Fellowship

[Boogeyman07]

I will meditate on Your precepts, and contemplate Your ways. I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word. -Psalm 119:15-16

Figured I’d make a thread where people can come and talk about our Father and His ways. Whether that be scripture, personal spiritual experiences, testimonies, etc.

 

[Boogeyman07]

I can somewhat kick it off. I’m reading through Jeremiah at the moment. I’ve had a few ‘moments’ with things from the spiritual realm. I’ve had some incidents where I recognized divine intervention that kept me from harm, maybe even death. I’m a prodigal son. I love my King, forever and always.

 

[Boogeyman07]

While I’m at it I’ll mention somethin that I was convicted of some time ago regarding this site and maybe someone else can benefit from it as well--
Matthew 12:36 - But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgement.
I know it probably doesn’t seem like much to post stuff online, especially it being so easy and seemingly innocent. But our words might hold more weight than we think. Especially since they are on here for a number of people to read until one day, if ever, they are deleted. Just something to think about. Sometimes, even with good intentions, we can do more harm than good.

 

[Goodbook]

On my mind is the Battle of Jericho as was teaching it today.
How Joshua followed God's instructions.

The thing is Joshua listened to God and obeyed. Often we christians don't or we just talk all the time without listening. It's the same as children who haven't yet learned to sit still and wait.

Another thing I learned from the book of Joshua esp regarding the walls of Jericho falling down is everyone stayed absolutely SILENT (except for the trumpets) for six days and ONLY when Joshua gave the word for a shout on the seventh was anyone to open their mouth.

Some people cannot stay silent for one minute let alone six days.

 

[leothelioness]

Great thread idea, Boogeyman.

We'd be here all day if I were to tell of all the ways the Lord has been good to me and redeemed me, so I will say that He is truly a God of love and redemption. No one is too far gone for Him to save and His mercies are new everyday. His love is boundless and and He is kind and gracious beyond what we deserve.

 

[ReesePiece23]

It isn't caffeine that's giving me the energy to work 18 hour days at the moment, it's God given drive and stamina.

It wasn't me who transformed some of my biggest weaknesses into undoubtedly some of my strongest and most profound gifts. I asked, and God delivered them. Because He knew how badly I wanted to change and develop.

No effort is ever wasted. During times of stress, when I ask myself "what is the bloody point of all of is?" the answer is never far behind. The process is always one of constant progression. To progress, one must develop resilience, and the only way to do that is to grind it out and make it through to the other side stronger. And God has never been shy of ever pulling the rug from underneath me for this very reason. And the rewards for walking the walk have been HUGE. And I mean astronomical.

I had an idea before, but now I TRULY understand what unconditional love is.

Er... That's all I've got for now.

 

[Goodbook]

18 hour days?
Do you have a days rest?
Is this a ministry or what kind of work do you do Reesepiece?

 

[Goodbook]

Something else I learned when I was reading Exodus. it took only 3 days journey to cross the wilderness into the Mount Sinai and only another day to walk from there into the Promised Land. But the israelites complained so God made them stay there for 40 years until the last of the Moaning Minnies died out.

Jesus was crucified and gone from this earth and rose again in 3 days. He did not take 40 years like some people, to learn the way of His Father. It made me think, (even though I'm not 40 years old yet) of how long it could take me to learn something, if I just listened and followed His instructions instead of you know, not listening and going my own way.

 

[Swan7]

Great and awesome thread, @Boogeyman07! I'd love to touch on the topic you mentioned about "words" and how they can affect us.

Can't wait to get home!

 

[Boogeyman07]

@ReesePiece23 Nice. Made me think of Romans 5:3-5

Often we christians don't or we just talk all the time without listening. It's the same as children who haven't yet learned to sit still and wait.

I like that comparison Goodbook.
Anybody heard of lectio divina?

Lookin forward to it @Swan7 !

 

[Swan7]

While I’m at it I’ll mention somethin that I was convicted of some time ago regarding this site and maybe someone else can benefit from it as well--
Matthew 12:36 - But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgement.
I know it probably doesn’t seem like much to post stuff online, especially it being so easy and seemingly innocent. But our words might hold more weight than we think. Especially since they are on here for a number of people to read until one day, if ever, they are deleted. Just something to think about. Sometimes, even with good intentions, we can do more harm than good.

Yes! I'm home!

A while back, God had whispered the word "words" to me and gave me some homework, if you will, to research that topic.
I read all the way back in Genesis and how God created everything with His word, and it was done. Such a simple thing. I know we don't hold that much power (I'm actually glad we don't, lol!), but it reminds of a time where adults would teach us kids this phrase: "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." Such a lie! How are some of us, if not all, to be convicted if we do not feel guilt from what God tells us? Now, this ought to be true with others, but it isn't. There are so many suicides from "words" alone. We can either use them for good, to uplift each other - and sadly most often - it can be used for evil. To persuade the minds for their own agenda.

 

[Boogeyman07]

Yes! I'm home!

A while back, God had whispered the word "words" to me and gave me some homework, if you will, to research that topic.
I read all the way back in Genesis and how God created everything with His word, and it was done. Such a simple thing. I know we don't hold that much power (I'm actually glad we don't, lol!), but it reminds of a time where adults would teach us kids this phrase: "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." Such a lie! How are some of us, if not all, to be convicted if we do not feel guilt from what God tells us? Now, this ought to be true with others, but it isn't. There are so many suicides from "words" alone. We can either use them for good, to uplift each other - and sadly most often - it can be used for evil. To persuade the minds for their own agenda.

Yeah. Love it, well put.

Sometimes when I'm thinking about the power of words I even start thinking about how just in seemingly innocent conversation we can nonchalantly say something, and without even realizing it we've done harm and/or just given the enemy a foothold in the mind of whoever heard those words. Maybe an extreme example but I think it probably isn't.. I'd bet it happens a lot more than we'd care to think, a lot more. And a lot of us have no filter, we spit out whatever thought enters our minds and that's obviously dangerous, but then other times we may even think we are doing good but we're just ignorant or flat out wrong on a matter. So many warnings are given to us about it. One that I like and that has been fresh in my mind lately is Proverbs (10:19)

And there's also a lot of points to be made about the other side of the coin. Proverbs (18:8) can be an example of that.. a note on it reads "Choice food is readily and greedily swallowed. The words go down to the hearers innermost being where they infect his thinking and poison his heart."

 

[Swan7]

Yeah. Love it, well put.

Sometimes when I'm thinking about the power of words I even start thinking about how just in seemingly innocent conversation we can nonchalantly say something, and without even realizing it we've done harm and/or just given the enemy a foothold in the mind of whoever heard those words. Maybe an extreme example but I think it probably isn't.. I'd bet it happens a lot more than we'd care to think, a lot more. And a lot of us have no filter, we spit out whatever thought enters our minds and that's obviously dangerous, but then other times we may even think we are doing good but we're just ignorant or flat out wrong on a matter. So many warnings are given to us about it. One that I like and that has been fresh in my mind lately is Proverbs (10:19)

And there's also a lot of points to be made about the other side of the coin. Proverbs (18:8) can be an example of that.. a note on it reads "Choice food is readily and greedily swallowed. The words go down to the hearers innermost being where they infect his thinking and poison his heart."

Oh, of course! That is where the battlefield of the mind comes from - words! There was a time where I chose not to say so much because He was teaching me the way I used to be versus how I ought to be now, following Him. I'm still reminded every so often not to say so much and to keep my words short and to the point. Sometimes that involves me being blunt and sometimes people don't receive that well. It's like I'm learning how to speak again. God is SO awesome with how He speaks to us!

Those are a couple of really good examples Proverbs is a great book!

 

[CodyFaith]

Great thread idea, Boogeyman.

We'd be here all day if I were to tell of all the ways the Lord has been good to me and redeemed me, so I will say that He is truly a God of love and redemption. No one is too far gone for Him to save and His mercies are new everyday. His love is boundless and and He is kind and gracious beyond what we deserve.

That's how I feel. I'm sitting here thinking "where do I begin for testimony?"

I guess I'll just say that I've suffered a lot in this life... a lot more than the average Joe, many times and continually. But God has been with me my whole life. Where there was darkness, there was a light and that light was God and his love. I still suffer, my God hears my sufferings and responds. He changes things that are too hard for me and lightens my load so I can carry on, and at times, have moments and times of joy and peace. He gives me hope. He tells me that life itself will be hard and have its challenges, but that it will be oh so worth it, and the people you can impact through your challenges will be worth the suffering.

I love him. I love his plans. I hope for his will.

 

[Goodbook]

Lectio divinia is just fancy words for ... reading the Bible.

 

[timewerx]

18 hour days?
Do you have a days rest?
Is this a ministry or what kind of work do you do Reesepiece?

Depends on the job I guess. I used to work with spreadsheets, summary reports, analysis, basically numbers which is very easy I could have worked 14 hr/day handling reports from several departments. But my employers did not permit me due to office politics They didn't want me to be taking their jobs when all they do is play games and I need that extra money.

 

[Boogeyman07]

Lectio divinia is just fancy words for ... reading the Bible.

Maybe. But I think it's deeper than that. The way an atheist reads the bible and their takeaway from it will be way different from the way a spiritually mature follower of Christ reads and what they take away

 

[leothelioness]

That's how I feel. I'm sitting here thinking "where do I begin for testimony?"

I guess I'll just say that I've suffered a lot in this life... a lot more than the average Joe, many times and continually. But God has been with me my whole life. Where there was darkness, there was a light and that light was God and his love. I still suffer, my God hears my sufferings and responds. He changes things that are too hard for me and lightens my load so I can carry on, and at times, have moments and times of joy and peace. He gives me hope. He tells me that life itself will be hard and have its challenges, but that it will be oh so worth it, and the people you can impact through your challenges will be worth the suffering.

I love him. I love his plans. I hope for his will.

Helping others through your own suffering is really the benefit of it all. I've struggled with anxiety and depression for most of my life - the depression is gone l, but my anxiety remains - and the Lord has shown me that I'm on a better position to help others because of my own suffering.

Yes, we do still struggle and, like Paul, the Lord doesn't always remove the thorns in our sides, but He always gives us the strength to go on and help others and serve Him even through our infirmities. He takes weakness and turns it into strength. We are strong in Him always.

 

[Goodbook]

Athiests dont really read the bible. They pick at it and argue about it, but I have never seen an athiest sit down and read the bible. And they dont read the whole thing. Many times they will argue one thing they dont like but if they just kept reading right through to revelation they might actually see it has a happy ending. How can Good triumphing over Evil be a bad ending?!

 

[Goodbook]

Leolioness we can comfort others with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.
I can always relate to someone who struggled with depression as I had been through it myself.

With anxiety it is a learning thing to cast our cares upon the Lord. I notice my dad is not anxious about anything, but my mum...a worry wart. She tends to put her worries on me. I have to learn not to take them on. If you live with someone like that sometimes its very hard because you have to endure it everyday. But God gives us a shield and other prieces of armour, I always found that picture of Gods armour helpful.