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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.... |
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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. |
some "s I like
"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 |
Matthew 7: 1-5
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. |
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 |
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.
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I LOVE YOU FOR WHO YOU ARE,
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 |
Joyce Meyer
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. |
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.
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I love Joyce Meyer! I'm glad to see someone else her enjoys her also.
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Perhaps a less gender/id specific place would be better for such a thread? :chaplin: ETA Quote:
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TRUE BELIEVERS - Religious beliefs, verses, poems and prayers...
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REFUSE TO WORRY!
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 |
Spirituality
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 .
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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. |
MAKE FRIENDS WITH THE PROBLEMS IN YOUR LIFE.
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 |
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JOY
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. |
Thoughts on attitude...
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. |
Proverbs 31:4
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. |
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CONTINUE ON THIS PATH WITH ME,
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 |
(for anyone) who struggles.....
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.
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Coven of the Goddess
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 |
LET ME HELP YOU
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 |
Slow But Sure...
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. |
SAVE YOUR BEST STRIVING FOR SEEKING MY FACE
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 |
REST IN MY RADIANT PRESENCE
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 |
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. |
this made me giggle
Proverbs 5:19
A loving doe, a graceful deer— may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be intoxicated with her love. |
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Hope
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. |
**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 naďve 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~~ |
YOU ARE MINE FOR ALL TIME
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 |
WALK BY FAITH, NOT BY SIGHT.
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 |
WAITING, TRUSTING, AND HOPING
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 |
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