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D
[SUP]Psalms 23
1 [/SUP]The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
[SUP]2 [/SUP] He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
[SUP]3 [/SUP] he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
[SUP]4 [/SUP]Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,[SUP][a][/SUP]
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.[SUP]5 [/SUP]You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
[SUP]6 [/SUP]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.
1 [/SUP]The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
[SUP]2 [/SUP] He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
[SUP]3 [/SUP] he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
[SUP]4 [/SUP]Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,[SUP][a][/SUP]
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.[SUP]5 [/SUP]You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
[SUP]6 [/SUP]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.
D
[SUP]Romans 13: 8-10
8 [/SUP]Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. [SUP]9 [/SUP]The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,”[SUP] [/SUP]and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[SUP] [/SUP][SUP]10 [/SUP]Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law
8 [/SUP]Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. [SUP]9 [/SUP]The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,”[SUP] [/SUP]and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[SUP] [/SUP][SUP]10 [/SUP]Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law
I
The debt of LOVE. Yes indeed. I can't tell you how much I desire to walk in the fullness of love. AKA: walking in the fullness of JESUS. For He is love in FULL expression..he is LIFE!
I noticed that lately the more I submit myself to walk in the love that Jesus wants me to abide in the more I am tested by the truth of what I profess. I thank God for this.
I have momentary lapses where I might think "It's tooooo hard Lord,I can't bear the weight of this." & He says "Of course you can't,you can do nothing in yourself...most of all love in the way I have commanded you to love...the ability to love as I have shown you only comes with submission to My word & through My Spirit,so if you long & desire to truly love those around you,you must first abide in Me,or you will soon quickly come to an end of the "love" you attempt to give."
The desire of my heart is to love. It is what He created me for.
To love Him.
To love others.
For me to fight this truth would surely be the destruction of what God intended for me.
I am tired of fighting.
I am tired of me.
I choose to LOVE.
I choose LIFE.
I choose to receive & rest in the mercy & grace freely given this & every day by my Lord & Savior.
I noticed that lately the more I submit myself to walk in the love that Jesus wants me to abide in the more I am tested by the truth of what I profess. I thank God for this.
I have momentary lapses where I might think "It's tooooo hard Lord,I can't bear the weight of this." & He says "Of course you can't,you can do nothing in yourself...most of all love in the way I have commanded you to love...the ability to love as I have shown you only comes with submission to My word & through My Spirit,so if you long & desire to truly love those around you,you must first abide in Me,or you will soon quickly come to an end of the "love" you attempt to give."
The desire of my heart is to love. It is what He created me for.
To love Him.
To love others.
For me to fight this truth would surely be the destruction of what God intended for me.
I am tired of fighting.
I am tired of me.
I choose to LOVE.
I choose LIFE.
I choose to receive & rest in the mercy & grace freely given this & every day by my Lord & Savior.
I
Just got back from Skype "church". (sounds funny to say that) Message about Jesus & Wisdom...Jesus IS Wisdom. Things being said I have been feeling,learning. Always nice to hear other's speaking what God is showing them...nice to hear when it's similar to what you are learning. There's a comfort in that. A comfort in kindred spirits.
So narrow is the path...........
but with Jesus as the center...walking with Him,giving Him my all...letting Him change ME & not the things I am going through,that is where He shows His majesty,grace & power. His love to me & all who cling to Him.
Thank You Lord for Your truth!
So narrow is the path...........
but with Jesus as the center...walking with Him,giving Him my all...letting Him change ME & not the things I am going through,that is where He shows His majesty,grace & power. His love to me & all who cling to Him.
Thank You Lord for Your truth!
P
There is no greater love than agape love .. A love that surpasses anything we do in and of ourselves ..because that type of love is not self seeking, there is no motive to "get or Recieve" it's based soley on the unconditional love in Wich we Recieve from God .. He tells me continually "My love has nothing to do with how you love me Michelle " I love you regardless if you forget me "I will never forget you" , its not base on your performance , how you talk, dress, look, act, do... My love for you is eternal .. That means if you stopped loving me all together , it would never change the way I love you.. That kind of live also means i will never condemn you for it either . that kind of love makes me want to run to it .. Trust it , come to know it ..
That kind of love is patient , kind, never waivers... That kind of love means absolutely no condition must be met in order to Recieve it .. Its feely given by God .. An unlimited resource , supply, drink.. He quenches my thirst , He is my wellspring Wich never stops flowing .. I pray I become so saturated in it that whoever cones along my oath is drenched in the same kind of love .. That no matter how someone acts, talks , chooses to be , my love for them is continual, never waiving ..I'm not fully there yet .. but it's the mark I'm striving for ., to step aside from myself and love as He loves me .. I think about what that kind of love can do ... it's not based on what you do .. How you act, what kind of trouble you get into ..weather or nit you love me back .. I mean really.... how freeing that kind of love is .. gods love for me is blind .. He sees no sin in me .. He allows me to stray knowing eventually I will come back.. And how patiently he waits for me .. how good our god is , how big his love is .. He is the example ... of what real love is .. Never self seeking .. Never victimized .. But an everlasting love Wich strengthens love that is weak .. It just blows my mind ..
That kind of love is patient , kind, never waivers... That kind of love means absolutely no condition must be met in order to Recieve it .. Its feely given by God .. An unlimited resource , supply, drink.. He quenches my thirst , He is my wellspring Wich never stops flowing .. I pray I become so saturated in it that whoever cones along my oath is drenched in the same kind of love .. That no matter how someone acts, talks , chooses to be , my love for them is continual, never waiving ..I'm not fully there yet .. but it's the mark I'm striving for ., to step aside from myself and love as He loves me .. I think about what that kind of love can do ... it's not based on what you do .. How you act, what kind of trouble you get into ..weather or nit you love me back .. I mean really.... how freeing that kind of love is .. gods love for me is blind .. He sees no sin in me .. He allows me to stray knowing eventually I will come back.. And how patiently he waits for me .. how good our god is , how big his love is .. He is the example ... of what real love is .. Never self seeking .. Never victimized .. But an everlasting love Wich strengthens love that is weak .. It just blows my mind ..
I
Hmmm..sitting here reminded that love is ACTION!
If we receive love from the Father & hold it tightly & now pour out & distribute it among others,wether it be other believers or to those lost in the world,we become stagnant pools.
We were/are designed to be vessels. For a grand purpose...a wonderful complex yet so simplistic design! To freely give as we have freely received.
HOW DARE I not give freely the love that Christ has placed in me to others?????
God has chosen & blessed us before we were even a speck in the universe to be ambassadors of the most high...to show the love & mercy of Jesus in all things..to be His grand mirror or sorts,reflecting all of Him & none of ourselves.
We in Christ,are made new again...we have become or should at the very least attempt to accept & realize that this is our purpose.
No wonder satan hates each & every believer. Can you imagine,an angelic creature,so beautiful,so loved,so anointed....so pride filled,so jealous,so self absorbed...cast down...separated from his creator...stripped of all his power,all his origin,all his self worth...all because he allowed himself to dilute & pollute himself with his own lies & desires.
Here we are,now...children of the most high God...created in His image...given dominion over this angelic castoff & all his minions who chose rebellion over submission...pride & delusion,over humility & truth!
We,created from the dust of the earth...God saw fit to bless us..give us everything pertaining to life...he has used us to confound the "wise"..to literally blow the mind of satan...to openly mock him & strip his power by the blood of Christ Jesus...& then with that blood,make the ultimate sacrifice so that we can have ultimate power & authority through Jesus over all satan's works.
God has used the foolish things to confound the wise. No wonder we still act shocked to this day when the Lord moves in this way...it's because we are not walking in the fullness of Love...in the fullness of Christ...we are looking at things...one another..the world...through the mindset of the devil..and that mindset is prideful...selfish...and rebellious.
I am so comforted in the truth that no matter what I do or say that God is bigger than all of "me" or "my" agendas.
I do not say this to use His grace as a license for sin...but for hope...hope that with His love...hope in His Son Jesus,that I can be continually growing & expanding and learning and giving freely the love that God has poured into me...not to sit idle and be a stagnant pool in which I slowly drown in.
God's got a much better plan for me than that.
For all of us.
...and that is a lovely thing!
If we receive love from the Father & hold it tightly & now pour out & distribute it among others,wether it be other believers or to those lost in the world,we become stagnant pools.
We were/are designed to be vessels. For a grand purpose...a wonderful complex yet so simplistic design! To freely give as we have freely received.
HOW DARE I not give freely the love that Christ has placed in me to others?????
God has chosen & blessed us before we were even a speck in the universe to be ambassadors of the most high...to show the love & mercy of Jesus in all things..to be His grand mirror or sorts,reflecting all of Him & none of ourselves.
We in Christ,are made new again...we have become or should at the very least attempt to accept & realize that this is our purpose.
No wonder satan hates each & every believer. Can you imagine,an angelic creature,so beautiful,so loved,so anointed....so pride filled,so jealous,so self absorbed...cast down...separated from his creator...stripped of all his power,all his origin,all his self worth...all because he allowed himself to dilute & pollute himself with his own lies & desires.
Here we are,now...children of the most high God...created in His image...given dominion over this angelic castoff & all his minions who chose rebellion over submission...pride & delusion,over humility & truth!
We,created from the dust of the earth...God saw fit to bless us..give us everything pertaining to life...he has used us to confound the "wise"..to literally blow the mind of satan...to openly mock him & strip his power by the blood of Christ Jesus...& then with that blood,make the ultimate sacrifice so that we can have ultimate power & authority through Jesus over all satan's works.
God has used the foolish things to confound the wise. No wonder we still act shocked to this day when the Lord moves in this way...it's because we are not walking in the fullness of Love...in the fullness of Christ...we are looking at things...one another..the world...through the mindset of the devil..and that mindset is prideful...selfish...and rebellious.
I am so comforted in the truth that no matter what I do or say that God is bigger than all of "me" or "my" agendas.
I do not say this to use His grace as a license for sin...but for hope...hope that with His love...hope in His Son Jesus,that I can be continually growing & expanding and learning and giving freely the love that God has poured into me...not to sit idle and be a stagnant pool in which I slowly drown in.
God's got a much better plan for me than that.
For all of us.
...and that is a lovely thing!
I
Conviction. It's an interesting word.
con·vic·tion
/kənˈvikSHən/
belief - persuasion - condemnation - opinion - confidence
[TABLE="class: vk_txt ts"]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
It's a word for me that has in times past been both a comfort & an irritation.
Lately,it's something that has been on my mind much more over the past 2 months concerning certain things I've maybe dropped my guard in...pertaining to how I handle things with members of the opposite sex.
I'm one of those people that's for the most part an "open book".
Most of the time,be it male or female. Close friend,or stranger...I will almost always let you know what's on my mind.
(even if you don't ask me) ...also something God is refining within me to keep in check.
I have been pushing aside some recent conviction concerning my "involvement" or "friendships" with married women within the body of Christ.
Even though I have very recently entered into a relationship with a Godly woman,this conviction I was having started long before her.
The bible speaks of not giving an appearance of evil...or causing your brother to stumble...about keeping yourself holy & blameless until the coming of Christ.
I have no problems with being "friends" with married couples,let's just clear that up for the record.I have & have had plenty over the years,both believers & not.
Pretty much most of the people I know are married. Heck..I ,myself was married not too long ago.
I think the issue I have been dismissing in my own life is one of an accountability to God for how I handle my relationships.
Seems since joining CC I have let myself develop a face book type mentality of accepting any friend request sent.Many times I don't even bother to look to see if it's a male or female,let alone view their "about me" stats.
I guess what I am trying to express is that I have felt that it is no longer acceptable for ME in my walk with the Lord,to have married women on my friends list or to accept PM's from them. Now please understand,it's not like I am getting Pm's 24/7 from said married women,nor is the conversation or topics spoken about in said PM's ever questionable. Nothing like flirting or things said that I would not speak about in an open thread in front of the entire CC family.
For me,it's more about honoring God,then honoring that sister in Christ,and honoring her spouse,even if indirectly because I do not know them.
I know,personally I would not enjoy,nor want my Wife to be online speaking to a single (or in my case involved) man in private messages no matter what the topic of conversation was..christian or not.
So that there is no room for the enemy to get in here...I want to clarify that those of you whom I have removed from my friends list that are married women,have been nothing but Christlike in conversation with me,even in our occasional PM's. This is nothing personal against any of you. As stated before,this is something I believe God wants for ME & I do not sit in judgement or condemnation of any women who so choose to have single men as friends. Each one of you I still consider my "friend"...an awesome sister in the Lord. I just feel that if there is to be any talk,no matter what it is,that I need to keep it within an open thread & not to be done via PM's. I pray that you will understand & not take this as rudeness,for that is so not my hearts intention.
This brings me to another issue for me,which is PM's in general. As of yesterday I have changed my PM status to only accept messages from those whom are already on my contact list. Like I said,I was starting to just accept friendships with people for no good reason as of late,and not really bothering to screen said friendships. Many,if not all the people that I removed were people whom I really have never gotten to know & have never but once even spoken to,PM or otherwise...so it seems pointless to just accept "friends" for the sake of having "friends".
Anyone who wants to get to know me can access me right here in an open thread when I'm online. I'm not unapproachable one bit.
( I may act like a goofball at times,but I enjoy getting to know people)
It comes down to this for me right now.
This is where I'm at & what I believe God wants me to do right now
Out of honor & love for Him...and lastly,out of respect & honor for the woman that God has placed in my life in whom I cherish.
I pray this doesn't get weird for anyone.
If it does.
Pray for me.
Then pray for yourselves.
Much Blessings!
con·vic·tion
/kənˈvikSHən/
belief - persuasion - condemnation - opinion - confidence
[TABLE="class: vk_txt ts"]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
It's a word for me that has in times past been both a comfort & an irritation.
Lately,it's something that has been on my mind much more over the past 2 months concerning certain things I've maybe dropped my guard in...pertaining to how I handle things with members of the opposite sex.
I'm one of those people that's for the most part an "open book".
Most of the time,be it male or female. Close friend,or stranger...I will almost always let you know what's on my mind.
(even if you don't ask me) ...also something God is refining within me to keep in check.
I have been pushing aside some recent conviction concerning my "involvement" or "friendships" with married women within the body of Christ.
Even though I have very recently entered into a relationship with a Godly woman,this conviction I was having started long before her.
The bible speaks of not giving an appearance of evil...or causing your brother to stumble...about keeping yourself holy & blameless until the coming of Christ.
I have no problems with being "friends" with married couples,let's just clear that up for the record.I have & have had plenty over the years,both believers & not.
Pretty much most of the people I know are married. Heck..I ,myself was married not too long ago.
I think the issue I have been dismissing in my own life is one of an accountability to God for how I handle my relationships.
Seems since joining CC I have let myself develop a face book type mentality of accepting any friend request sent.Many times I don't even bother to look to see if it's a male or female,let alone view their "about me" stats.
I guess what I am trying to express is that I have felt that it is no longer acceptable for ME in my walk with the Lord,to have married women on my friends list or to accept PM's from them. Now please understand,it's not like I am getting Pm's 24/7 from said married women,nor is the conversation or topics spoken about in said PM's ever questionable. Nothing like flirting or things said that I would not speak about in an open thread in front of the entire CC family.
For me,it's more about honoring God,then honoring that sister in Christ,and honoring her spouse,even if indirectly because I do not know them.
I know,personally I would not enjoy,nor want my Wife to be online speaking to a single (or in my case involved) man in private messages no matter what the topic of conversation was..christian or not.
So that there is no room for the enemy to get in here...I want to clarify that those of you whom I have removed from my friends list that are married women,have been nothing but Christlike in conversation with me,even in our occasional PM's. This is nothing personal against any of you. As stated before,this is something I believe God wants for ME & I do not sit in judgement or condemnation of any women who so choose to have single men as friends. Each one of you I still consider my "friend"...an awesome sister in the Lord. I just feel that if there is to be any talk,no matter what it is,that I need to keep it within an open thread & not to be done via PM's. I pray that you will understand & not take this as rudeness,for that is so not my hearts intention.
This brings me to another issue for me,which is PM's in general. As of yesterday I have changed my PM status to only accept messages from those whom are already on my contact list. Like I said,I was starting to just accept friendships with people for no good reason as of late,and not really bothering to screen said friendships. Many,if not all the people that I removed were people whom I really have never gotten to know & have never but once even spoken to,PM or otherwise...so it seems pointless to just accept "friends" for the sake of having "friends".
Anyone who wants to get to know me can access me right here in an open thread when I'm online. I'm not unapproachable one bit.
( I may act like a goofball at times,but I enjoy getting to know people)
It comes down to this for me right now.
This is where I'm at & what I believe God wants me to do right now
Out of honor & love for Him...and lastly,out of respect & honor for the woman that God has placed in my life in whom I cherish.
I pray this doesn't get weird for anyone.
If it does.
Pray for me.
Then pray for yourselves.
Much Blessings!
I
"...I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel...not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers...
I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people...
For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more."
HEBREWS 8:8-12
The old covenant is based on "you shall not" this & "you shall not" that.
Our new covenant through Jesus is based Him having already done the work..."It is finished!"
Jesus came to establish God's kingdom & purpose through us via His blood...it is by His grace that we have been saved.
That is a pretty freeing knowledge to have inside your heart & mind when you start to get hold of it.
I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people...
For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more."
HEBREWS 8:8-12
The old covenant is based on "you shall not" this & "you shall not" that.
Our new covenant through Jesus is based Him having already done the work..."It is finished!"
Jesus came to establish God's kingdom & purpose through us via His blood...it is by His grace that we have been saved.
That is a pretty freeing knowledge to have inside your heart & mind when you start to get hold of it.
I
This is the Day that the Lord has made...I choose to rejoice & be glad in it!
Yes indeed. I've said it before...maybe 1,000 times in my life. Maybe more.
It's the truth.
This morning I have every reason within my current circumstances to choose not to believe that God will supply all my needs according to His riches in glory,through Christ Jesus.
I am choosing to push aside my worry...my doubt ..my fears...scratch that...............
I am choosing to CAST ALL worry,doubt & fear AT THE FEET OF JESUS!
These things are only "mine" if I choose to pick them up.
I'm not going to...I refuse to live in a state of constant worry & unbelief.
God doesn't want that for me.
I don't know about you,but every single day I need Jesus...more & more.
I am so sick of trying to do everything in myself without consulting Him 1st.
God gave me a mind to think with,yes indeed...
but I need to use that mind first & foremost to SEEK HIM...to KNOW HIM...then He can open the eyes of my understanding more clearly.
My mind & heart sometimes get all tangled up,they are weak & deceptive at times.
God in His infinite mercy & grace knows this...
and the awesome thing is, He still loves me...still believes the best of me...He sees me as He sees His son Jesus.
Not as the screw up Jim...the failure..the worrier...nope. He sees me as His anointed overcoming child,bought with a price & covered & sanctified by His son's blood.
I dunno how many people ever bother coming to this thread.
To be honest,I don't even care.
For me,in many ways,this has replaced the streams of consciousness thread & has become my own little fortress of solitude where I can ramble on & sort of bounce God's word off myself. I don't do devotionals.
Not that I am against them one bit.
I just know how I am with things like that...lol,I start off with good intentions,and then it just becomes religious or ritualistic with me & I begin not to learn from it anymore.
I guess the "bad boy" in me hates structure.
I do however like security.
I am secure in the knowledge that Jesus only has the best in store for me. If I'm not receiving the best,it's not HIS fault...it's because I am falling short...or not walking in His grace & love in the ways I need be.
If any of you who know me read this,I would appreciate your prayers. Pray as the Lord leads. If He tells you to pray something specific...do it..no matter how crazy it sounds. Chances are,yer' more than likely hearing His voice.
I know I have felt many times a small voice urging me to pray for others in ways I didn't understand at the time,but I just knew it was His Spirit guiding me to.
There are many of you here that I lift up in prayer as the Lord leads me.
So many of us have so many things we are confronted with daily...so many things we are in the midst of right now...and yanno something?
God is faithful to walk with us THROUGH all these things.
Be blessed.
Be comforted.
We are not alone in any of this.
Jesus is right here.
Right now.
Always!
Yes indeed. I've said it before...maybe 1,000 times in my life. Maybe more.
It's the truth.
This morning I have every reason within my current circumstances to choose not to believe that God will supply all my needs according to His riches in glory,through Christ Jesus.
I am choosing to push aside my worry...my doubt ..my fears...scratch that...............
I am choosing to CAST ALL worry,doubt & fear AT THE FEET OF JESUS!
These things are only "mine" if I choose to pick them up.
I'm not going to...I refuse to live in a state of constant worry & unbelief.
God doesn't want that for me.
I don't know about you,but every single day I need Jesus...more & more.
I am so sick of trying to do everything in myself without consulting Him 1st.
God gave me a mind to think with,yes indeed...
but I need to use that mind first & foremost to SEEK HIM...to KNOW HIM...then He can open the eyes of my understanding more clearly.
My mind & heart sometimes get all tangled up,they are weak & deceptive at times.
God in His infinite mercy & grace knows this...
and the awesome thing is, He still loves me...still believes the best of me...He sees me as He sees His son Jesus.
Not as the screw up Jim...the failure..the worrier...nope. He sees me as His anointed overcoming child,bought with a price & covered & sanctified by His son's blood.
I dunno how many people ever bother coming to this thread.
To be honest,I don't even care.
For me,in many ways,this has replaced the streams of consciousness thread & has become my own little fortress of solitude where I can ramble on & sort of bounce God's word off myself. I don't do devotionals.
Not that I am against them one bit.
I just know how I am with things like that...lol,I start off with good intentions,and then it just becomes religious or ritualistic with me & I begin not to learn from it anymore.
I guess the "bad boy" in me hates structure.
I do however like security.
I am secure in the knowledge that Jesus only has the best in store for me. If I'm not receiving the best,it's not HIS fault...it's because I am falling short...or not walking in His grace & love in the ways I need be.
If any of you who know me read this,I would appreciate your prayers. Pray as the Lord leads. If He tells you to pray something specific...do it..no matter how crazy it sounds. Chances are,yer' more than likely hearing His voice.
I know I have felt many times a small voice urging me to pray for others in ways I didn't understand at the time,but I just knew it was His Spirit guiding me to.
There are many of you here that I lift up in prayer as the Lord leads me.
So many of us have so many things we are confronted with daily...so many things we are in the midst of right now...and yanno something?
God is faithful to walk with us THROUGH all these things.
Be blessed.
Be comforted.
We are not alone in any of this.
Jesus is right here.
Right now.
Always!
B
I've been thinking of edifying and that very verse the original posted.
1 Thessalonians 5:11
King James Version (KJV)
[SUP]11 [/SUP]Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
It supposedly means people share each others problems. So, that if we're correcting each other than its two correctors and two confessors. I also read this verse in different versions and the word mutual is there in other versions so the those going about it will have to be okay with the two correctors and confessors... I imagine it can be a bigger group than 2 people, just saying.
1 Thessalonians 5:11
King James Version (KJV)
[SUP]11 [/SUP]Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
It supposedly means people share each others problems. So, that if we're correcting each other than its two correctors and two confessors. I also read this verse in different versions and the word mutual is there in other versions so the those going about it will have to be okay with the two correctors and confessors... I imagine it can be a bigger group than 2 people, just saying.
I
Have you ever met someone who inspires you?
I'm pretty sure most people would answer yes to that.
Even if they have not met someone in person,chances are they know of a person who does.
It's easy to say as a believer that Jesus is by far the most inspiring of all.
I have a few people in my life who inspire me right now.
One,to my knowledge has no idea that they do. The other, I tell as much as possible.
I was missing my old church a bit today.
It's true that you can never go back.
In this case that is both figuratively & reality.
The church I used to attend,soon after I'd left changed locations..expanded & jumped from 150 members to maybe 350+.
Many of the original people that I knew who went there,no longer went.
Over the past 15 years I have heard stories. None of them good.
The church had shifted focus on many of it's core beliefs,it submitted itself under the umbrella of a mega-church in NJ,who now my old pastor was accountable to. There were many people whom I knew as very very sold out for Christ loving christians that had now gotten divorced from their spouses...many just walked away from God all together...some went back to being Catholic or Baptist or whatever denomination they were prior. The Praise & Worship team became almost non-existent.
Looking back I'm glad I left when I did.
I may not have left for all the "right" reasons,but I think it would have broken my heart to watch all this unfold.
I still to this day love my old pastor & his wife. He was an amazing example of God's love & wisdom in my life. Thing's God imparted to him in his sermons or the one on one time we'd spend having lunch talking were things I will forever hold close to my heart. Once & a blue moon I'll think of him & pray that God will always show him what He wants for his life & that his heart will be open to receive.
I don't think people pray enough for their pastors,or those in places of spiritual leadership enough.
They have a great responsibility,and many times all people do it take from them without giving back.
Their job is to serve. To help guide God's people.
Our job is also to serve.
We should be a blessing to our pastors,elders,deacons...all those who live a life of service 24/7 ministering to God's people.
I hope to find another church someday that has all those amazing things my old church once had.
Love. Conviction. Power. Healing. It wasn't the building,but those who came to worship & praise every Wednesday & Sunday.
Those awesome people who had such a zeal for knowing the face of God.
I miss them.
and I know God misses the ones who fell away even more.
I guess since this thread is Edify,Encourage,and Express...
I will Encourage you to never take for granted your church family.
As screwed up or wacky as they may be sometimes,you are called to love & pray for them without ceasing.
Someday,you may be the one who needs a brother or sister to lean on for prayer or comfort,or just a listening ear.
After all,isn't that part of why God made us?
I'm pretty sure most people would answer yes to that.
Even if they have not met someone in person,chances are they know of a person who does.
It's easy to say as a believer that Jesus is by far the most inspiring of all.
I have a few people in my life who inspire me right now.
One,to my knowledge has no idea that they do. The other, I tell as much as possible.
I was missing my old church a bit today.
It's true that you can never go back.
In this case that is both figuratively & reality.
The church I used to attend,soon after I'd left changed locations..expanded & jumped from 150 members to maybe 350+.
Many of the original people that I knew who went there,no longer went.
Over the past 15 years I have heard stories. None of them good.
The church had shifted focus on many of it's core beliefs,it submitted itself under the umbrella of a mega-church in NJ,who now my old pastor was accountable to. There were many people whom I knew as very very sold out for Christ loving christians that had now gotten divorced from their spouses...many just walked away from God all together...some went back to being Catholic or Baptist or whatever denomination they were prior. The Praise & Worship team became almost non-existent.
Looking back I'm glad I left when I did.
I may not have left for all the "right" reasons,but I think it would have broken my heart to watch all this unfold.
I still to this day love my old pastor & his wife. He was an amazing example of God's love & wisdom in my life. Thing's God imparted to him in his sermons or the one on one time we'd spend having lunch talking were things I will forever hold close to my heart. Once & a blue moon I'll think of him & pray that God will always show him what He wants for his life & that his heart will be open to receive.
I don't think people pray enough for their pastors,or those in places of spiritual leadership enough.
They have a great responsibility,and many times all people do it take from them without giving back.
Their job is to serve. To help guide God's people.
Our job is also to serve.
We should be a blessing to our pastors,elders,deacons...all those who live a life of service 24/7 ministering to God's people.
I hope to find another church someday that has all those amazing things my old church once had.
Love. Conviction. Power. Healing. It wasn't the building,but those who came to worship & praise every Wednesday & Sunday.
Those awesome people who had such a zeal for knowing the face of God.
I miss them.
and I know God misses the ones who fell away even more.
I guess since this thread is Edify,Encourage,and Express...
I will Encourage you to never take for granted your church family.
As screwed up or wacky as they may be sometimes,you are called to love & pray for them without ceasing.
Someday,you may be the one who needs a brother or sister to lean on for prayer or comfort,or just a listening ear.
After all,isn't that part of why God made us?
M
Today, I am tired. I'm not complaining; it was nice to interact with people and get to know a little more about them. In my tired state, I feel more receptive than usual to what I believe is God speaking to me. No, there are no burning bushes, no voices booming out of the clouds, no thunder, no lightning...
Just random scripture popping into my head, just my heart feeling...sensitive, open...
Often, the verse that is spoken to me is Psalm 46:10, the first bit- "Be still, and know that I am God". I've heard this before, it was a favorite for my mom to use when she talked about God with my sister, brother, and me. But somehow, I had never bothered to pick up my Bible and read the words for myself. Until just now.
I was going about my day, busy busy busy, mothering and gardening and cleaning up, and also, as I so often do, worrying. Fearing. Over-thinking. Trying to solve problems that aren't mine to solve. And suddenly I thought, "Be still, and know that I am God". So I put down the broom, and found the verse-
"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."
It brings me peace; it humbles me. It reassures and comforts me. Because whatever projects, burdens, fears, or troubles I have...
HE is God. He WILL be exalted.
When I stop running around here being a busy little Cristen-bee, when I put everything else on hold for a little while, and just shut my trap and open my heart, I can feel the Spirit move me, I can praise the Lord with all that I have, I CAN be still and know that He is God...
Why can't I do this without being reminded? Why is it not always my top priority?
Just random scripture popping into my head, just my heart feeling...sensitive, open...
Often, the verse that is spoken to me is Psalm 46:10, the first bit- "Be still, and know that I am God". I've heard this before, it was a favorite for my mom to use when she talked about God with my sister, brother, and me. But somehow, I had never bothered to pick up my Bible and read the words for myself. Until just now.
I was going about my day, busy busy busy, mothering and gardening and cleaning up, and also, as I so often do, worrying. Fearing. Over-thinking. Trying to solve problems that aren't mine to solve. And suddenly I thought, "Be still, and know that I am God". So I put down the broom, and found the verse-
"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."
It brings me peace; it humbles me. It reassures and comforts me. Because whatever projects, burdens, fears, or troubles I have...
HE is God. He WILL be exalted.
When I stop running around here being a busy little Cristen-bee, when I put everything else on hold for a little while, and just shut my trap and open my heart, I can feel the Spirit move me, I can praise the Lord with all that I have, I CAN be still and know that He is God...
Why can't I do this without being reminded? Why is it not always my top priority?