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So, last night I fell asleep watching Anthony Bourdain on CNN. Did I accidentally become a liberal by osmosis?
All I find myself doing this morning is going around and blaming Russia for all my problems.
Exactly. There is a reason why Christ always chose the "outcasts" of society - the deaf, blind, lame, prostitutes, tax collectors - to display God's glory through. Even though they were useless in the Pharisees eyes, God saw them as far greater than them and more worthy of mercy.Exactly. This is why working for the world is a lost cause. It's all a comparison. A talent show. In God's system, a mentally disabled person who does his best to love others will be honored by God far beyond a lazy and self-centered genius.
Beautiful system if you ask me. Just do what you're capable of and God will reward your hard work instead of your genes and starting environment.
Exactly. There is a reason why Christ always chose the "outcasts" of society - the deaf, blind, lame, prostitutes, tax collectors - to display God's glory through. Even though they were useless in the Pharisees eyes, God saw them as far greater than them and more worthy of mercy.
Been doing some more thinking lately. I just want to say I really appreciate you guys.
You guys have had more of a positive impact on me than the previous two online communities I have been part of this decade. I thank you guys for your patience and friendliness as I don't feel like I'm walking on eggshells every time I want to post an opinion. I also thank you guys for giving me an opportunity to engage in a childhood hobby of mine by making comics for you. In a way it made a dream of mine come true, only on a much lesser scale than I originally hoped to achieve.
This forum has been a big help to me and I wish I could have been a better user for you guys.
That is all.
Been doing some more thinking lately. I just want to say I really appreciate you guys.
You guys have had more of a positive impact on me than the previous two online communities I have been part of this decade. I thank you guys for your patience and friendliness as I don't feel like I'm walking on eggshells every time I want to post an opinion. I also thank you guys for giving me an opportunity to engage in a childhood hobby of mine by making comics for you. In a way it made a dream of mine come true, only on a much lesser scale than I originally hoped to achieve.
This forum has been a big help to me and I wish I could have been a better user for you guys.
That is all.
I hope thats not a good bye letter.
Awe! Thanks! That's really sweet.I hope you always feel welcome here, even in the blah moments we all have.
Wait, you're not leaving, are you? I just read the last part. It sounds like a goodbye
No, no, I'm not going anywhere and I certainly didn't mean to make it sound like that.
I was just thinking about life and felt the need to thank you guys for the positive environment I needed to find on the internet. I decided to keep the post short and sweet because I could ramble on until I filled a book.
But those words still touched me. Thank you.
We're glad to have you here, @Wayholka. You've been a wonderful addition to this forum.
OMM: Just realized I think I've been born-again since I was 17 or maybe even younger and was just a rebellious Christian.
My reason for thinking such is because when I was 17 and was a part of a church I used to go to, we used to fellowship for College & Career at my pastor's house (I was younger than the rest but they still let me join in). When I used to go there I felt one with them all, very much so. And Jesus says the church is one John 17:21 so naturally we will feel one in spirit recognize each other.
But that's not even the main reason, for me the main reason is because when they used to pray their prayers were like my own. When they said "Father" in their prayers, my soul would immediately connect with the prayer because I too felt God was my Father and really only recognized it when they started praying. When I prayed there and prayed to the Father it felt so right, and again the oneness of it all was just surreal. Scripture says that the church, and only the church, has a spirit that cries out Father. Romans 8:15 Now that doesn't mean we always feel that way, for me it's often more prominent when I'm with other Christians and fellow-shipping.
Because I left for so many years I just assumed that meant I wasn't a Christian at all and that my faith back then was illegitimate, I don't know where I got that idea but I'm sure it was probably somewhere on the internet mixed with my limited understanding of God and scripture. When I came back to Christ this time around, I had a powerful experience with the Holy Spirit and I assumed it meant I had been born-again, when in reality I probably had the spirit inside me all along and he had just chose to show himself in a powerful way.
So I guess some edification alongside this will be to remember that even if you fall away it doesn't mean you aren't His, and it doesn't mean you can't return to your loving Father. Once your his, you're always his, you're redeemed by the blood of Christ and his child forever.
God has amazing plans for his church, plans to spread the gospel, to be a light in the world through our love for each other and love for others. Let's do it.
That is interesting, and relevant. Thank you.
Not to argue, but to swap notes, and on the subject of producing a proof, I think it's interesting that the last time I ended up in a (friendly) debate with both Jews and Muslims, neither camp could explain to me the mechanism through which they received their inspired texts. The Jews, explained that traditionally, they hold Moses and other prophets to have received them through unknown means. The Muslims, as I recall, held that angels delivered them to Mohamed. Modern christians were confused for the most part, but as an Athanasian christian, I would posit that being united to the being of the Word, is requisite to speaking the Word of God, as the prophets always had. That said, I would hold that it's the faith of the prophets, which is the progenitor of both Judaism and modern Christianity, and maybe even Islam (although I've yet to form a solid opinion on that). If interested, or if that bothers you, I'd be happy to hear your response or rebuttal at any time.
Oooh! Ok, my mistake! I'm glad to see you're stayingAs for the book, that might actually be a good idea. I find writing helps me a great deal getting my thoughts in order.
You're a cherished brother in Christ Wayholka.Been doing some more thinking lately. I just want to say I really appreciate you guys.
You guys have had more of a positive impact on me than the previous two online communities I have been part of this decade. I thank you guys for your patience and friendliness as I don't feel like I'm walking on eggshells every time I want to post an opinion. I also thank you guys for giving me an opportunity to engage in a childhood hobby of mine by making comics for you. In a way it made a dream of mine come true, only on a much lesser scale than I originally hoped to achieve.
This forum has been a big help to me and I wish I could have been a better user for you guys.
That is all.
The blessing is all ours brother. Love having you around!Been doing some more thinking lately. I just want to say I really appreciate you guys.
You guys have had more of a positive impact on me than the previous two online communities I have been part of this decade. I thank you guys for your patience and friendliness as I don't feel like I'm walking on eggshells every time I want to post an opinion. I also thank you guys for giving me an opportunity to engage in a childhood hobby of mine by making comics for you. In a way it made a dream of mine come true, only on a much lesser scale than I originally hoped to achieve.
This forum has been a big help to me and I wish I could have been a better user for you guys.
That is all.
I had the same experience as you, so I can totally relate to what you're saying.OMM: Just realized I think I've been born-again since I was 17 or maybe even younger and was just a rebellious Christian.
My reason for thinking such is because when I was 17 and was a part of a church I used to go to, we used to fellowship for College & Career at my pastor's house (I was younger than the rest but they still let me join in). When I used to go there I felt one with them all, very much so. And Jesus says the church is one John 17:21 so naturally we will feel one in spirit recognize each other.
But that's not even the main reason, for me the main reason is because when they used to pray their prayers were like my own. When they said "Father" in their prayers, my soul would immediately connect with the prayer because I too felt God was my Father and really only recognized it when they started praying. When I prayed there and prayed to the Father it felt so right, and again the oneness of it all was just surreal. Scripture says that the church, and only the church, has a spirit that cries out Father. Romans 8:15 Now that doesn't mean we always feel that way, for me it's often more prominent when I'm with other Christians and fellow-shipping.
Because I left for so many years I just assumed that meant I wasn't a Christian at all and that my faith back then was illegitimate, I don't know where I got that idea but I'm sure it was probably somewhere on the internet mixed with my limited understanding of God and scripture. When I came back to Christ this time around, I had a powerful experience with the Holy Spirit and I assumed it meant I had been born-again, when in reality I probably had the spirit inside me all along and he had just chose to show himself in a powerful way.
So I guess some edification alongside this will be to remember that even if you fall away it doesn't mean you aren't His, and it doesn't mean you can't return to your loving Father. Once your his, you're always his, you're redeemed by the blood of Christ and his child forever.
God has amazing plans for his church, plans to spread the gospel, to be a light in the world through our love for each other and love for others. Let's do it.
It's so easy to blame God when tough, difficult, and painful things happen. For the longest time, I was angry with God, but learned to trust in God with ALL. I look back during my worst times and see His fingerprints everywhere.I am thinking about how non-violent real Christians are.
You can put a fake Christian through the test really fast, and see for yourself if he has his soul darkened for eternity.
My great-grandmother was a true believer. She was never violent. Never. She never insulted nobody. She passed away in 2004. God bless her soul forever. She was so good, the biggest Christian ever. She sold her apartment so she could give the money to my mother. My mother bought a new car, went to holidays and she bought computers and phones and materialistic stuff, which she eventually lost, and all with the money of my great-grandmother apartment. Her car got stolen afterwards too. Hard earned apartment. She worked for 50 years for this. And it was her only joy because she only wanted to see the birds fly. I remember me and her walking near her home. And there was this garden, like a garden park, you know, and she always loved nature and God.
So why God punished her? Her last days, she had to spend with my grandfather who beat her bad in front of me, and he didn't even let me help her. She had no home to stay in. She was so lonely. God, was that a test? Why punish the only person who cared about me and teached me everything I know? Teached me not to steal, teached me not to lie, to read books, to read before I even went to first grade. Why good people have to endure all this? I guess you have a really good reason for this. Love you grandma. Let your soul rest in peace.
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