life from now on,
I certainly include you, friends of yesterday and today,
and you, my friends of this place,
along with my mother and father, my sisters and brothers and their families,
You are the hundredfold granted as was promised!
And also you, my last-minute friend, who will not have known what you were doing:
Yes, I want this THANK YOU and this GOODBYE to be a "GOD-BLESS" for you, too,
because in God's face I see yours.
May we meet again as happy thieves in Paradise, if it please God, the Father of us both.
AMEN ! INCHALLAH !

Algiers, 1st December 1993


Katniss~~

[Kent]

March 10


YOU ARE MINE FOR ALL TIME - and beyond time, into eternity. No power can deny you your inheritance in heaven. I want you to realize how utterly secure you are! Even if you falter as you journey through life, I will never let go of your hand.
Knowing that your future is absolutely assured can free you to live abundantly today. I have prepared this day for you with the most tender concern and attention to detail. Instead of approaching the day as a blank page that you need to fill up, try living it in a responsive mode: being on the lookout for all that I am doing. This sounds easy, but it requires a deep level of trust, based on the knowledge that My way is perfect.

PSALM 37:23-24; PSALM 18:30

[Kent]

March 11


WALK BY FAITH, NOT BY SIGHT. As you take steps of faith, depending on Me, I will show you how much I can do for you. If you live your life too safely, you will never know the thrill of seeing Me work through you. When I gave you My Spirit, I empowered you to live beyond your natural ability and strength. That's why it is so wrong to measure your energy level against the challenges ahead of you. The issue is not your strength but Mine, which is limitless. By walking close to Me, you can accomplish My purposes in My strength.

2 CORINTHIANS 5:7 (NKJV); GALATIANS 5:25

[Kent]

March 12


WAITING, TRUSTING, AND HOPING are intricately connected, like golden strands interwoven to form a strong chain. Trusting is the central strand, because it is the response from My children that I desire most. Waiting and hoping embellish the central strand and strengthen the chain that connects you to Me. Waiting for Me to work, with your eyes on Me, is evidence that you really do trust Me. If you mouth the words "I trust You" while anxiously trying to make things go your way, your words ring hollow. Hoping is future-directed, connecting you to your inheritance in heaven. However, the benefits of hope fall fully on you in the present.

Because you are Mine, you don't just pass time in your waiting. You can wait expectantly, in hopeful trust. Keep your "antennae" out to pick up even the faintest glimmer of My Presence.

JOHN 14:1; PSALM 27:14; HEBREWS 6:18-20

[Kent]

March 13


LEARN TO LIVE above your circumstances. This requires focused time with Me, the One who overcame the world. Trouble and distress are woven into the very fabric of this perishing world. Only My Life in you can empower you to face this endless flow of problems with good cheer.

As you sit quietly in My Presence, I shine Peace into your troubled mind and heart. Little by little, you are freed from earthly shackles and lifted up above your circumstances. You gain My perspective on your life, enabling you to distinguish between what is important and what is not. Rest in My Presence, receiving Joy that no one can take away from you.

JOHN 16:33 (NKJV); JOHN 16:22

[Blade]

Powerful yet so simple a small child can remember the words

11 One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”

2 He said to them, “When you pray, say:


“‘Father,[a]
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come.[b]
3 Give us each day our daily bread.
4 Forgive us our sins,
for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.[c]
And lead us not into temptation.[d]

JOHN 11 :1-4

[Kent]

March 15


LISTEN TO THE LOVE SONG that I am continually singing to you. I take great delight in you ... I rejoice over you with singing. The voices of the world are a cacophony of chaos, pulling you this way and that. Don't listen to those voices; challenge them with My Word. Learn to take minibreaks from the world, finding a place to be still in My Presence and listen to My voice.

There is immense hidden treasure to be found through listening to Me. Though I pour out blessings upon you always, some of My richest blessings to you, and your seeking heart opens you up to receive more of My disclosure. Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

ZEPHANIAH 3:17; MATTHEW 7:7

[DMW]

ESdtN6IxvKU

Irish Blessings. Thank you for the thread Kent.

[Kent]

ESdtN6IxvKU

Irish Blessings. Thank you for the thread Kent.

You're welcome, DMW. However, I can't take all the credit as it was justanolecowboy's idea to start this thread and we worked together to start it. Keep posting DMW. :)

[Kent]

March 16


IT IS GOOD THAT YOU RECOGNIZE YOUR WEAKNESS. That keeps you looking to Me, your Strength. Abundant life is not necessarily health and wealth; it is living in continual dependence on Me. Instead of trying to fit this day into a preconceived mold, relax and be on the lookout for what I am doing. This mind-set will free you to enjoy Me and to find what I have planned for you to do. This is far better than trying to make things go according to your own plan.

Don't take yourself so seriously. Lighten up and laugh with Me. You have Me on your side, so what are you worried about? I can equip you to do absolutely anything, as along as it is My will. The more difficult your day, the more I yearn to help you. Anxiety wraps you up in yourself, trapping you in your own thoughts. When you look to Me and whisper My Name, you break free and receive My help. Focus on Me, and you will find Peace in My Presence.

PHILIPPIANS 4:13 (AMP); PROVERBS 17:22

[Kent]

March 17


COME TO ME FOR UNDERSTANDING, since I know you far better than you know yourself. I comprehend you in all your complexity; no deatil of your life is hidden from Me. I view you through eyes of grace, so don't be afraid of my intimate awareness. Allow the Light of My healing presence to shine into the deepest recesses of your being - cleansing, healing, refreshing, and renewing you. Trust Me enough to accept the full forgiveness that i offer you continually. This great gift, which cost Me My Life, is yours for all eternity. Forgiveness is at the very core of My abiding Presence. I will never leave you or forsake you.

When no one else seems to understand you, simply draw closer to Me. Rejoice in the One who understands you completely and loves you perfectly. As I fill you with My Love, you become a reservoir of love, overflowing into the lives of other people.

PSALM 139:4; 2 CORINTHIANS 1:21-22; JOSHUA 1:5

[Kent]

March 18


TRUST ME ONE DAY AT A TIME. This keeps you close to Me, responsive to My will. Trust is not a natural response, especially for those who have been deeply wounded. My Spirit within you is your resident Tutor, helping you in this supernatural endeavor. Yield to His gentle touch; be sensitive to His prompting.

Exert your will to trust Me in all circumstances. Don't let your need to understand distract you from My Presence. I will equip you to get through this day victoriously, as you live in deep dependence on Me. Tomorrow is busy worrying about itself; don't get tangled up in its worry-webs. Trust Me one day at a time.

PSALM 84:12; MATTHEW 6:34

[Kent]

Okay, I must reveal where I've had the privilege to read and use the verses I've posted in this thread. I've been using Jesus Calling, Devotions for Every Day of the Year, Enjoying Peace in His Presence.

Today, I must return it to the library. I'll try to get postings for other days, but I'm sure someone will check it out very soon. I hope that you, my brothers and sisters, will continue to post in this thread and that others will continue to read this thread even if they never post.

I've found this book very comforting to my aching heart and soul. I hope that others have found some solace and comfort in the postings of this thread.

Everyone have a wonderful weekend.

[DMW]

http://www.monksofvalyermo.com/v/vspfiles/photos/C-1008-Saint%20Patrick-P8-2.jpg
Saint Patrick the Monks at the abbey make
http://www.saintandrewsabbey.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=32

[Blade]

The Bible tells us in 1Thessalonians 5:17
to pray without ceasing.

This verse reminded me of a song about talking to God and how everything will be alright. I feel better when I pray. Do I pray without ceasing? Of course not but when I do pray and lay my burdens down, and give them to God I feel releaved and loved.


WxLA1NX9gxY

[deb0670]

http://www.sandwichink.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Inspirational-Bible-verses-and-happy-holidays-clipart-for-the-Sandwich-Generation-caring-for-elderly-parents-and-babysitting-grandchildren-in-any-nation.jpg

[deb0670]

http://www.downlopedia.com/images/encouragingbible.jpg

[deb0670]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=1CBNE25rtnE

[justanolecowboy]

Proverbs 3:34 NKJV (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%203:34%20&version=50)

My plea is that we not limit grace to Christ. We, too, can learn to be just as gracious as He. And since we can, we must, not only in our words and in great acts of compassion and understanding but in small ways as well. Let me describe four practical expectations you can anticipate as you get a firm grasp on grace.


First, you can expect to gain a greater appreciation for God's gifts to you and others. What gifts? Several come to mind. The free gift of salvation. The gift of life. The gift of laughter, of music, of beauty, of friendship, of forgiveness. Those who claim the freedom God offers gain an appreciation for the gifts that come with life.


Second, you can expect to spend less time and energy critical of and concerned about others' choices. Wouldn't that be a refreshing relief? When you get a grasp on grace—when you begin to operate in a context of freedom—you become increasingly less petty. You will allow others room to make their own decisions in life, even though you may choose otherwise.


Third, you can expect to become more tolerant and less judgmental. Externals will not mean as much to you. You'll begin to cultivate a desire for authentic faith rather than endure a religion based on superficial performance. You will find yourself so involved in your own pursuit of grace, you'll no longer lay guilt trips on those with whom you disagree.
Fourth, you can expect to take a giant step toward maturity. As your world expands, thanks to an awakening of your understanding of grace, your maturity will enlarge. Before your very eyes, new vistas will open. It will be so transforming, you will never be the same.

[Katniss]

All our capacities—reason, speech, volition, affection, and action—must be molded by the activity of prayer. Moreover, as prayer becomes central in our lives, all that we do becomes part of prayer. As the Benedictine motto has it, laborare est orare—to work is to pray. I think it is possible that one might reach a state where the very act of breathing becomes a type of prayer. Although an Eastern concept I think the act of "mindfulness" also comes in to play as a type of ceaseless prayer.

Katniss~~

[Blade]

Matthew 20:28
"The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many"

Am I in the "many" are you? I believe we all can be in the many, if we chose Jesus. I also believe the message in this song, one of my all time favorites.

"When He was on the Cross, I was on His mind"

8nNrNEItiK0

[deb0670]

http://www.downlopedia.com/images/Encouraging%20Bible%20Verse%20Wallpapers.jpg

[justanolecowboy]

Poverty and shame will come
to him who neglects discipline, but he
who regards reproof will be honored.
Proverbs 13:18


(http://biblia.com/bible/nasb95/Proverbs%2013.18)


Discipline is one of the most hated terms of our times . . . right alongside patience and self-control. But have you noticed how often it comes up in the testimonies of those who win?

Here are some key uses of discipline:
No runner completes the training or a race without it.

No weight-loss program is maintained without it.

No human body is kept fit without it.

No mind is sharpened without it.

No temptation is overcome without it.
If you want to put a stop to mediocrity, to replace excuses with fresh determination and procrastination with tough-minded perseverance, you need discipline.

[Jesse]

Poverty and shame will come
to him who neglects discipline, but he
who regards reproof will be honored.
Proverbs 13:18


(http://biblia.com/bible/nasb95/Proverbs%2013.18)


Discipline is one of the most hated terms of our times . . . right alongside patience and self-control. But have you noticed how often it comes up in the testimonies of those who win?

Here are some key uses of discipline:
No runner completes the training or a race without it.

No weight-loss program is maintained without it.

No human body is kept fit without it.

No mind is sharpened without it.

No temptation is overcome without it.
If you want to put a stop to mediocrity, to replace excuses with fresh determination and procrastination with tough-minded perseverance, you need discipline.

All very good points! I'd like to add if I may that faith also requires discipline.

[Jesse]

and this boy has a set of lungs on him for sure!

Kshw-OnxDns

[Katniss]

A friend of mine (Joe Z.) who I met while working in Haiti often sends me weekly poems and quotes. I found this particular one worth sharing.

****************************************
Be the Blessing
Sitting in the cupola at Pelican House this morning as the sun was rising,
watching and listening to the waves rise, crest, crash and disappear--
I had a question: "What's the point?"

Waves are all ocean all the time, but what's the point
of this human wave called "Joe Z?"
This wave that arose over six decades ago, and could
crash and slide back into Oceanic Being at any moment?

What's the point of this human life?

The first line in the Aramaic Prayer of Jesus
is a cosmic finger pointing to a full moon that says:
Know who you are--you are an infinite wave of blessing.

And that's you and me and everyone.
Everyone, without a single exception, is a wave of blessing.
And once you know that, then just be that. Be the blessing you are.

And bless. You may have a knack for blessing in a special way.
I have a knack for blessing people into deeper consciousness.
You may have a knack for blessing people's bodies.
Or blessing their automobiles with a tune-up.
It doesn't matter what your gift is, so long as you bless people with it.

In a talk about a month before he died, Thomas Merton told a group
of fellow contemplatives in Delhi--Brothers, it's so simple:
"What we have to be is what we are."

And what we are, what each of us is, is an infinite wave of blessing.


Joe Z.


Katniss~~

[Blade]

eMQQ9QNpQLg

1 Thessalonians 4:13-17

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

[justanolecowboy]

The fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.
Proverbs 18:4 (http://biblia.com/bible/nasb95/Proverbs%2018.4)

(http://biblia.com/bible/nasb95/Proverbs%2018.4)
How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant of the weak and the strong. Because someday in life you will have been all of these. ---George Washington Carver

I have admired those words for years. They reflect a perspective easily forgotten in a dizzy schedule of demands and deadlines.

It is easy in such a scene to become shortsighted, to think that now is forever. But those who sustain a close companionship with wisdom tend to be more tender, compassionate, sympathetic, and tolerant than those whose world revolves around themselves.

With wisdom comes depth and stability.

When we navigate through life under full sail with wisdom at the helm, we may not miss all of the storms, but we will have the strength to persevere. We can face the unforeseen without the fear of sinking.

[justanolecowboy]

By this all men will know
that you are My disciples,
if you have love for one another. -John 13:35





(http://biblia.com/bible/nasb95/John%2013.35)
If our message is a mirror image of the message of the world, the world yawns and goes on its way, saying, "What else is new? I've heard all that since I was born." But if the Christian lifestyle and motivation and answers are different, the world cannot help but sit up and take notice, thinking:

How is it that I cannot conquer this habit but he has?

Why is their love so deep and lasting and ours so shallow and fickle?

How is it that she can forgive and never hold a grudge, but I can't get over a wrong? Talk about kindness and courtesy! These people exude those things. I wonder why.

I've never seen such integrity. The guy wouldn't think of taking a harming anyone he loved.

Do you get the message? It is the difference that makes the difference.

[deb0670]

Make my Life a Prayer to You by Keith Green:

Make my life a prayer to You
i wanna do what You want me to
No empty words
and no white lies
no token prayers
no compromise
i wanna shine
the light You gave
Through Your Son
You sent to save us
from ourselves
and our despair
It comforts me to know
You're really there

Well i wanna thank You now
for being patient with me
oh it's so hard to see
when my eyes are on me
i guess i'll have to trust
and just believe what You say
oh You're coming again
Coming to take me away
i wanna die and let You give
Your life to me so i might live
and share the hope You gave to me
The love that set me free.
I wanna tell the world out there
You're not some fable
or fairy tale
That i've made up inside my head
Your God, The Son
You've risen from the dead

Oh, i wanna thank You now
for being patient with me
it's so hard to see
when my eyes are on me
i guess i'll have to trust
and just believe what You say
oh, You're coming again
Coming to take me away
i wanna die and let You give
Your life to me
so i might live
and share the hope
You gave to me
i wanna share the love
that set me free.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=7EDGmeP1aA4

[justanolecowboy]

Make my Life a Prayer to You by Keith Green:

Make my life a prayer to You
i wanna do what You want me to
No empty words
and no white lies
no token prayers
no compromise
i wanna shine
the light You gave
Through Your Son
You sent to save us
from ourselves
and our despair
It comforts me to know
You're really there

Well i wanna thank You now
for being patient with me
oh it's so hard to see
when my eyes are on me
i guess i'll have to trust
and just believe what You say
oh You're coming again
Coming to take me away
i wanna die and let You give
Your life to me so i might live
and share the hope You gave to me
The love that set me free.
I wanna tell the world out there
You're not some fable
or fairy tale
That i've made up inside my head
Your God, The Son
You've risen from the dead

Oh, i wanna thank You now
for being patient with me
it's so hard to see
when my eyes are on me
i guess i'll have to trust
and just believe what You say
oh, You're coming again
Coming to take me away
i wanna die and let You give
Your life to me
so i might live
and share the hope
You gave to me
i wanna share the love
that set me free.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=7EDGmeP1aA4



Thanks for this reminder of Keith Green's music - It has prompted me to listen and download a few of his songs...thanks again.

[deb0670]

You're most welcome. His testimony and music helped me so much as a teenager.. and even now.. His legacy lives on.



Thanks for this reminder of Keith Green's music - It has prompted me to listen and download a few of his songs...thanks again.

[Blade]

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him

John 3:16-17

And he said to them, "Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen; He is not here; behold, here is the place where they laid Him.

Mark 16:6

[justanolecowboy]

http://i1262.photobucket.com/albums/ii603/NIGHTrambler/6785_10151857136968298_2018849889_n_zps8f33869c.jp g

[justanolecowboy]

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again
to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ
from the dead. 1 Peter 1:3



Rarely will one of God’s heroes show up in the Scriptures having lived a life free of failure. Take Peter, for example. As soon as you read the name, you remember his story. Peter experienced the extreme highs and lows of life—from days spent in blessed fellowship with Christ . . . to the heart-wrenching erosion of loyalty when he denied the Lord. Not once. Not twice. Three times. Once he realized his failure, the Bible says, “he went out and wept bitterly” Luke 22:62
(http://biblia.com/bible/nasb95/Luke%2022.62)


Can you remember a failure that was so dramatic and so tearful for you that you hardly need to be reminded of the feelings? I remember Betsie ten Boom’s words, “There is no pit so deep but that He is not deeper still.” As dark and as deep and as tragic as your failure may be, He is willing to go to the depths of it with you.


This was true of Peter too. Look back at Luke 22. After the surprising warning of Satan’s attack, Jesus gave Peter a statement of fact: “I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail.” Then there was a veiled reassurance: “And you, when once you have turned again . . .” Then a final command: “Strengthen your brothers” (22:32).


What does that suggest? It suggests that Peter was going to fall. “Once you have turned again.” “Retraced your steps” is another way someone else has put it. “Once you have turned again,” Jesus said, “then use it to strengthen your brothers.” Jesus knew Peter to the core. He knew Peter would fall, but He prayed for him that he would not remain fallen. Jesus loved Peter—even at his point of deepest weakness
.
How did He prove that love? Mark 16: 6-7 answers that question. After the Resurrection, while the women were standing at the tomb, an angel told them:
“Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen; He is not here; behold, here is the place where they laid him. But go, tell His disciples and Peter.” (emphasis added)
Isn’t that great? “Don’t forget Peter. He’s the last one who thinks that I’ll ever want to talk to him again. Tell Peter!” What grace!
Somewhere between the time Peter fell and this angelic announcement there was a process during which Peter wallowed in remorse, wishing he could, if possible, correct his error . . . but he couldn’t. And somewhere in the midst of it he heard the Lord say to him, “Peter, I forgive you. I understand. Use it to strengthen your brothers.”


That’s why Peter later was able to write the following words to early Christians:
May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection. 1 Peter 1: 2-3

Why did this mean so much to Peter? Because it was at the Resurrection Peter’s name was called, and the Lord in tender mercy said, “Tell him I’ve come back.”


First Peter is a letter of great hope written by a man who experienced it! By the time he wrote this letter, Peter had come to the place where he was not only back on the scene, he was aggressively engaged in the formation of the early church.


It can happen to you too. Just like fallen and forgiven Peter, you can find new hope despite your failures. If you are a believer, you are born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead
1 Peter 1:3.





What tender mercy! What triumphant grace! Failure is not forever. God specializes in forgiveness and hope. He can use even your worst failures in a mighty way.

[justanolecowboy]

“We ought not to be weary of doing little things for the love of God, who regards not the greatness of the work, but the love with which it is performed.”
Brother Lawrence - The practice of the Presence of God

[justanolecowboy]

http://i1262.photobucket.com/albums/ii603/NIGHTrambler/549739_10151519213569424_60691669_n_zpsc586feb3.pn g

[Glenn]

Overcome with deep fear and hopelessness in this world, I cried for God to comfort me, for I was exceedingly afraid. "Do you fear me?" S/He asked me, in a barely audible, Angelic, whisper. And my Soul knew instinctively who S/He was, and I answered, prostrating myself, with my head in the ground, "Oh yes, I fear you, but I also fear the devil too, because of all the suffering and evil in this world." And right after I had said that, the peacefulness that had enveloped me, had left me, and gone. And then I pleaded, "O please come back, don't leave me!" And S/He did, and answered me kindly, "Where have you been? Don't you know nothing is impossible with me? I can do anything!" And S/He kept lovingly repeating this over and over to me, enveloping me in such peace, that I started to fall into a very deep sleep. I tried hard to stay awake, but I could'nt, and so, I fell into a very deep, peaceful, sleep, but never, ever, forgetting, what S/He said to me, for the rest of my life.

[deb0670]

http://free-wallpaper-christian.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Desktop-Bible-Verse-Wallpaper-Isaiah-40-29.jpg

[deb0670]

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OTb2QZyy_Hg/UCvsfy6v-dI/AAAAAAAAF54/ZlqkNq35K50/s1600/32791903506896000_t2msxKal_f.jpg

[deb0670]

http://www.ahelpfulinspirationalblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Dear-God-I-trust-you.jpg

[deb0670]

http://darrellcreswell.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/isaiah-41-10-hand-of-god-god-says.jpg?w=700

[deb0670]

http://www.portagechurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/comfort.001.jpg

[deb0670]

http://www.ahelpfulinspirationalblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Choosing-to-depend-on-God.jpg

[justanolecowboy]

WnYtfJxGOig

Rise Again, by Dallas Holm

Dallas was back in the 80's one of the single most popular christian artists and song writers. Rise Again, maybe one of his most popular and powerful. I had the honor and privilege of playing keyboards for him on two different occasions - My brother and I used to sing some (gospel) music on a (very) small scale - and he befriended us - many years ago at a conference we were both attending. A tremendous and talented force for God in his writing and voice.

He never let his (popularity) at the time get in the way of his message of for that popularity to take priority over his family. I remember when his wife became ill with cancer - he took care of her and his music came second. I admired the man of strength and character and prayer that he was and is.

This song has long been a favorite of mine and I was reminded of it again - when my brother asked me to play and perform it with him again this past Easter Sunday. No tapes - no back up...no additional instruments - just he and I and the piano ... (wow) - I never thought of performing like that years ago as (scary) - I think I was too young to realize that standing in front of lots of people singing - (can be) a scary thing...lol! - It was good to do this with and for my brother again - and being in that little church that I grew up in ... the song - such a powerful message - I wanted to share.

Blessings and even though a few days later...Easter Blessings to all of you (every day).

[justanolecowboy]

“Without love even the most radical devotion to God is of no value to Him. Let me make sure that sinks in… You can gain all the spiritual gifts in the world. You can take the most radical steps of obedience. You can share every meal with the homeless in your city. You can memorize the book of Leviticus. You can pray each morning for four hours like Martin Luther. But if what you do does not flow out of a heart of love - a heart that does those things because it genuinely desires to do them - it is ultimately worthless to God.”

-J.D. Greear (Gospel: Recovering the Power that Made Christianity Revolutionary)

[Kent]

"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.

Matthew 5:38-42

[Kent]

"In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets.

Matthew 7:12

[Kent]

"Enter through the narrow gate, for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

[Kent]

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matthew 6:19-21


Serving Two Masters
"No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.
Matthew 6:24

[deb0670]

OH WOW! Thank You Soooo much for sharing this!! I remember Dallas Holm.. even saw Him in person...
Used to listen to Him all the time!
This put goosebumps on me..
thank You again.. *wiping tears and smiling*



WnYtfJxGOig

Rise Again, by Dallas Holm

Dallas was back in the 80's one of the single most popular christian artists and song writers. Rise Again, maybe one of his most popular and powerful. I had the honor and privilege of playing keyboards for him on two different occasions - My brother and I used to sing some (gospel) music on a (very) small scale - and he befriended us - many years ago at a conference we were both attending. A tremendous and talented force for God in his writing and voice.

He never let his (popularity) at the time get in the way of his message of for that popularity to take priority over his family. I remember when his wife became ill with cancer - he took care of her and his music came second. I admired the man of strength and character and prayer that he was and is.

This song has long been a favorite of mine and I was reminded of it again - when my brother asked me to play and perform it with him again this past Easter Sunday. No tapes - no back up...no additional instruments - just he and I and the piano ... (wow) - I never thought of performing like that years ago as (scary) - I think I was too young to realize that standing in front of lots of people singing - (can be) a scary thing...lol! - It was good to do this with and for my brother again - and being in that little church that I grew up in ... the song - such a powerful message - I wanted to share.

Blessings and even though a few days later...Easter Blessings to all of you (every day).

[deb0670]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=ehkg7-SVByk

Learning to Lean
Learning to Lean
I'm learning to lean on Jesus
Finding more power
than i 'd ever dreamed
I'm learning to lean on Jesus.

Learning to lean,
Learning to lean
i'm learning to lean
on Jesus
finding more power
than i 'd ever dream
i'm learning to lean on Jesus

Sad, broken-hearted
at an altar i knelt
i found peace
that is so serene
and all that
He asked
is a child like trust
and a heart that
is learning to lean

Learning to lean,
learning to lean
finding more power
than i'd ever dreamed
i'm learning to lean
on Jesus

[deb0670]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=BhPVOyzZBqk



Not of this World

We are Pilgrims
in a strange land
We are so far
From our home land
With each passing day
It seems so clear
This world will never
Want us here
We're not welcome
In this world of wrong
We are foreigners
Who don't belong

oooo

We are strangers
We are aliens
We are not
of this world

We are envoys
we must tarry
With this message
We must carry
There's so much
To do before we leave
With so many more
Who may believe
Our mission here
Can never fail
And the gates of hell
Will not prevail

oooo

We are strangers
We are aliens
We are not
Of this world.

We are strangers
We are aliens
We are not
of this world.

Jesus told us
men would hate us
But we must be
Of good cheer
He has overcome
This world of darkness
Soon we will
Depart from here

We are strangers
We are aliens
We are not
of this world.

We are strangers
We are aliens
We are not
of this world.

[deb0670]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=Rj-tpOH21NM

Grave Robber

There's a step that we all
Have to take alone
An appointment we have
With the Great Unknown
Like a vapor this life
is just waiting to pass
Like the flowers that fade
Like the withering grass

But life seems so long
and death so complete
and the grave
An impossible portion to cheat

But there is One
Who has been there
and still lives to tell
There is One
Who has been thru
Both Heaven and Hell


And the grave will come up
Empty handed that day
Jesus will come
and steal us away


Where is the sting tell me
Where is the bite?
When the Grave Robber comes
Like a thief in the night
Where is the victory
Where is the prize?
When the Grave Robber comes
and Death finally dies.

Many still mourn and many still weep
For those that they love who have fallen asleep
But we have this hope
Though our hearts may still ache
Just one shout from above
and they all will awake

and in the reunion of Joy we will see
Death will be swallowed in sweet victory

Where is the sting tell me
Where is the bite
When the Grave Robber comes
Like a thief in the night
Where is the victory
Where is the prize
When the Grave Robber comes
and Death finally dies.

When the last enemy is gone
From the dust will come a song
Those asleep will be awakened
Not a one will be forsaken

He shall wipe away our tears
He will steal away our fears
There will be no sad tomorrow
There will be no pain nor sorrow

Where is the sting tell me
Where is the bite
When the Grave Robber comes
Like a thief in the night
Where is the victory
Where is the prize
When the Grave Robber comes
and Death finally dies.

[Luv]

I have a few questions to start a discussion for anyone who wishes to answer. How did you come by your faith? Is it a part of your upbringing? Or was it some other circumstance, or moment in your life that brought you to it? Do you still follow the faith you were raised with? Or have you chosen another path?

I was dedicated in a Pentecostal church when I was a few months old. I later as a young child went to sunday school at a Plymouth Bretherin Church on a bus ministry. I accepted Christ as my personal Lord and Savior at 9 yrs old at church camp. I was baptized at 19 yrs of age and at 22 attended Bible College. And yes, now that I am back in California I am back in the church assemblies I was raised in. Very evangelical,many are involved in the Billy Graham Crusades and the Harvest Festivals. I am ordained and will soon have my California license. The most important thing to me in my life is my Faith. I have many relatives that are sunday school teachers and preachers and several friends that are missionaries. They know my past,we dont talk about it cause there really is nothing to discuss. My private life is exactly that..private,and they respect that. My Faith make's it easier to live because it offer's hope,and easier to accept death because we have hope. My 1st love will always be the Lord.

[Glenn]

I never knew that this U2 song was about Judas and Christ. I always thought it was about an innocent girl and her ex-boyfriend until recently. What it is really about, is the awesome love of God for us. It is one thing to read about, or intellectually acknowledge God's love, another to actually feel God's raw, redemptive, power, in the face of those dark, relentless, mega-storms we get lost in.

Have'nt seen you in quite awhile
I was down the hole just passing time
Last time we met was a low-lit room
We were as close together as a bride and groom
We ate the food, we drank the wine
Except You
You were talking about the end of the world

I took the money
I spiked your drink
You miss too much these days if you stop to think
You led me on with those innocent eyes
You know I love the element of surprise
In the garden I was playing the tart
I kissed your lips and broke your heart
You...You were acting like it was
The end of the world

In my dream, I was drowning my sorrows
But my sorrows, they learned to swim
Surrounding me, going down on me
Spilling over the brim
Words of regret and waves of joy
I reached out for the one I tried to destroy
You...You said you'd wait
'til the end of the world

[Luv]

A very good friend of mine asked me the other day if I was "happy". I told her that spending time with my friend's make's me happy. I am "content". I have a roof over my head,food to eat,clothing,my dog Gypsy (helps with depression), I have a job andd am able to afford a luxery like a car. I have life and for every day that I wake it is a good day ! Id hate to be one of those people who is never happy and is always negative and unkind. I appreciate this one life that God has given me..I am Blessed.

[Blade]

14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

Ephesians 6: 14-16

I have certainly had the devils arrows breezing past me for the past 8 years but thank God it is finally over. With God as my guide, the evil one lost this round. Thank you God for blessing me and being so good to me though I don't deserve it, many times. God thank you for giving me peace in my life again

[Blade]

Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
Galatians 6:2

Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.
Peter l 3:8

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God
Psalm 42:1

[thedivahrrrself]

I am giving great thanks today for the answer to one prayer. I am hoping the other will be answered soon as well.

"Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

1 Thessalonians 5:18

[Luv]

Some of the people from the Jesus Movement have started touring,reccording and making their old music available again. The Archers,2nd Chapter of Acts,Evie,Bryan Duncan,Don Francisco,Bob Bennett and the other day I saw a new album by the Maranatha Singers ! Talk about a flash from the past :)

[Blade]

All a man's ways seem right to him, but the Lord weighs, the heart.

Proverbs 21:2

[Luv]

Prayer Requesr :) Tomorrow morning at 8am I have a math test for a job with a major auto brands parts distribution center. The pays good and the benefits great ! It would solve alot of proeblems for me and Id be able to have retirement,a d the jobs monday thru friday so Id be able to go back to church on sundays. So please send prayers and good thought for me as math and me dont get along. I will be studying all night for this,get off work at 6am,test at 8am and then have to see a spine specialist in San Diego.

[Blade]

For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Ephesians 2:10

See there is a plan....jus sayin...

[Luv]

Update: 14 people had been called for the test and 8 called out so we only had 6 testing. There are 5 openings,I was the only female. The math was easy but they didnt give u a whole hour like they said. No one will know how they did tell next friday. They told us if we dont hear from them not to call. If u didnt pass u can never apply with them again. So I guess the 6 of us will wait. If ya pass the test then there is a psychiatric questioneer,after that background check. I know at least one if the guys that tested has a record. I have an FBI clearance so background check isnt a problem. Continued prayer would be appreciated. I told a co-worker God will supply my needs,other doors will open if this isnt where I am supposed to be. All I can do is trust in Him.Amen ?

[Blade]

When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. what can mortal man do to me?

Psalm 56:3-4

[DMW]

“To the Reader

Folly, error, sin, and penny-pinching
Preoccupy our minds and belabor our bodies
And we feed our amiable remorse
Like beggars nourishing their vermin.

Our sins are stubborn, our repentance weak --
We demand generous payment for our confessions
And we return gaily to the muddy path,
Believing a few abject tears will wash away all of our stains.

Satan Trismegistus patiently rocks our enchanted spirit
To sleep on the pillow of evil,
And the rich metal of our will
Is vaporized completely by this learned alchemist.

The Devil pulls the strings that move us!
Repugnant things attract us --
Each day we descend one step closer to Hell,
Moving without horror through stinking shadows.

Like a poor debauchee kissing and gnawing
The martyred breast of an ancient whore,
We steal a furtive pleasure along the way,
And we press it hard, like an old orange.

Tightly packed, swarming, like a million tapeworms,
A legion of Demons booze it up in our brains,
And when we breathe, Death, an invisible river,
Descends into our lungs, with a dull groan.

If rape, poison, the dagger, and arson
Have not yet embroidered their pretty patterns
On the banal canvas of our pitiful destinies,
It is only because our soul is -- alas! -- not bold enough.

But among the jackals, panthers, and bitch-hounds,
The monkeys, scorpions, vultures, and serpents,
The yelping, howling, growling, groveling monsters
In the infamous menagerie of our vices,

There is one who is uglier, nastier, more foul!
Although he makes no grand gestures, no great noise,
He would willingly reduce the earth to ruins
And swallow the world in a yawn;

It is Ennui! His eye brimming with an involuntary teardrop,
He dreams of scaffolds while smoking a hookah.
You know him, reader, this delicate monster,
-- Hypocrite reader, -- my like, -- my brother!”
― Charles Baudelaire, Les Fleurs du Mal

[Luv]

Didnt get called back a 3rd time. So I will keep lookin for a better job. :) God always provides.

[DMW]

Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury,pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.


O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen

[DMW]

The name of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, which falls on Shabbat this year, symbolizes its basic essence: The day on which G-d forgives for the less desirable actions of His nation.

The name of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, which falls on Shabbat this year, symbolizes its basic essence: The day on which G-d forgives for the less desirable actions of His nation.

When we delve into the significance of this day, we may ask ourselves a bothersome question: Why should G-d forgive us? We sometimes feel that we do not deserve this. This feeling intensifies especially if we do not notice a big, practical change in our behavior and it seems to us that our lives after Yom Kippur continue in the same vein as before Yom Kippur... To understand the concept of “forgiveness” when relating to the relationship between us and G-d as well as in terms of forgiveness between man and his friend or between man and his wife, we must note the words of King Solomon in the Book of Proverbs: “... love covers all transgressions.”

(Mishlei 10, 12) This verse contains a wonderful idea that guides our daily actions, and it expresses one our most noble qualities.

Every parent to children is well aware of the following phenomenon: It happens that a son or daughter behaves in a way that does not make the parents happy.

The child disappoints, rejects the education he received at home, behaves in a way contrary to his parents’ expectations, and the parents worry and may even be angry with him. But every parent knows that if that same child who so disappointed is suddenly in any kind of distress, the first who will rush to his aid will be his parents.

Why is that? For one simple reason: because “love covers all transgressions”! The love of parents for their children is not dependent on a specific situation or behavior. That love is absolute. Even if it sometimes dims and other emotions overwhelm it – at moments of distress or trouble, that love will rise to the surface and overcome all other feelings.

This is the amazing human nature, and it is also the basis of G-d’s forgiveness of us if we did not behave appropriately.

Yom Kippur is the day when the love of the Blessed be He “beats” all! This the day when G-d calls out to us: “Return to Me and I will return to you”! The day when we stand before G-d as children before their father and hear the Divine call “I forgive”! If we succeed in connecting to the incredible beauty of this day, we will feel the purifying forgiveness, the endless love of the Blessed be He for us – His only children, and with G-d’s help, that feeling will accompany us even after Yom Kippur ends and we will be blessed with a shana tova!

Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz is rabbi of the Western Wall and Holy Sites.

[DMW]

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2013/09/19/arts/19AUCTION/19AUCTION-popup.jpg



"Saying Grace," one of three paintings by Norman Rockwell set for auction on Dec. 4, is expected to draw bids of more than $15 million.

[DMW]

Ecclesiastes 3
New International Version (NIV)
A Time for Everything

3 There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
6 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8 a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

[DMW]

O7FbycDXxXk

[Luv]

I was talking to my cousin last night. I told her I believe that a heart only knows another heart and we should not judge..that's Gods job not ours. We are to love the individual no matter what..we might not agree with what they do. I reminded her that Jesus associated with people that others would walk away from. He showed them kindness and compassion when others would show disgust and hate. People will always fail you but God never disappoints ..He had our back :)

[DMW]

“If any man seem to be religious and bridleth not his tongue...this mans religion is in vain”
― James 1 26

[Nic]

“Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.”

“However many holy words you read, however many you speak, what good will they do you if you do not act on upon them?”

"We forgive freely or we do not really forgive at all."

“Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.”


The Buddha