fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 6,906 
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Post by fearnot on Oct 13, 2017 19:24:26 GMT -5
Read and studied the first chapter of 1 john and also 3 john
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 6,906
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Post by fearnot on Oct 14, 2017 11:33:18 GMT -5
Read and studied 2 John
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 6,906
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Post by fearnot on Oct 15, 2017 21:57:53 GMT -5
Read and studied Jude
I especially like this verse:
"Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,"
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Post by Cindy on Oct 16, 2017 10:38:54 GMT -5
That was a good article....if and/or when you send back the stomp stuff
maybe if you could include that and a few others for Leonard to print out?
we have a new scanner and he is just figuring it out....I am not sure how to copy those things without all the photos and adds and videos etc.
That's weird I thought I did write about Ch 4
ok well I will do it now....
V.4
When starting to get depressed I will remember that I am to rejoice in the Lord ALL the time....not just some of the time
and that depression is a sin.
v.6 also is a great help in times of any trouble because I can bring whatever to the Lord...and thank Him because I can leave it in His hands and know He will take care of it ( whatever way He choose will be the best)....I am not alone.....v.7 I can have peace, that is beyond understanding.
We have already talked about 8....I did write just the things to think about on a card and read them yesterday and before going to sleep last night.
v.11
often ( not always) my depression is a result of not being content.....I need to stop that and realize God has a reason for whatever situation I find myself in.
v.13 I can remind myself I can do all things thru Christ who strengthens me
v.19 if fearful of wants I can remember that God will supply my needs ( He has done so in the past).
Oh I forgot to mention I found on youtube a whole bunch of Scripture Memory Songs...they just sing scripture ...
there are several records like:
Praise,
Guidance,
Grace,
Forgiveness,
God's Love,
Healing,
Overcoming stress,
Victory,
etc.
It's cute that they give credit for the word's like by David etc.
even my favorite gospel singer Guy Penrod sings a Scripture Memory song 'By His Wounds'
I only just found them so I have a lot to listen to!
I don't know what you mean about me giving it to you to print out, or giving you others....because I already have done so. That is the most important one, but I gave you three others before that that you can print out. Why would I have to do it again?
That's very good hon. I really want to share some info about this with you though:
YOU DON’T HAVE TO WORRY!
Philippians 4:1–9
If anybody had an excuse for worrying, it was the Apostle Paul. His beloved Christian friends at Philippi were disagreeing with one another, and he was not there to help them. We have no idea what Euodia and Syntyche were disputing about, but whatever it was, it was bringing division into the church. Along with the potential division at Philippi, Paul had to face division among the believers at Rome (Phil. 1:14–17). Added to these burdens was the possibility of his own death! Yes, Paul had a good excuse to worry—but he did not! Instead, he took time to explain to us the secret of victory over worry.
What is worry? The Greek word translated “anxious” (careful) in Philippians 4:6 means “to be pulled in different directions.” Our hopes pull us in one direction; our fears pull us the opposite direction; and we are pulled apart! The Old English root from which we get our word “worry” means “to strangle.” If you have ever really worried, you know how it does strangle a person! In fact, worry has definite physical consequences: headaches, neck pains, ulcers, even back pains. Worry affects our thinking, our digestion, and even our coordination.
From the spiritual point of view, worry is wrong thinking (the mind) and wrong feeling (the heart) about circumstances, people, and things. Worry is the greatest thief of joy. It is not enough for us, however, to tell ourselves to “quit worrying” because that will never capture the thief. Worry is an “inside job,” and it takes more than good intentions to get the victory. The antidote to worry is the secure mind: “And the peace of God … shall keep [garrison, guard like a soldier] your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:7). When you have the secure mind, the peace of God guards you (Phil. 4:7) and the God of peace guides you (Phil. 4:9). With that kind of protection—why worry?
If we are to conquer worry and experience the secure mind, we must meet the conditions that God has laid down. There are three: right praying (Phil. 4:6–7), right thinking (Phil. 4:8), and right living (Phil. 4:9).
Right Praying (Phil. 4:6–7) (this is very important; I tried to tell you about it before)
Paul does not write, “Pray about it!” He is too wise to do that. He uses three different words to describe “right praying”: prayer, supplication, and thanksgiving. “Right praying” involves all three. The word prayer is the general word for making requests known to the Lord. It carries the idea of adoration, devotion, and worship. Whenever we find ourselves worrying, our first action ought to be to get alone with God and worship Him. Adoration is what is needed. We must see the greatness and majesty of God! We must realize that He is big enough to solve our problems. Too often we rush into His presence and hastily tell Him our needs, when we ought to approach His throne calmly and in deepest reverence. The first step in “right praying” is adoration.
The second is supplication, an earnest sharing of our needs and problems. There is no place for halfhearted, insincere prayer! While we know we are not heard for our “much speaking” (Matt. 6:7–8), still we realize that our Father wants us to be earnest in our asking (Matt. 7:1–11). This is the way Jesus prayed in the Garden (Heb. 5:7), and while His closest disciples were sleeping, Jesus was sweating great drops of blood! Supplication is not a matter of carnal energy but of spiritual intensity (Rom. 15:30; Col. 4:12).
After adoration and supplication comes appreciation, giving thanks to God (see Eph. 5:20; Col. 3:15–17). Certainly the Father enjoys hearing His children say, “Thank You!” When Jesus healed ten lepers, only one of the ten returned to give thanks (Luke 17:11–19), and we wonder if the percentage is any higher today. We are eager to ask but slow to appreciate.
You will note that “right praying” is not something every Christian can do immediately, because “right praying” depends on the right kind of mind. This is why Paul’s formula for peace is found at the end of Philippians and not at the beginning. If we have the single mind of Philippians 1 then we can give adoration. (How can a double-minded person ever praise God?) If we have the submissive mind of Philippians 2, we can come with supplication. (Would a person with a proud mind ask God for something?) If we have the spiritual mind of Philippians 3 we can show our appreciation. (A worldly minded person would not know that God had given him anything to appreciate!) In other words, we must practice Philippians 1, 2, and 3 if we are going to experience the secure mind of Philippians 4.
Paul counsels us to take “everything to God in prayer.” “Don’t worry about anything, but pray about everything!” is his admonition. We are prone to pray about the “big things” in life and forget to pray about the so-called “little things”—until they grow and become big things! Talking to God about everything that concerns us and Him is the first step toward victory over worry.
The result is that the “peace of God” guards the heart and the mind. You will remember that Paul was chained to a Roman soldier, guarded day and night. In like manner, “the peace of God” stands guard over the two areas that create worry—the heart (wrong feeling) and the mind (wrong thinking). When we give our hearts to Christ in salvation, we experience “peace with God” (Rom. 5:1); but the “peace of God” takes us a step farther into His blessings. This does not mean the absence of trials on the outside, but it does mean a quiet confidence within, regardless of circumstances, people, or things.
Daniel gives us a wonderful illustration of peace through prayer. When the king announced that none of his subjects was to pray to anyone except the king, Daniel went to his room, opened his windows, and prayed as before (Dan. 6:1–10). Note how Daniel prayed. He “prayed, and gave thanks before his God” (Dan. 6:10) and he made supplication (Dan. 6:11). Prayer—supplication—thanksgiving! And the result was perfect peace in the midst of difficulty! Daniel was able to spend the night with the lions in perfect peace, while the king in his palace could not sleep (Dan. 6:18).
The first condition for the secure mind and victory over worry is right praying.
Right Thinking (Phil. 4:8)
Peace involves the heart and the mind.“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee” (Isa. 26:3). Wrong thinking leads to wrong feeling, and before long the heart and mind are pulled apart and we are strangled by worry. We must realize that thoughts are real and powerful, even though they cannot be seen, weighed, or measured. We must bring “into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5).
“Sow a thought, reap an action.
Sow an action, reap a habit.
Sow a habit, reap a character.
Sow a character, reap a destiny!”
Paul spells out in detail the things we ought to think about as Christians.
Whatever is true. Dr. Walter Cavert reported a survey on worry that indicated that only 8 percent of the things people worried about were legitimate matters of concern! The other 92 percent were either imaginary, never happened, or involved matters over which the people had no control anyway. Satan is the liar (John 8:44), and he wants to corrupt our minds with his lies (2 Cor. 11:3). “Yea, hath God said?” is the way he approaches us, just as he approached Eve (Gen. 3:1ff). The Holy Spirit controls our minds through truth (John 17:17; 1 John 5:6), but the devil tries to control them through lies. Whenever we believe a lie, Satan takes over!
Whatever is honest and just. This means “worthy of respect and right.” There are many things that are not respectable, and Christians should not think about these things. This does not mean we hide our heads in the sand and avoid what is unpleasant and displeasing, but it does mean we do not focus our attention on dishonorable things and permit them to control our thoughts.
Whatever is pure, lovely, and of good report. “Pure” probably refers to moral purity, since the people then, as now, were constantly attacked by temptations to sexual impurity (Eph. 4:17–24; 5:8–12). “Lovely” means “beautiful, attractive.” “Of good report” means “worth talking about, appealing.” The believer must major on the high and noble thoughts, not the base thoughts of this corrupt world.
Whatever possesses virtue and praise. If it has virtue, it will motivate us to do better; and if it has praise, it is worth commending to others. No Christian can afford to waste “mind power” on thoughts that tear him down or that would tear others down if these thoughts were shared.
If you will compare this list to David’s description of the Word of God in Psalm 19:7–9, you will see a parallel. The Christian who fills his heart and mind with God’s Word will have a “built-in radar” for detecting wrong thoughts. “Great peace have they which love Thy Law” (Ps. 119:165). Right thinking is the result of daily meditation on the Word of God.
Right Living (Phil. 4:9)
You cannot separate outward action and inward attitude. Sin always results in unrest (unless the conscience is seared), and purity ought to result in peace. “And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and peace” (Isa. 32:17). “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable” (James 3:17). Right living is a necessary condition for experiencing the peace of God.
Paul balances four activities: “learned and received” and “heard and seen.” It is one thing to learn a truth, but quite another to receive it inwardly and make it a part of our inner man (see 1 Thes. 2:13). Facts in the head are not enough; we must also have truths in the heart. In Paul’s ministry, he not only taught the Word but also lived it so that his listeners could see the truth in his life. Paul’s experience ought to be our experience. We must learn the Word, receive it, hear it, and do it. “But be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only” (James 1:22).
“The peace of God” is one test of whether or not we are in the will of God. “Let the peace that Christ can give keep on acting as umpire in your hearts” (Col. 3:15, WMS). If we are walking with the Lord, then the peace of God and the God of peace exercise their influence over our hearts. Whenever we disobey, we lose that peace and we know we have done something wrong. God’s peace is the “umpire” that calls us “out”!
Right praying, right thinking, and right living: these are the conditions for having the secure mind and victory over worry. As Philippians 4 is the “peace chapter” of the New Testament, James 4 is the “war chapter.” It begins with a question: “From whence come wars and fightings among you?” James explains the causes of war: wrong praying (“Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss,” James 4:3), wrong thinking (“purify your hearts, ye double-minded,” James 4:8), and wrong living (“know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God?” James 4:4). There is no middle ground. Either we yield heart and mind to the Spirit of God and practice right praying, thinking, and living; or we yield to the flesh and find ourselves torn apart by worry.
There is no need to worry! And, worry is a sin! (Have you read Matt. 6:24–34 lately?) With the peace of God to guard us and the God of peace to guide us—why worry?
THE SECRET OF CONTENTMENT (even when you're tempted to worry about your meds)
Philippians 4:10–23
The trouble with him is that he’s a thermometer and not a thermostat!”
This statement by one of his deacons aroused the pastor’s curiosity. They were discussing possible board members, and Jim’s name had come up.
“Pastor, it’s like this,” the deacon explained. “A thermometer doesn’t change anything around it—it just registers the temperature. It’s always going up and down. But a thermostat regulates the surroundings and changes them when they need to be changed. Jim is a thermometer—he lacks the power to change things. Instead, they change him!”
The Apostle Paul was a thermostat. Instead of having spiritual ups and downs as the situation changed, he went right on, steadily doing his work and serving Christ. His personal references at the close of this letter indicate that he was not the victim of circumstances but the victor over circumstances: “I can accept all things” (Phil. 4:11); “I can do all things” (Phil. 4:13); “I have all things” (Phil. 4:18). Paul did not have to be pampered to be content; he found his contentment in the spiritual resources abundantly provided by Christ.
Contentment is not complacency, nor is it a false peace based on ignorance. The complacent believer is unconcerned about others, while the contented Christian wants to share his blessings. Contentment is not escape from the battle, but rather an abiding peace and confidence in the midst of the battle. “I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content” (Phil. 4:11). Two words in that verse are vitally important—“learned” and “content.”
The verb “learned” means “learned by experience.” Paul’s spiritual contentment was not something he had immediately after he was saved. He had to go through many difficult experiences of life in order to learn how to be content. The word “content” actually means “contained.” It is a description of the man whose resources are within him so that he does not have to depend on substitutes without. The Greek word means “self-sufficient” and was a favorite word of the stoic philosophers. But the Christian is not sufficient in himself; he is sufficient in Christ. Because Christ lives within us, we are adequate for the demands of life.
In this chapter, Paul names three wonderful spiritual resources that make us adequate and give us contentment.
The Overruling Providence of God (Phil. 4:10)
In this day of scientific achievement, we hear less and less about the providence of God. We sometimes get the idea that the world is a vast natural machine and that even God Himself cannot interrupt the wheels as they are turning. But the Word of God clearly teaches the providential workings of God in nature and in the lives of His people. The word “providence” comes from two Latin words: pro, meaning “before,” and video, meaning “to see.” God’s providence simply means that God sees to it beforehand. It does not mean that God simply knows beforehand, because providence involves much more. It is the working of God in advance to arrange circumstances and situations for the fulfilling of His purposes.
The familiar story of Joseph and his brothers illustrates the meaning of providence (Gen. 37–50). Joseph’s brothers envied him and sold him as a slave when he was only seventeen years old. He was taken to Egypt, and there God revealed that seven years of famine were coming after seven years of plenty. It was through Joseph’s interpretation of Pharaoh’s dreams that this fact was discovered. Because of that, Joseph was elevated to the position of second ruler in Egypt. After twenty years of separation, Joseph’s brothers were reconciled to him, and they understood what the Lord had done.
“God did send me before you to preserve life!” said Joseph (Gen. 45:5). “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good” (Gen. 50:20). This is the providence of God: His hand ruling and overruling in the affairs of life. Paul experienced this divine providence in his life and ministry, and he was able to write, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are the called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28). God in His providence had caused the church at Philippi to become concerned about Paul’s needs, and it came at the very time Paul needed their love most! They had been concerned, but they had lacked the opportunity to help. Many Christians today have the opportunities, but they lack the concern!
Life is not a series of accidents; it is a series of appointments. “I will guide thee with Mine eye” (Ps. 32:8). Abraham called God “Jehovah-Jireh,” meaning “the Lord will see to it” (Gen. 22:14). “And when He putteth forth His own sheep, He goeth before them” (John 10:4). This is the providence of God, a wonderful source of contentment.
The Unfailing Power of God (Phil. 4:11–13)
Paul is quick to let his friends know that he is not complaining! His happiness does not depend on circumstances or things; his joy comes from something deeper, something apart from either poverty or prosperity. Most of us have learned how to “be abased,” because when difficulties come we immediately run to the Lord! But few have learned how “to abound.” Prosperity has done more damage to believers than has adversity. “I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing” (Rev. 3:17).
The word “instructed” in Philippians 4:12 is not the same as “learned” in Philippians 4:11. “Instructed” means “initiated into the secret.” This word was used by the pagan religions with reference to their “inner secrets.” Through trial and testing, Paul was “initiated” into the wonderful secret of contentment in spite of poverty or prosperity. “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Phil. 4:13). It was the power of Christ within him that gave him spiritual contentment.
Fog had moved into O’Hare Field, the airport that serves Chicago, and my departure had been delayed. I was sitting in the terminal reading a book and quietly asking God to work out His plans for the trip. Near me was a gentleman waiting for the same plane, but he was pacing up and down like a caged lion, and the language he was using to describe the fog was making the atmosphere more dense! I thought to myself, “Here is a man without any inner resources.” Later, he asked me how I could be so calm when the planes were all late, and I had the opportunity to share the Gospel with him.
While flying back to Chicago from upper New York via New York City, we had to stay in our holding pattern over Kennedy Airport for more than an hour. When the stewardess announced that we would be landing an hour late, a man across the aisle shouted, “Bring out the booze!” This was his only resource when things were going against him.
All of nature depends on hidden resources. The great trees send their roots down into the earth to draw up water and minerals. Rivers have their sources in the snow-capped mountains. The most important part of a tree is the part you cannot see, the root system, and the most important part of the Christian’s life is the part that only God sees. Unless we draw on the deep resources of God by faith, we fail against the pressures of life. Paul depended on the power of Christ at work in his life (see Phil. 1:6, 21; 2:12–13; 3:10). “I can—through Christ!” was Paul’s motto, and it can be our motto too.
“I am ready for anything through the strength of the One who lives within me,” is the way J.B. Phillips translates Philippians 4:13. The Living Bible puts it this way: “I can do everything God asks me to with the help of Christ who gives me the strength and power.” No matter which translation you prefer, they all say the same thing: the Christian has all the power within that he needs to be adequate for the demands of life. We need only release this power by faith.
Every Christian ought to read Hudson Taylor’s Spiritual Secret, by Dr. and Mrs. Howard Taylor, because it illustrates this principle of inner power in the life of a great missionary to China. For many years, Hudson Taylor worked hard and felt that he was trusting Christ to meet his needs, but somehow he had no joy or liberty in his ministry. Then a letter from a friend opened his eyes to the adequacy of Christ. “It is not by trusting my own faithfulness, but by looking away to the Faithful One!” he said. This was a turning point in his life. Moment by moment, he drew on the power of Christ for every responsibility of the day, and Christ’s power carried him through.
Jesus teaches this same lesson in the sermon on the vine and branches in John 15. He is the Vine; we are the branches. A branch is good only for bearing fruit; otherwise you may as well burn it. The branch does not bear fruit through its own self-effort, but by drawing on the life of the Vine. “Without Me, ye can do nothing” (John 15:5). As the believer maintains his communion with Christ, the power of God is there to see him through. “I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency” (Phil. 4:13, AMP).
The overruling providence of God and the unfailing power of God are two spiritual resources on which we can draw that we might be adequate for the tasks of life. But there is a third resource.
The Unchanging Promise of God (Phil. 4:14–20)
Paul thanks the church at Philippi for their generous gift. He compares their giving to three very familiar things.
A budding tree (v. 10). The word “flourished” carries the idea of a flower or tree budding or blossoming. Often we go through “winter seasons” spiritually, but then the spring arrives and there is new life and blessing. The tree itself is not picked up and moved; the circumstances are not changed. The difference is the new life within.
An investment (vv. 14–17). Paul looked on their missionary gift as an investment that would pay them rich spiritual dividends. The word “communicate” is our familiar word “fellowship.” The church entered into an arrangement of “giving and receiving”; the church gave materially to Paul, and received spiritually from the Lord. The Lord keeps the books and will never fail to pay one spiritual dividend! That church is poor that fails to share materially with others.
A sacrifice (v. 18). Paul looked on their gift as a spiritual sacrifice, laid on the altar to the glory of God. There are such things as “spiritual sacrifices” in the Christian life (see 1 Peter 2:5). We are to yield our bodies as spiritual sacrifices (Rom. 12:1–2), as well as the praise of our lips (Heb. 13:15). Good works are a sacrifice to the Lord (Heb. 13:16), and so are the lost souls that we are privileged to win to Christ (Rom. 15:16). Here, Paul sees the Philippian believers as priests, giving their offering as a sacrifice to the Lord. In the light of Malachi 1:6–14, we need to present the very finest that we have to the Lord.
But Paul does not see this gift as simply coming from Philippi. He sees it as the supply of his need from heaven. Paul’s trust was in the Lord. There is an interesting contrast between Philippians 4:18 and 19. We might state it this way if we were to paraphrase Paul: “You met my need, and God is going to meet your need. You met one need that I have, but my God will meet all of your needs. You gave out of your poverty, but God will supply your needs out of His riches in glory!”
God has not promised to supply all our “greeds.” When the child of God is in the will of God, serving for the glory of God, then he will have every need met. Hudson Taylor often said, “When God’s work is done in God’s way for God’s glory, it will not lack for God’s supply.”
A young pastor came to a church that had been accustomed to raising its annual budget by means of suppers, bazaars, and the like. He told his officers he could not agree with their program. “Let’s pray and ask God to meet every need,” he suggested. “At the end of the month, pay all the bills and leave my salary till the last. If there isn’t enough money for my salary, then I’m the one who suffers, and not the church. But I don’t think anybody is going to suffer!” The officers were sure that both the pastor and the church would die, but such was not the case. Each month every bill was paid, and at the end of the year there was a surplus in the treasury for the first time in many years.
Contentment comes from adequate resources. Our resources are the providence of God, the power of God, and the promises of God. These resources made Paul sufficient for every demand of life, and they can make us sufficient too.
Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary
Read and studied the first chapter of 1 john and also 3 john
and you got what out of it? what will help with your plan too?Read and studied Jude
I especially like this verse:
"Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,"
I'm afraid you're going to be on your own for about a week as there's no way I can work on Stomp for you and get my own chores done and my own bible study done plus a bible study for you as well. (not to mention my own doctors appointments and Bruce's) So for the next week, go ahead and read whatever you feel led to, except for Colossians, and post what you read and what you learned from it and how it can help you if you apply it to your life. OK? And I'll see you in about a week. Also, go ahead and print out those articles I gave you so you can take them with you. There are now a total of 4 of them: the recent one from newsweek, and then the 3 that are on this board that I gave you the links to and showed you how to save them to bookmarks on the board.
Oh and as far as the Stomp things goes. there was no way to download it so I had to copy it to a word document in order to work on it. I'll have to email it to you when I'm done. Since it's so long, I'll probably email it in portions instead of all at once.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 6,906
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Post by fearnot on Oct 16, 2017 14:58:15 GMT -5
Ok will do.
I will go back maybe and re-read with the idea of how it will help with my plan. And also do some other readings that way also.
And see you next week.
I just finished reading your notes, so I will go back and re-read them also and put in my journal.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 6,906
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Post by fearnot on Oct 17, 2017 14:35:11 GMT -5
So I re-read 2 John today and studied it
Right off the bat, it talks about the love of truth and nothing about depression is true ( I guess there may be sometimes 1/2 truths, that seems to be satan's speciality....give just enough 'truth' but then pepper liberally with lies).
So I will remind myself, that depression is not only a sin, but filled with lies and not real truth.
And also grace, mercy, peace and love are tied together with truth, and that is what I really want,
not depression.
I will also remember that love is walking in obedience and sin is not obedience and depression is sin, so there is no love in it.
It mentions not letting a human come into your home who has a false gospel....don't even greet them.
In the same manner that would be how I will treat depression....as soon as it tries to get in the door of my mind, I won't let it in, nor even entertain it by a short greeting, as it were.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 6,906
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Post by fearnot on Oct 18, 2017 14:49:26 GMT -5
Today I re-read 3 John
Again the subject of truth comes up and being faithful to it. So when, I am plagued by doubts, and depression etc. I will remind myself, that entertaining lies,
is not being faithful to truth and God.
And in a small way like Diotrephes spread malicious nonsense about John, I will remember that is what a major portion of the depression is, when it comes.
Also, I will think about what good I might do for someone else.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 6,906
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Post by fearnot on Oct 19, 2017 22:14:01 GMT -5
Read Jude and wrote notes from your last post in my journal
Tomorrow will add insights from Jude ( after I re-read it again) for my plan.
However, today was crazy...electricians here for hours, and at 3 am have to go to Hossanah's.....then I will go at 11:30 with Leonard to pick Hossanah up at work.
We are getting things for granddaughter's birthday party/sleep over ( her actual birthday was Monday the 16th but is having her 16th party Sat.
We also have to finish cleaning B & B
and neither of us is feeling great. Leonard has an infected tooth
and I have more than 1/2 of my mouth palette hurting ( as if it were burned or have sores?)
So I may not get here until afternoon.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 6,906
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Post by fearnot on Oct 20, 2017 16:30:45 GMT -5
Re read and studied Jude this morning....
I was thinking that although it was talking about false teachers, it could also work for false thoughts and depression. Just as I have no interest in listening to false teachers, I need not listen to whatever is kicking depression into gear...so I will stop listening, take those thoughts captive and exchange for God's word.
I can also call on the Lord for Him to rebuke as did Michael the angel....but not to try to rebuke any low level demon myself ( if any bothered me).
I need to stop myself immediately if I catch myself grumbling and replace it with Thanksgiving to God.
I can also combat depression by building myself up in my most holy faith...
and remind myself that:
God is able to keep me from stumbling and to present me before His glorious presence without fault and with great 'joy'.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 6,906
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Post by fearnot on Oct 21, 2017 18:41:44 GMT -5
I forgot to mention that the 3 articles on mindfulness you have on this board should be easy to print out because there is no ads or photos or videos etc.
The only one is the latest Newsweek one....
Is there any chance you could put it with the others?
If not I will see if Leonard can figure it out ( how to get rid of all the ads etc.)
Anyway, today I read and studied Proverbs 1
I was thinking instead of sinful men enticing me,
I have depressing thoughts and feelings
and like it said: do not give into them....
that's what I will do with depression.
It also suggests don't even start going down their path....nip them right off at the start....so that's what I will do....as soon as they start, I will take them captive.
In so doing I can be safety
and be at ease, without fear of harm.
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Post by Cindy on Oct 23, 2017 9:55:01 GMT -5
I have an MRI today and more tests this week. Be back as soon as I can. I told Marcia (the woman who wrote those articles on mindfulness about what's happening with you and gave her a link to STOMP. She's done an article on it to help us. You can read it here:
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 6,906
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Post by fearnot on Oct 23, 2017 19:05:28 GMT -5
Thank you Cindy....this was also a great article and I have checked a link ( will look at more) which was also great!!!
I did not get here yesterday ( I had slept but only an hour in 36 hours so.....
Anyway, yesterday, I read Genesis I
I was thinking that when I allow depression to take over, I am forgetting all the miracles of Creation by God.
So I will remind myself that when depression starts.
Depression is also saying all the things the Lord created and provided were 'not good' and I for sure don't want to say that!!
So again, another remind as ammunition against depression.
By the way, it really is true that the Stomp mindfulness causes and caused me stress.
I was so upset with that 83 page thesis that I forgot my doc actually did write me a prescription.....
I had called this morning to say he did not....cause I was so focused on the Stomp thing, I 'un-mindfully ' put the prescriptions in a drawer until the time to bring them in
Then when I found them....I forgot what happened...so now he will think I am trying to scam him for more agggrrrhhhh!
I read Genesis 2 today will write about it tomorrow as I am still super tired....not caught up yet at all....plus we have to clean really fast the B& B today and tomorrow...which we were NOT planning on but oh well.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 6,906
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Post by fearnot on Oct 24, 2017 22:39:27 GMT -5
Today I read and studied Genesis 3
well first Genesis 2
I was struck about the tree of good and evil.....
I will remember when depression strikes, that entertaining evil in any form is dangerous, it can even lead to death....
Therefore, I will stick with taking evil depressing thoughts captive and stand on the Lord's 'good' thoughts.
But Genesis 3 really pointed out how satan sometimes tells 1/2 truth, but always lies and plants seeds of doubt about what God really said and if God is really good and loving.....
So I will be alert to those lies in moments of depression and know God does love me, and satan is the father of lies....
and again, take those lies and doubts captive and replace them with God's word of love, joy, peace etc.
Another thing to remind myself is sometimes I may be depressed because it seems God is angry and only punishing....like when He banned Adam and Eve from the Garden, but in fact, it was an act of love protecting them
and so are some things I do not understand.....God's ways are not my ways,
and His love and protection may be different than what I want, but it is what I need.....even if I can understand it...so I need to change my sulking and be grateful.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 6,906
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Post by fearnot on Oct 25, 2017 12:59:53 GMT -5
Today I read Proverbs 2
Strangely it reminded me of my childhood....something I have not thought of since the last time we talked about it.
I think while I was meditating on wisdom and taking the path of death.....it reminded me of being 4 years old.
I think that may have been a time when I consolidated a choose of depression in a big way.
That Christmas Eve when my bio mom and foster mom tried to soften the blow of the 'beautiful princess' girl who was about to get her forever home and parents....
They had me in the kitchen and were using cookie cutters to cut ice cream pistachio at that ( I have never developed a liking for that ice cream LOL
But it was snowing sooooo hard...... and my bio mom had a long way to drive home in the dark and snow.....
so instead of being able to follow thru with their 'plan' of having her stay with me in the kitchen...
while the blond beauty got presents,
and parents...she had to leave before it became truly treacherous...it was snowing hard!!!
I suppose I felt betrayed because she left ( as did the foster mom... to answer the door and do all the necessary legal things etc).
So I was left in the kitchen alone with the 'stinking' ha ha ice cream.
Well you know how I snuck out and hid under the stairs long enough to see the parents at the door, as the beauty walked down the stairs in her beautiful pink dress, Shirley Temple long blond hair etc. and they telling her how much they loved her and wanted her to be their daughter etc.
That's when I went out in the cold snow....no coat, gloves, hat, or sweater and decided to die HA
of course that did not happen...
I was so conflicted, wanting someone to come save me, but also beginning to 'warm' up to the idea of dying....cuz nobody wanted me anyway....well ...so I thought at the time.
Instead, I still choose death but the death of bitterness, anger, hurt....
and depression.
We already decided its been a Loooooooooong time habit.....
but with God's help ( and yours)
its finally on its way out....
oh it's not 'totally' dead yet....it has been a life long habit
Which reminds me of the 'sort of' end of that 4 year old Christmas eve....
When the foster mom did come and get me...she was angry!!!!
I can understand why....she had tried to soften the situation
and she was probably also a little scared
( I don't believe I stayed they but maybe a day or so longer).
Anyway, I know she had a predicament....if she cuddled me and made a big fuss,
I might have decided that was a great way to get attention
but her anger also did work out well for my 4 year heart
What would your response have been? I am just curious because I honestly don't know what would have been the Godly way to handle....'me' LOL ( or any young child at that age who tried to pull off a stunt like that).
Anyway, as to my plan...
bet you never thought I would get to it
Well clearly rather than going out and sitting in snow as a cure....the only real cure is God's Word ( His wisdom) and His love!
I will 'store up' His wisdom in order to beat and conquer depression,
by replacing depression with His truth...His Word....as others might search for treasure of the world,
I will search His Word and apply it to my heart and mind and spirit.....
finding joy and peace and love in it.
His Word will shield, guard and protect me.
Depression is sort of like the adulterous woman, in that its ways, are the path of death....not necessarily immediately physical death but a slow torturous one of decades.
Instead I will choose to live in the path of wisdom, righteousness and God's love...I will see depression for the enemy,
that it is,
and fight it, with the sword of God's spirit.....His Word.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 6,906
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Post by fearnot on Oct 26, 2017 15:54:08 GMT -5
Proverbs 3
Oy the first verse says do not forget my teaching....
I am working on not forgetting.....but I still do, which I guess is why we must be in the Word daily
so as part of my plan, is to continue to be in God's Word because no other book in all the world can help like the Bible!
If depression starts I will remind myself, that is not being loving and faithful to my God by entertaining those thoughts and feelings.
And likewise, not to lean to my own understanding, but rather God's wisdom in His word.
Therefore I will shun the evil of depression and not even say 'hello' to it when it knock on the door of my heart and mind, and therefore I will find safety and a type of wellness and lack of fear that only loving and trusting in Jesus and His Word can provide.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 6,906
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Post by fearnot on Oct 27, 2017 18:26:40 GMT -5
1st Timothy 1
Tho Paul was talking to Timothy about people, in a way, I applied the false doctrines, myths and speculations (of the false teachers) as to some of the lies that depression brings......
those depressing lies could be compared to the false teachers ...that was Timothy Charged to Oppose with the truth.....
So in like way, I will oppose depression like they were false teachers....instead I will oppose them with the truth of God's word.
Depression is like the false teacher's meaningless talk...which is a waste of time....I will not give it my time.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 6,906
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Post by fearnot on Oct 28, 2017 14:47:08 GMT -5
1st Timothy 2
When reading the first verse about prayers for all and having a peaceful life, it reminds me to continue to pray when depression come...
of course I war against depression because I don't want to be insulting God and sinning,
but also because I prefer a joyful and peaceful life.
And since sometimes age and looks enter into depression, God gives some principles to follow about dress, etc. but emphasizing the more important aspect of true beauty.....which I will remind myself of....such as faith, love and holiness
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 6,906
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Post by fearnot on Oct 29, 2017 16:28:32 GMT -5
1st Timothy 3
Tho I don't aspire to be an overseer ( if that means pastor), instead of thinking about whatever depression brings, I can instead focus on true and noble characters of being temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money, worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything....
and warn myself away from the conceit o being the worst of the worst, or the most depressed, etc.
instead I will think about others and how to serve and help them....
( esp. if given the chance to speak of the 'mystery'
( the truth now revealed about salvation thru Jesus etc.).
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Post by Cindy on Oct 30, 2017 10:13:31 GMT -5
It looks like you've been doing a really great job these past two weeks! I'm so proud of you! I'm not going to quote all your posts as that would take too long and besides since you did so well, I really don't need to respond to them. I forgot to mention that the 3 articles on mindfulness you have on this board should be easy to print out because there is no ads or photos or videos etc.
The only one is the latest Newsweek one....
Is there any chance you could put it with the others?
If not I will see if Leonard can figure it out ( how to get rid of all the ads etc.)
Thank you Cindy....this was also a great article and I have checked a link ( will look at more) which was also great!!!
I did not get here yesterday ( I had slept but only an hour in 36 hours so.....
Anyway, yesterday, I read Genesis I
I was thinking that when I allow depression to take over, I am forgetting all the miracles of Creation by God.
So I will remind myself that when depression starts.
Depression is also saying all the things the Lord created and provided were 'not good' and I for sure don't want to say that!!
So again, another remind as ammunition against depression.
By the way, it really is true that the Stomp mindfulness causes and caused me stress.
I was so upset with that 83 page thesis that I forgot my doc actually did write me a prescription.....
I had called this morning to say he did not....cause I was so focused on the Stomp thing, I 'un-mindfully ' put the prescriptions in a drawer until the time to bring them in
Then when I found them....I forgot what happened...so now he will think I am trying to scam him for more agggrrrhhhh!
No, he won't think that because you are going to tell him what happened and that it was due to all the stress he caused with the Stomp papers!
Today I read Proverbs 2
Strangely it reminded me of my childhood....something I have not thought of since the last time we talked about it.
I think while I was meditating on wisdom and taking the path of death.....it reminded me of being 4 years old.
I think that may have been a time when I consolidated a choose of depression in a big way.
That Christmas Eve when my bio mom and foster mom tried to soften the blow of the 'beautiful princess' girl who was about to get her forever home and parents....
They had me in the kitchen and were using cookie cutters to cut ice cream pistachio at that ( I have never developed a liking for that ice cream LOL
But it was snowing sooooo hard...... and my bio mom had a long way to drive home in the dark and snow.....
so instead of being able to follow thru with their 'plan' of having her stay with me in the kitchen...
while the blond beauty got presents,
and parents...she had to leave before it became truly treacherous...it was snowing hard!!!
I suppose I felt betrayed because she left ( as did the foster mom... to answer the door and do all the necessary legal things etc).
So I was left in the kitchen alone with the 'stinking' ha ha ice cream.
Well you know how I snuck out and hid under the stairs long enough to see the parents at the door, as the beauty walked down the stairs in her beautiful pink dress, Shirley Temple long blond hair etc. and they telling her how much they loved her and wanted her to be their daughter etc.
That's when I went out in the cold snow....no coat, gloves, hat, or sweater and decided to die HA
of course that did not happen...
I was so conflicted, wanting someone to come save me, but also beginning to 'warm' up to the idea of dying....cuz nobody wanted me anyway....well ...so I thought at the time.
Instead, I still choose death but the death of bitterness, anger, hurt....
and depression.
We already decided its been a Loooooooooong time habit.....
but with God's help ( and yours)
its finally on its way out....
oh it's not 'totally' dead yet....it has been a life long habit
Which reminds me of the 'sort of' end of that 4 year old Christmas eve....
When the foster mom did come and get me...she was angry!!!!
I can understand why....she had tried to soften the situation
and she was probably also a little scared
( I don't believe I stayed they but maybe a day or so longer).
Anyway, I know she had a predicament....if she cuddled me and made a big fuss,
I might have decided that was a great way to get attention
but her anger also did work out well for my 4 year heart
What would your response have been? I am just curious because I honestly don't know what would have been the Godly way to handle....'me' LOL ( or any young child at that age who tried to pull off a stunt like that).
Anyway, as to my plan...
bet you never thought I would get to it
Well clearly rather than going out and sitting in snow as a cure....the only real cure is God's Word ( His wisdom) and His love!
I will 'store up' His wisdom in order to beat and conquer depression,
by replacing depression with His truth...His Word....as others might search for treasure of the world,
I will search His Word and apply it to my heart and mind and spirit.....
finding joy and peace and love in it.
His Word will shield, guard and protect me.
Depression is sort of like the adulterous woman, in that its ways, are the path of death....not necessarily immediately physical death but a slow torturous one of decades.
Instead I will choose to live in the path of wisdom, righteousness and God's love...I will see depression for the enemy,
that it is,
and fight it, with the sword of God's spirit.....His Word.
I do have to ask you one thing though. Why do you continue to use the terms you do to describe the other little girl? (like princess and beauty, etc) Is that how you actually think of her still? If so, you need to change those thoughts until you think of her as just another little girl, basically no different than you. You thought she was prettier because she was getting what you wanted, and you blamed her for it, even though she had done nothing to deserve getting parents, anymore than you had. She was simply another little girl. It's God who chooses who is going to adopt someone and when they'll be adopted, not the people themselves, although of course they think they got the idea themselves.
Just the other day I saw a neat thing on the news about an 85 year old man who had finally been adopted and found his forever home. (that's how the news put it). He had been shuffled between foster parents and orphanages his entire life, never being adopted. They thought it was because he was a "special needs" child. It sounded like he was retarded and never grew up mentally. His new parents were thrilled to have him though. They live on a farm and he is thriving there with them and they obviously make a wonderful family together. So why did he have to wait for 85 years? Only God knows for sure. All we can know is that there was indeed a very good reason for it, or "reasons" plural. God never makes mistakes and does all things for our good. That man, even though he's 85 is a child mentally and is God's child as well since he will never reach the age of accountability. Therefore we know for sure that God's reasons were for this mans ultimate good, no matter what it looks like to the world.
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Post by Cindy on Oct 30, 2017 10:31:11 GMT -5
About the Stomp papers, I have been working on getting a list of new age authors for it. I have a long list now, but it's still not enough so I'll be looking for more. My purpose is to put this stomp thing to rest permanently and show that everything that's been written is written by people who are into the New Age garbage and have been promoting it's use in the medical community.
I'll be honest. If my doctor had told me to do what your doctors has, I wouldn't do it. Instead, I would have told my doctor that it's against my faith and that what he's asking is causing me stress and therefore I wouldn't do it. Assuming he insisted, I would have then told him that I'd be getting a lawyer. I'd find myself a good Christian lawyer and turn the whole thing over to him; telling him how the doctor has been harassing me and causing me all kinds of stress to make me participate in things that go against my faith. I would ask the Lawyer to first write a letter to my doctor explaining to him that this stuff was indeed against Christianity and informing him that he was causing me undo stress by insisting that I do these things. Then asking him to stop because as a doctor, he should know that the stress only makes the pain worse and that if he chooses not to, that he would be filing a suit against him in court. He would make it plain too that I still wanted to have him as my doctor, but just didn't want to have to deal with this any longer.
Anyway, I'll do the best I can on the papers. My problem is that I can't do it the way I'd planned to, on my kindle, so I have to do it on my computer, which limits how much time I have to work on it. I don't have time to do very much each day. (which is very frustrating to me as I want it already done and over with) That's why I'm looking at authors though. If i can show that the very people who are putting this program together are the ones that are promoting things that are against our faith, then I can simply state that at the beginning of each section instead of underlining the entire thing. Or I can underline the whole section and state that at the bottom.... haven't decided which yet.
If you're not comfortable with that, let me know. To me its silly to underline portions of a section when it's the entirety of it that is against my faith. But, it's up to you.
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Post by Cindy on Oct 30, 2017 10:53:23 GMT -5
OK, let's start Colossians. We're going to do this differently. I'll give you an example of how I want to do it. We're going to look at each verse and then tell what we get from that verse...what it makes us think about etc. I'll show you what I mean with the first 4 verses:
“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the holy and faithful brothers in Christ at Colosse: Grace and peace to you from God our Father. We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints—” (Colossians 1:1–4)
What stands out to me is that Paul is an apostle by the will of God. It reminds me again that God is sovereign and all that happens is according to His Will. It was His Will that I be saved, and He did the saving, not me. It's His Will that justified me and it's His Will that will sanctify me, not anything that I'm doing on my own. I can cooperate with His Will and obey His Word, but ultimately He is the one who works in me to do that. (Phil 2:13)
He calls the people who are saved, "holy and faithful, yet they were people just like us. Other versions use the word "Saints" instead of "holy", as they both mean the same thing. He does that because it's true and it's true of us as well because God has declared us "Holy" and is making us Holy. And one day our salvation will be completed by God and we will be truly and completely Holy!
He then says he thanks God for them when he prays for them, which is really neat because he's never even met them! He didn't even start their church, another guy, Epaphras, that heard Paul speak started their church. It shows me that it's good and right to pray for the whole church, the body of Christ as well as individual local churches, even if you don't attend them, because we're all one family in God.
He says he's heard of their faith in Christ and their love for all the saints. We'd probably say love for all the Christians if we were to write something like that today. Yet it's rare to find anyone that loves the members of their own church, much less all Christians. Sadly more and more people are going it alone and not attending any church, not because they're disabled but for selfish reasons, like because their feelings were hurt or something like that. It shows a sad lack of love and a lot of focus on self today. The Lord has been pointing out to me over and over again in every book that we aren't saved to be loners, but instead are saved to be part of His family and it starts here on earth in a local church. It's sad to me that now that I'm really beginning to understand it, I can't do anything about it as I'm unable to attend church regularly like I'd like to do. I know that it's through the local body of believers that God works to draw the unsaved to Him and also works to help us each individually. So by not attending, we're doing without some of what the Lord has arranged to help us. (although I'm also sure that He takes care of those of us who really can't go to church). I just wish I could. Anyway, over and over we hear about love, and especially love for other Christians as a hallmark of salvation. It reminds me of a well known verse: “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”” (John 13:35) that also reminds me of the song, "they will know we are Christians by our love"... I remember singing that when I was young. I honestly don't see much of this in the church today, but sure with I could try and make a difference and go to church regularly and really love every member like the Lord tells us too.
Ok, that's basically what I want us to do. So why don't you take the next few verses ok?
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 6,906
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Post by fearnot on Oct 30, 2017 11:47:16 GMT -5
But I don't know how to:
simply copy and paste it to a Word document.
I have never done that and don't even know what a word document is or where to find it?????
But anyway, I meant, could you put the Newsweek .... 'MINDFULNESS' IS A MEANINGLESS WORD WITH SHODDY SCIENCE BEHIND IT article
in the thread with the other mindfulness articles.
But if not I will try to figure out what you said to do with a word doc...wherever and whatever and however one does thatLOL
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 6,906
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Post by fearnot on Oct 30, 2017 15:24:26 GMT -5
I really remember the little girl as very pretty....but the strange thing
is.... I don't remember... anything.... else about her....
not being in the same bedroom, talking or playing together.
Maybe either she, or maybe I, had just gotten to this foster home.
I say princess, because she was wearing a beautiful pink dress, with ruffles and lace etc. had beautiful long blond curls....I think she really was a very pretty little girl. It made me think of a beautiful princess ( but I did feel like the ugly duck...at the time, esp. because yes, she was getting what I wanted....and I thought it was because she was pretty and I not so much.
I don't think I had any 'real' idea what I looked like....
maybe because, my eyesight was already very nearsighted...
yet, I saw the little girl, but maybe not her face that clearly.
I think maybe her forever home parents had bought her outfit as part of her Christmas presents
( and sent it ahead for the foster mom to dress her up in for when they came)
or she just had pretty dresses from...who knows where?
I think I was probably a pretty little girl too.... but I just didn't know it.
But I do think that foster mom sent me quickly on to another place...maybe because it did scare her, and perhaps she was worried, should I try that stunt... or some other one....
that I might really get hurt or dead ...
on her watch ( and that would be something she didn't need).
I guess both the foster mom and my bio mom decided NOT to tell me what was about to happen that Christmas eve.
They thought my bio mom would stay with me in the kitchen,
and I would not see or know....but that did not work out as planned.
I don't really know how long I did stay by myself in the kitchen with the dreaded pistachio ice cream....but apparently not that long.
I started to think about what I might have said....first I guess I would have said ( to myself):
I was looking all over for you and was worried.
Then I might have said, I am sorry you felt sad...
but then...
I would have said, did you know,
God is your father?
He is always with you and He loves even more than any forever home parents.....
and they will love you very very much......
Maybe something like that?
It would be tricky tho, because too much fuss might plant the seed that would be a good way to get attention......and it seems, I got that idea anyway...even tho I thought she was only very angry.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 6,906
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Post by fearnot on Oct 30, 2017 15:49:59 GMT -5
Its interesting that you were talking about the love we as Christians are to have for one another....Pastor J. D. Farag just did a sermon ( not his weekly prophecy video...but his actual Sunday sermon video) on that very thing!!!
I watch MacArthur's video's and J. D. Farag and a couple of others....not all of them every Sunday...but over the week, usually.
I also watch Amir Safari...of Behold Israel.
They were both speakers at a recent ( last week I think) Jan Markell End times conference.
It is fine if you just give the authors New Age backgrounds....it does seem silly to have to underline 83 pages.....
It reminds me of some of the things the FBI finally releases only every single thing is redacted.....
well in this case, almost every sentence, if not all of them, would be underlined.
And further, I hate for you to have to read all that evil stuff.
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 6,906
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Post by fearnot on Oct 30, 2017 16:23:07 GMT -5
v. 5 "the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel"
Faith, love and hope go together and is in some way stored up for believers in Heaven, and come from the truth of the 'good news'.
v. 6 "that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace".
The gospel has always borne 'fruit'....people having been saved, and even are to this day...and it has done so in all parts of the world, every tribe, tongue, nation, and race...God's grace ( unmerited favor) is not just for the Jews, or just Europeans, or just Americans.
7 "You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant,[c] who is a faithful minister of Christ on our[d] behalf,"
We can learn for a Godly faithful minister (that is not the only way, but a good one)
we have the Holy spirit
But pastors like MacArthur tho not infallible...are very very helpful
v. 8 "and who also told us of your love in the Spirit."
Our 'love' pretty much has to be in the Spirit because otherwise it is not 'love'.
First, we are almost totally about self, me, ego, pride, me, me, me....
And along with our 'worldly' passions, almost always what one thinks of as 'love' is attraction, lust, how great this person makes 'me' 'feel'
That is why it is important that we love in the Spirit....the pershing world,
will see 'true' love....not the emptiness that passes for love in the world....
They are mostly dying for real true love....
and in the Spirit, we can show them a small bit of God's love for them
and also the love of our Lord Jesus as we love, serve, and sacrifice for them ( love them as we do ourselves).
I would do a few more but for several things
I only got maybe 2 hours most of sleep last night
and I had to watch Devon ( he was home sick)
and
I want to first make sure I am more or less doing what you were thing first.
:-)
oh and I need a nap badly...I am getting a headache
so God willing tomorrow....
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Post by Cindy on Oct 31, 2017 11:26:57 GMT -5
But I don't know how to:
simply copy and paste it to a Word document.
I have never done that and don't even know what a word document is or where to find it?????
But anyway, I meant, could you put the Newsweek .... 'MINDFULNESS' IS A MEANINGLESS WORD WITH SHODDY SCIENCE BEHIND IT article
in the thread with the other mindfulness articles.
But if not I will try to figure out what you said to do with a word doc...wherever and whatever and however one does thatLOL
I already put it on one of those threads... can't remember which one though.
I really remember the little girl as very pretty....but the strange thing
is.... I don't remember... anything.... else about her....
not being in the same bedroom, talking or playing together.
Maybe either she, or maybe I, had just gotten to this foster home.
I say princess, because she was wearing a beautiful pink dress, with ruffles and lace etc. had beautiful long blond curls....I think she really was a very pretty little girl. It made me think of a beautiful princess ( but I did feel like the ugly duck...at the time, esp. because yes, she was getting what I wanted....and I thought it was because she was pretty and I not so much.
I don't think I had any 'real' idea what I looked like....
maybe because, my eyesight was already very nearsighted...
yet, I saw the little girl, but maybe not her face that clearly.
I think maybe her forever home parents had bought her outfit as part of her Christmas presents
( and sent it ahead for the foster mom to dress her up in for when they came)
or she just had pretty dresses from...who knows where?
I think I was probably a pretty little girl too.... but I just didn't know it.
But I do think that foster mom sent me quickly on to another place...maybe because it did scare her, and perhaps she was worried, should I try that stunt... or some other one....
that I might really get hurt or dead ...
on her watch ( and that would be something she didn't need).
I guess both the foster mom and my bio mom decided NOT to tell me what was about to happen that Christmas eve.
They thought my bio mom would stay with me in the kitchen,
and I would not see or know....but that did not work out as planned.
I don't really know how long I did stay by myself in the kitchen with the dreaded pistachio ice cream....but apparently not that long.
I started to think about what I might have said....first I guess I would have said ( to myself):
I was looking all over for you and was worried.
Then I might have said, I am sorry you felt sad...
but then...
I would have said, did you know,
God is your father?
He is always with you and He loves even more than any forever home parents.....
and they will love you very very much......
Maybe something like that?
It would be tricky tho, because too much fuss might plant the seed that would be a good way to get attention......and it seems, I got that idea anyway...even tho I thought she was only very angry.
Yeah, that sounds good.
Its interesting that you were talking about the love we as Christians are to have for one another....Pastor J. D. Farag just did a sermon ( not his weekly prophecy video...but his actual Sunday sermon video) on that very thing!!!
I watch MacArthur's video's and J. D. Farag and a couple of others....not all of them every Sunday...but over the week, usually.
I also watch Amir Safari...of Behold Israel.
They were both speakers at a recent ( last week I think) Jan Markell End times conference.
It is fine if you just give the authors New Age backgrounds....it does seem silly to have to underline 83 pages.....
It reminds me of some of the things the FBI finally releases only every single thing is redacted.....
well in this case, almost every sentence, if not all of them, would be underlined.
And further, I hate for you to have to read all that evil stuff.
one day someone came
to play a game
they had fun
what do you want
to do with yourself?etc.
That's why it's so long. They're trying to make it look pretty and inviting.
v. 5 "the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel"
Faith, love and hope go together and is in some way stored up for believers in Heaven, and come from the truth of the 'good news'.
v. 6 "that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace".
The gospel has always borne 'fruit'....people having been saved, and even are to this day...and it has done so in all parts of the world, every tribe, tongue, nation, and race...God's grace ( unmerited favor) is not just for the Jews, or just Europeans, or just Americans.
7 "You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant,[c] who is a faithful minister of Christ on our[d] behalf,"
We can learn for a Godly faithful minister (that is not the only way, but a good one)
we have the Holy spirit
But pastors like MacArthur tho not infallible...are very very helpful
v. 8 "and who also told us of your love in the Spirit."
Our 'love' pretty much has to be in the Spirit because otherwise it is not 'love'.
First, we are almost totally about self, me, ego, pride, me, me, me....
And along with our 'worldly' passions, almost always what one thinks of as 'love' is attraction, lust, how great this person makes 'me' 'feel'
That is why it is important that we love in the Spirit....the pershing world,
will see 'true' love....not the emptiness that passes for love in the world....
They are mostly dying for real true love....
and in the Spirit, we can show them a small bit of God's love for them
and also the love of our Lord Jesus as we love, serve, and sacrifice for them ( love them as we do ourselves).
I would do a few more but for several things
I only got maybe 2 hours most of sleep last night
and I had to watch Devon ( he was home sick)
and
I want to first make sure I am more or less doing what you were thing first.
:-)
oh and I need a nap badly...I am getting a headache
so God willing tomorrow....
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 6,906
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Post by fearnot on Oct 31, 2017 12:09:33 GMT -5
Thank you Cindy!!!
I finally got an afternoon nap and that helped my headache and then I finally did sleep last night. I might have been okay not sleeping but then I had to go be with Devon cuz he was home sick.....
except....
of course the whole time I was there, he was up, bright eyed and bushy tailed!!
He wanted me to watch Minecraft video role playing videos ( which prob did NOT help my headache HA!)
Plus, I did not eat until I got home around 1:30 yesterday afternoon.
Oh but he did finally fall asleep ( I gave him some chicken noodle soup) but then he got very hot and red cheeks.....and 10 mins before Hossanah came home....he said, maybe we should stop watching the videos...and promptly feel asleep sigh! LOL
I was thinking about being 12 when I was asked to go join NY City ballet ( I did not)...but it occurred to me the other day....the first time in 72 years.....
That in that environment , I would have been considered exceptionally perfect and even beautiful because at that time ( 12) I had the perfect ballerina body, looks etc.
I was not right for the times ( more curvy was in...not super thin, flat chested, long limbs etc.)....
But had I actually gone to the ballet company, there was a chance I might have made it as a prima ballerina and .......become insufferably vain, as audiences might have made such a fuss over me....I might have become more self-centered than I even was ( or have always been).
However, it's the only place I might have started to believe God had made me pretty on the outside.
As it was, in school I was endlessly teased, insulted big time... for being ugly
( not curvy, glasses, super thin,)
and, like you curly hair.....I too wanted straight hair...
my curls did not even have the decency to go into nice ringlets or some form or order....
they went every which way...
up, down to one side and the other...
and since I lived by the ocean, they often did a magnificent frizz too!!
Of course, now that I am more than 'curvy'....well 'plump'....
my young stick self .....is the new standard of a pretty body.....figures HA!
It wasn't just that young kids are thinner than their older selves, no most of the girls were I guess what you would call a 'normal' weight back then
I was very small boned, and did not have an ounce of fat.....but that meant, not a bit of curves, which stayed that way, until my 2nd child.....
No back then it was Marilyn Monroe's curvy body that was the standard for physical beauty for women, not 'stick figures'.
I remember going to the doc soon after Hossanah was born, and neither the nurses nor the doctor could believe I just had a baby......I had gone right back to my thin self and no tummy all
but not so 14 mts later when Michael was born.......
I was still thin,
but the die had been cast.....
I was going to soon start putting on weight,
and it might have been then, I became hypo thyroid but no one yet knew until years later.
Ok well I am glad I am on the right track with our new bible study.
Did I tell you I really missed you!!! And I am soooooooo glad you are back!
Plus, thank you so much for whatever you can do with STOMP
I am happy to hear it is NOT as big as thought yeah!
Stupid thing grrrrr
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 6,906
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Post by fearnot on Oct 31, 2017 13:04:35 GMT -5
v. 9 "For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,"
The first thing I realized is that Paul continues to pray for the Colossians.
I do that, especially with my husband, children, grandchildren, Christians friends, suffering Christians around the world, the unsaved etc.
However, I think I have also heard that we in faith should after praying, leave it in God's hands......
I think the idea might be to continue to petition God, could in some cases be like a lack of faith.....still, I was encouraged that Paul in fact, continues to pray.
The next thing that captured me was being filled with knowledge.....
If one did not read the rest, it would be what many in the world do....become filled with a type of 'knowledge' and with the internet, people are able to now be filled more and more......
However, much so called 'knowledge' of the world is rather clever lies, or useless distractions...
Because the rest of the verse says: "knowledge of his will....that the Spirit gives" .
That is the type of knowledge I want.
For some reason this also reminded me of the latest Cern 'knowledge....discovery.....that the Universe should not exist LOLOL
There are lots of links to this...if this is not a good source there are more I just grabbed the first one
cosmosmagazine.com/physics/universe-shouldn-t-exist-cern-physicists-conclude
it seems according to their 'big bang theory' which I do NOT believe in....anti-matter should have annihilated all matter at the big bang.....hummmm?
Well, then, even in their false 'knowledge' they have to at this point say there is a 'mystery' underfoot.....oh gasp...it even could be a miracle....
But I actually don't believe in the big bang, but it struck me funny ....thinking of 'knowledge' vs true knowledge.
v. 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,
Well, here again comes the Word knowledge and while the world goes down 'rabbit holes' and dead end, frippery, foolishness, and the like
believers can actually 'grow in knowledge' that is of the most important eternal kind......of God.....again, this is the kind of knowledge I want...it is the only kind worthy.
v. 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience,
This is a bit shocking to me in a way......because I often in the past and even now often think of myself as 'weak'....but here it God's Word talks of being 'strengthened'...with 'all power'!!! What?? Wow!
And further so I ( we believers) may have 'great endurance"
Ok, there is another thing I wish to have oh and also patience....
I have been recently getting a little impatient being stuck in this ever growing evil world.
I honestly don't know if it is true fake news ( what a mouthful true and fake in one sentence).....but there are all manner of rumors about antifa and Nov 4th....it may all be untrue....partially true or even all true....
But so far, it 'seems' like that group is not exactly a peace loving bunch..Irregardless the world is waxing worse and worse in sin that much is for sure...and I for one, do not like it.....I feel so badly for kids growing up today...me...I would like out of here sigh...so yeah... I need to 'wait' on the Lord's timing and not my selfish wants of comfort.
v.12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.
However, this verse, does have a definite upbeatness for me....I can give joyful thanks as I wait on His timing, knowing...I have been (pre)qualified to share in the inheritance ( with God's other children) in the Kingdom of light.
v. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,
v.14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
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Post by Cindy on Nov 1, 2017 11:10:43 GMT -5
Thank you Cindy!!!
I finally got an afternoon nap and that helped my headache and then I finally did sleep last night. I might have been okay not sleeping but then I had to go be with Devon cuz he was home sick.....
except....
of course the whole time I was there, he was up, bright eyed and bushy tailed!!
He wanted me to watch Minecraft video role playing videos ( which prob did NOT help my headache HA!)
Plus, I did not eat until I got home around 1:30 yesterday afternoon.
Oh but he did finally fall asleep ( I gave him some chicken noodle soup) but then he got very hot and red cheeks.....and 10 mins before Hossanah came home....he said, maybe we should stop watching the videos...and promptly feel asleep sigh! LOL
I was thinking about being 12 when I was asked to go join NY City ballet ( I did not)...but it occurred to me the other day....the first time in 72 years.....
That in that environment , I would have been considered exceptionally perfect and even beautiful because at that time ( 12) I had the perfect ballerina body, looks etc.
I was not right for the times ( more curvy was in...not super thin, flat chested, long limbs etc.)....
But had I actually gone to the ballet company, there was a chance I might have made it as a prima ballerina and .......become insufferably vain, as audiences might have made such a fuss over me....I might have become more self-centered than I even was ( or have always been).
However, it's the only place I might have started to believe God had made me pretty on the outside.
As it was, in school I was endlessly teased, insulted big time... for being ugly
( not curvy, glasses, super thin,)
and, like you curly hair.....I too wanted straight hair...
my curls did not even have the decency to go into nice ringlets or some form or order....
they went every which way...
up, down to one side and the other...
and since I lived by the ocean, they often did a magnificent frizz too!!
Of course, now that I am more than 'curvy'....well 'plump'....
my young stick self .....is the new standard of a pretty body.....figures HA!
It wasn't just that young kids are thinner than their older selves, no most of the girls were I guess what you would call a 'normal' weight back then
I was very small boned, and did not have an ounce of fat.....but that meant, not a bit of curves, which stayed that way, until my 2nd child.....
No back then it was Marilyn Monroe's curvy body that was the standard for physical beauty for women, not 'stick figures'.
I remember going to the doc soon after Hossanah was born, and neither the nurses nor the doctor could believe I just had a baby......I had gone right back to my thin self and no tummy all
but not so 14 mts later when Michael was born.......
I was still thin,
but the die had been cast.....
I was going to soon start putting on weight,
and it might have been then, I became hypo thyroid but no one yet knew until years later.
Ok well I am glad I am on the right track with our new bible study.
Did I tell you I really missed you!!! And I am soooooooo glad you are back!
Plus, thank you so much for whatever you can do with STOMP
I am happy to hear it is NOT as big as thought yeah!
Stupid thing grrrrr
v. 9 "For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,"
The first thing I realized is that Paul continues to pray for the Colossians.
I do that, especially with my husband, children, grandchildren, Christians friends, suffering Christians around the world, the unsaved etc.
However, I think I have also heard that we in faith should after praying, leave it in God's hands......
I think the idea might be to continue to petition God, could in some cases be like a lack of faith.....still, I was encouraged that Paul in fact, continues to pray.
The next thing that captured me was being filled with knowledge.....
If one did not read the rest, it would be what many in the world do....become filled with a type of 'knowledge' and with the internet, people are able to now be filled more and more......
However, much so called 'knowledge' of the world is rather clever lies, or useless distractions...
Because the rest of the verse says: "knowledge of his will....that the Spirit gives" .
That is the type of knowledge I want.
For some reason this also reminded me of the latest Cern 'knowledge....discovery.....that the Universe should not exist LOLOL
There are lots of links to this...if this is not a good source there are more I just grabbed the first one
cosmosmagazine.com/physics/universe-shouldn-t-exist-cern-physicists-conclude
it seems according to their 'big bang theory' which I do NOT believe in....anti-matter should have annihilated all matter at the big bang.....hummmm?
Well, then, even in their false 'knowledge' they have to at this point say there is a 'mystery' underfoot.....oh gasp...it even could be a miracle....
But I actually don't believe in the big bang, but it struck me funny ....thinking of 'knowledge' vs true knowledge.
v. 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,
Well, here again comes the Word knowledge and while the world goes down 'rabbit holes' and dead end, frippery, foolishness, and the like
believers can actually 'grow in knowledge' that is of the most important eternal kind......of God.....again, this is the kind of knowledge I want...it is the only kind worthy.
v. 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience,
This is a bit shocking to me in a way......because I often in the past and even now often think of myself as 'weak'....but here it God's Word talks of being 'strengthened'...with 'all power'!!! What?? Wow!
And further so I ( we believers) may have 'great endurance"
Ok, there is another thing I wish to have oh and also patience....
I have been recently getting a little impatient being stuck in this ever growing evil world.
I honestly don't know if it is true fake news ( what a mouthful true and fake in one sentence).....but there are all manner of rumors about antifa and Nov 4th....it may all be untrue....partially true or even all true....
But so far, it 'seems' like that group is not exactly a peace loving bunch..Irregardless the world is waxing worse and worse in sin that much is for sure...and I for one, do not like it.....I feel so badly for kids growing up today...me...I would like out of here sigh...so yeah... I need to 'wait' on the Lord's timing and not my selfish wants of comfort.
v.12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.
However, this verse, does have a definite upbeatness for me....I can give joyful thanks as I wait on His timing, knowing...I have been (pre)qualified to share in the inheritance ( with God's other children) in the Kingdom of light.
v. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,
v.14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
I had to look up what antifa was lol. Why would you even care about them? They can't do anything that our Father doesn't allow. We don't have anything to fear from them. (or anyone else for that matter.) I've been really surprised about something lately. We haven't watched the news for weeks till one night several days ago when we finally turned it on. I had to laugh then, because you know what? The world kept on turning even when we didn't watch the news and nothing we didn't hear about affected us in the least = except that I found that we were both much more peaceful for those couple of weeks. After watching it that one night, we actually turned it off half way through and haven't watched it since. Sure, you can get all caught up in the idea of an EMP attack. (lots of conspiracy groups are really into that lol) In fact I've read some great Christian fiction that was based on an EMP attack. But those books didn't promote fear, the actually did the opposite. In fact, that's one way you can know if you should be paying attention to something. If it's promoting fear, then it doesn't pass the test of Phil 4:8, does it? The Bible says “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” (James 3:17) By the way, I'm not saying you shouldn't watch the news, just that there's no need for you to be dwelling on any of it. I didn't go to that link about the cosmos or whatever, because I don't like reading about stuff that's not true and goes against God's Word. I'm afraid that I had to look up "cern" too, to see what it was lol. I'm sorry, but I'm just not interested in human knowledge that I now know is tainted and untrue no matter how smart they think they are. So I'm no longer interested in earthly things. I know that sounds conceited, at least it does to me, and that's not how I mean it, but don't know any other way to put it. “For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.” (1 Corinthians 1:25) and “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”; and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”” (1 Corinthians 3:19–20) Did you notice that right after you wrote about how you were more interested in godly knowledge that you then got into that stuff about antifa; and just before you spoke of wanting to grow in the knowledge of God you wrote about what the world's so called wise men were saying? I just thought it was interesting that on both sides of the verse about growing in the knowledge of God, you had stuff about worldly knowledge lol.
I liked what you wrote, but noticed you didn't write anything about the last two verses.
Just to be clear too, you also said about verse 11: being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience,
"And further so I ( we believers) may have 'great endurance"
Ok, there is another thing I wish to have oh and also patience...."
I'm thinking that you mean that we do have great endurance, right? But then you said you want patience... I know I say that too (and shouldn't lol) but it's what we're used to saying. God's Word says that we already have it though. So why don't we see it in ourselves? Because when we lack patience we're not abiding in Christ! Amazing huh? God has already given us all the fruit of the Spirit and He's growing it in us so that each of them becomes greater in us. So we have patience when we're abiding in Christ, and we can grow that patience by abiding in Him more, and through being in His Word and prayer and worship more. As time goes by we'll notice that our love, joy, peace, patience, etc are all growing within us. Although we're pretty dense lol, so we often don't notice it for quite awhile; then looking back we're able to see it.
Oh boy, I've got to get going, I can't believe how late it is now!
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fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 6,906
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Post by fearnot on Nov 1, 2017 19:02:25 GMT -5
Opps I forgot the last two verses, so I will start with them.
Colossians 1:13
v. 13 "For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, "
This is such a uplifting, joyful truth. There really is a world of darkness, when a person is unsaved. Oh some people may not physically murder others ( tho many do) but in their hearts and minds their anger, greed, seeking revenge for insults etc. they do and living a life without the Savior is darkness.
People may feel a type of counterfeit joy and happiness, for a short time as they accumulate money, power, things, etc. but deep inside they is a hole that cannot be filled and a sense of lack of true love, hopelessness, dread, meaninglessness etc. ( they may try to fill it with even more stuff, drugs, drink, fulfilling lusts etc. but the darkness remains, and often grows bigger).
Believers have been take from this and we ( I) am a citizen of God's kingdom with being loved by Jesus.
Which reminds me, I just deleted a bunch of my news sites.
v. 14 "in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sin".
One of the most needed things I or any person needs is to be forgiven of sin.
Again people try to distract themselves from this most pressing need with things of the world, but it does not take people out of the darkness.
But I can't be redeemed by anything I might try to do or pay....that can only be done by God, Jesus redeemed me...He paid the price for the forgiveness of all my sins.
On to the next two verses
v. 15 "The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation".
This verses tells us Jesus is God, not 'just a man', a prophet, or even an angel.
I really was not sure what to make of first born....because yes, Jesus is 100 percent human and 100 percent God.....
Nevertheless, Adam was the first born human ( or maybe not cuz he was not really born of a woman but created....so I am thinking if it meant the first man to be born of a woman, it might be Cain.
Anyway, after pondering awhile, I did what I do not do often, I checked in our MacArthur study Bible.....and he explained it meant first born as in preeminence.....
v. 16 "For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him".
And here is confirmation that Jesus did the creation of all things.....and again He is NOT an angel, since one of the many things He created were the angels ( throne, powers, rulers, and authorities, the various rank of various angels....fallen angels and maybe the good angels also?
I always think of this list as a list of the fallen angels but it may apply to both the good and evil ones.
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