Okay, things are getting a little too negative on this forum.
Aussies are supposed to be positive people! Lets start by telling what God has taught you in the past week and how.... (PLEASE Don't be negative. We all get enough of that out in the World, we need to have some peace for a change).
I'll start.
(1) God has taught me that by being obedient to him I can become closer to him. I was baptised on Sunday night and I have really felt God telling me how pleased He is with my actions, and htis has resulted in continual joy in my heart. It has helped me to put my past behind me and concentrate on the present and future and what I can do to please Him.
(2) God has taught me that I need to continue to become less self-centred. I have been reading several books and one of them is the Power of the Praying Wife. Last night alone I realised that most of my prayers are centred on myself and I should be praying more for others in my left. I'm sure everyone can work on this one, I know my journey is only just beginning....
(3) While humans are not perfect, God is! I have seen actions in family members that were shocking and upsetting for me. But while I was gong through this, my thoughts kept coming back to God. He is everywhere, all-knowing and full of love for me! It is really comforting to know that I can rely on Him when I can't always rely on my friends and family.
(4) Unless God has opened a heart, they cannot hear the message. I discovered that one of my friends has been through terrible traumas while she was a child. However as she has been dealing with the emotions that have resulted she is coming to know God and realise the love that he has for her. She doesn't blame Him for the things that happened in her life and holds no bitterness towards Him. On the other hand, another friend believes that God is not doing a good enough job and that we are already living in Hell. No matter what i said to this person it made no difference. I have continued to pray that God will open their heart.
I'm sure I have many more things, but please let me know what is happening out there so I can offer encouragement.
Remember, God loves us with a PERFECT love. Thank you, Father.
Well i too am reading the power of a praying wife (even though im not a wife yet)... i learnt that God is going to change me before he can change my fiance', he's going to make me more like Him so my fiance' can see God in me. This means i have to put it all in Gods hands and be willing to do what He says whatever the cost.
I am strengthened by this, I cant wait to see where its going to take me and my fiance'.
Luv Racheal
Well, I have leared I'm a little too old for the forums at times! I've learned that this is really a world for the young and it's tough for people of my age to keep up with the young of today!
Throughout my life, God has been a constant companion. But we continually learn, and learn, and learn. Not always through books and reading, but in real life as well.
And, they are lessons we welcome.
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I have been reading the battlefield of the mind and i have learnt that i can make a conscious decision about the things i think about and that i don't have to accept any of the negative thoughts satan puts into my head.
I have also learnt that God is truely my comforter and most importantly MY STRENGTH. My family situation is very tough at the moment, and while last year and maybe even a few months ago i would have crumbled under the pressure, God has taught me to lean on Him and to really cast ALL of my cares on Him, and also that i can pray anytime even if its only one sentence, and He will be there to strengthen me.
I have also been learning that in the same way negative thoughts can be a choice, positive thoughts and words can be a choice, so God's been giving me the strength and courage to get the Holy Ghost joy bubbling in me on a more constant basis, and in the lives of my family
cheers
Gin
Last edited by hollow rain; 11th August 2004 at 10:40 AM.
I guess I have been learning to be more and more humble in view of myself and god...Just seeing god as being so utterly gracious as he is in sending Jesus and me being so utterly twisted and wicked so as to not have by any means of my goodness deserved it, has really taught me to behold god with bended knee...Also just in life in general, If i do well in a test, I prefer not to tell people cuz that way my pride and ego inflates, and I loose a humbleness which is such a good quality, as I have come to see...Also whatever gifts I have, are those which have been given to me by god, thus I cant really boast or be proud of myself, when they are indeed gods...
One area I'm really intersted in growing in is spiritual gifts...I've never really ever properly been exposed to speaking in tongues, and other such gifts and im very intersted in them at the moment...
1. God is not going to settle for second place in my life, even though I've got a lot of work to do to keep Him first. He is patient and loving and faithful!
2. Family is so important to God and He has been working on me and my husband to not close off our families because of past traumas. We're on a healthy road to forgiveness and trust. We're also considering finally starting one of our own.
3. The things of this world aren't worth all the aggravation they cause. I'm really learning even more so how to not look to the things that used to bring me comfort, but to God as my comfort. Even Christian books and music can be used by Satan to distract me from focusing on God. Good things aren't necessarily 'God things'.
4. To leave all things in His hands and not worry about stuff I have absolutely no influence or control over. (Like certain people in my life)
And that's just the beginning...
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Without wanting to sound negative I have several trials I am facing right now but the upside to all of that is:
- there's only one way from the bottom! UP!!
- God is more visible here in the valley. To explain, here's an analogy God revealed to me... liken it to a lamp. When a room has other lights on, a lamp's effect is minimal because there are other things lighting up the room, whereas in complete darkness, that lamp comes on and all attention is drawn to it, and being the only light on, you are dependant solely on it. Sounds crazy huh! If I need to explain this further, what I mean is that when things are going great, it's like that room full of light - from all kinds of sources, which detract frojm one another. You go from source to source and never in the spiritual, you lose focus regarding which one God is. When the room is pitch black, and the solitary light is your guide, that's like the bad times when all else seems to fade and you can't rely on anything you own or know... but only on God. Hope that blesses you
__________________ From heaven, You came / Great Light of the world / slain for the freedom of every soul
You broke through the night / in magnificent Light / and forever, You stand in victory Based upon Jude's doxology, verse 24-25
All wisdom and all glory be / unto You, O Lord, You're deserving of all praise / All power and all authority / unto You, O Lord, forever, amen
Without wanting to sound negative I have several trials I am facing right now but the upside to all of that is:
- there's only one way from the bottom! UP!!
- God is more visible here in the valley. To explain, here's an analogy God revealed to me... liken it to a lamp. When a room has other lights on, a lamp's effect is minimal because there are other things lighting up the room, whereas in complete darkness, that lamp comes on and all attention is drawn to it, and being the only light on, you are dependant solely on it. Sounds crazy huh! If I need to explain this further, what I mean is that when things are going great, it's like that room full of light - from all kinds of sources, which detract frojm one another. You go from source to source and never in the spiritual, you lose focus regarding which one God is. When the room is pitch black, and the solitary light is your guide, that's like the bad times when all else seems to fade and you can't rely on anything you own or know... but only on God. Hope that blesses you
It sure did, thanks LW.
I believe that this week God is telling me to stop worrying about 'me' and look out more to others. He'll take care of me (His word says so), I've just gotta be obedient and love and serve others.
to trust Him more, just walk everyday and leave it at that. Don't worry about tomorrow..
__________________ "Rich? More like mired in minutiae ..... In this case it was an indolence characterised by a pursuit of knowledge, a frenzied search for answers to everything, no matter the value of such answers. A civilisation can as easily drown in what it knows as in what it doesn't know."
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