Be secure! Deuteronomy 33:12- Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in Him, for He shields him all day long, and the one the Lord loves rests between His shoulders. **Insecurity is a feeling that you really aren't "good enough", or needing others' approval in order to be confident. Your security does not depend on your bank account, your job, the way you look, other peoples' opinions of you, or even the way that others treat you. I know that this can be tempting in today's world, but i urge you not to base your security on your education or professional achievements, the labels inside your clothes, your car, or the house that you live in. Don't base it on whether you are married or single, or whether you have children or not. Don't look for your security anywhere but in Jesus Christ and in Him alone. He is the only one whose opinion matters, and He is the only one who will love you forever and never change His thoughts or perspective towards you. Have a great and blessed week and remember to hold strong to your security! You are beautiful, wealthy, and blessed with your health. Give Him thanks!
John 14:15- If you [really] love Me, you will keep (obey) My commands. **Obeying God is the way that we show our love for Him. Talk is easy, but actions speak much louder than words. The more we get to know God and experience His faithfulness in our lives, the more we willingly respond with prompt obedience to Him. Everything that God asks us to do is something that will ultimately work out for our benefit. When we truly believe that, it becomes much easier to obey Him promptly. God is never trying to take anything away from us unless it is something that will be harmful to us. He never asks us to obey Him in anything unless it will benefit us in the long run. I encourage you to make a new commitment today to obey God in little things as well as big things. Pray for His infilling daily and He will help guide your life in the right direction, if you simply ask! Have a great day and keep smiling...it is infectious
I'll speak to the concept of time because it's interesting to me. I also feel the need to reconcile my faith with things like space-time theory. Yeah, I'm strange that way. We, as humans, are limited in our understanding are only capable of grasping the most basic concepts of time. Think of time (Creation) this way: God made everything (basically) all at once. Applying a 'timeline' to it only helps us feeble-minded humans grasp it better. Time has no meaning to God. He is all time. God exists in all places and all times at once. His omnipotence and omnipresence is complete. All points in time, all places along what we perceive as a 'timeline' are known to Him. 'Time', as we perceive it, was invented by Him for us to live in. It helps us to think of 'time' as an infinite grid or mesh we move through rather than a line we follow. All paths exist, all points exist. We move through the vastness of His creation only knowing a tiny portion at once. Creation encompasses place and time in one. He sees and knows all choices that we could possibly make, but we have been gifted with the ability to move through the 'grid' of creation as we wish, within the limits of how we were designed. This is how I get my head around the concept of 'free will' and resolve the seeming contradiction in the question: "If God knows what we are going to do, and has a plan for us, how do we have free will?" He has a plan for us, but allows us to deviate from it. If you really want to think 4th dimensionally, it might be that all possible choices ARE made and there is an infinite number of "Josh" in different points of existence on different planes and inhabiting different spaces in the grid, yet all the same person. With each possible choice, there is a fork in the path, and those forks are infinite, but all ARE chosen and all exist as part of Creation. We, as limited perception individuals, are only capable of seeing the path we move through. In the end, this is just a way that explain to a limited mind (mine). We're not designed with the capability of understanding time as He created it. We'll not understand that until we meet Him. I look forward to that day. Thanks for keeping this thread going!
Great theory of time and our lives as to how they intertwine with it! His time is yesterday, today, and tomorrow all at once! I think that it's explained a bit in the verse in Jeremiah: Jeremiah 1:5- "I knew you before I formed you in your mothers' womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations." It's not that He has predestined our lives...but that He has preconceived our entire lives from beggining to end before we were born and saw the decisions that we had made throughout our lives before we had made them. The main thing is that we all strive to make everyday count! Because tomorrow may not come. I am thankful for each minute of each day now and refuse to waste my time being angry, hurt, or depressed. I hate to think that the last second that i could spend on this Earth would be one of depression when it could be thoughts of joy and happiness instead! Nothing is worth losing moments of happiness over. I spent plenty of time throughout my life feeling like i was worthless and insignificant...but times have changed and i am thankful to Him for changing my perspective of myself and also of others!
Quote: Its not important how many times you have gone through the bible but that it has gone through you!!!! - Irving L. Jensen
^^The winning side of coarse! 1 Corinthians 15:41- The sun is glorious in one way, the moon is glorious in another way, and the stars are glorious in their own [distinctive] way; for one star differs from and surpasses another in it's own beauty and brilliance. **We're all born with different temperaments, different physical features, different emotional makeups, different gifts and abilities, different everything! Our goal should be to find out what makes us special and unique and to succeed at being the best individuals that we can be. When we struggle to be like others, we lose our distinctiveness and even lose ourselves in the process. We also grieve God's Holy Spirit. God wants us to fit into His plan, not to devise our own plans and try to fit into someone else's design. You are an individual, created on purpose for a unique roll in God's plan. I encourage you to recognize and celebrate the things that distinguish you from everyone else and enjoy the freedom that comes from being exactly what God made you to be!! You are different for a reason and we need you to be that person that you were created to be! Life is more interesting when we have differences and unique qualities/ideas to bring to the table. Embrace yourself and love who you are! God Bless and have a great week!!
Happy Friday to you all! 2 Corinthians 3:18- And all of us...are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another... **We all make mistakes every day of our lives in some manner. But if we love God and want to do what is right, He keeps working with us and loving us into wholeness and that is great news! We don't have to feel rejected in the meantime. God sees the end from the beginning. He knows where we are now and is fully aware of every one of our faults, but He also knows where we CAN be if He keeps loving us and encouraging us to go forward! When God finished all of His creation, including man, He looked at it and said, "It is good!" God intends to work in and through you, so relax and believe that God approves of you, because He does!! I encourage you again to not only love yourselves, but show love to others this weekend! The feeling of helping or loving someone else in their time of need or despair is unmatched by any other feeling, except the feeling of His love for you. God Bless!!
It's Monday, time to look forward to another great week of God's blessings! Hebrews 13:15- Through Him, therefore, let us constantly and at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of lips that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His name. **Today's verse encourages us to offer God "a sacrifice of praise". We often read and interpret this as praising God when we don't feel like praising Him, and that can certainly be a type of sacrifice. But i believe the writer is talking about praise actually being the sacrifice, not just doing it when we don't feel like it. We need to apply this scripture to our everyday lives, making sure that we speak God's praises every chance that we get. We need to share with others all of the great things that He's doing for us, we need to thank Him, and we need to tell Him that we love Him. In our hearts and with our mouths we should go through our days praising Him. We need to be people of praise, acknowledging God "constantly and at all times". Have a great day and share your blessings!
Well it's Monday again...i hope that you all had a great week/weekend! Proverbs 12:25- Anxiety in a man's heart weighs it down, but an encouraging word makes it glad. **The impact of an encouraging word can be profound, nearly miraculous. A word of encouragement from a teacher to a child can change their life. A word of encouragement from a spouse can save a marriage. A word of encouragement from a leader can inspire a person to reach their potential. To encourage people is to help them gain courage that they might not otherwise possess; courage to face the day, to do what's right, to take risks, or to make a difference. And the heart of encouragement is to communicate a person's value! When we help people feel valuable, capable, and motivated, we often get to see their lives change forever...and sometimes you could even see the results of your encouragement over them provide a steppingstone for them to journey out and help change the world! If you'll just take time to encourage people, you can make a big difference in our world yourself. You can add value to others. Everyone can become an encourager! You don't have to be rich or a genius, you just need to care about people and be willing to get started! The little things that you can do each day have the potential for a much greater impact than you could ever imagine!! Have a great day today and let someone know that they look nice, that they did a great job, or are a delight to be around. Making someone feel good creates a chain reaction that will contribute to making others also have a better day. Be infectious!!
Happy Mothers Day to all of you mothers out there! Today's verse...Choose to enjoy today! Deuteronomy 30:19- I call heaven and earth to witness this day against you that I have set before you life and death, the blessings and the curses, therefore choose life... ***All that it takes to begin enjoying something--anything--is a choice. It requires a deliberate decision to enjoy what you're doing. Just as you can decide to be frustrated or unhappy, you can decide to be happy! All of us are tempted at times to complain and say that we are not happy. We all have moments and seasons when we do not enjoy our lives. Sometimes you just have to make a decision and tell yourself, "This is what I need to do today and I will enjoy it." We must prepare ourselves mentally for what we need to do. If we are going to enjoy our lives, we will have to do so on purpose! If we don't do it intentionally by making a decision to do so, we are not likely to do it at all. But wherever we are, whatever we are going through, we can profess "This is where I am, this is what's going on in my life, and I choose to make the most of it!" I believe that you can enjoy everything about your life by making the decision to do so. Even when you are tried by challenging situations, you can find something positive in that situation if you just search for it instead of locking your mind solely on the negative parts of it. Choose to see the positive in ALL situations and learn to enjoy today, everyday! Have a great week and God bless!
"Power to Overcome" Acts 1:8- But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you... ***No one's life is everything that he or she wants it to be! We all have challenges and struggles, sometimes heartbreaks and tragedies. I have never met a single individual that could say, "My life has always been every bit as wonderful as I have dreamed it would be!" God's job is not to 'make' us happy or to give us the lives we've always hoped for. And accepting Jesus as your personnal Lord and Saviour does not mean that you will live a "problem free" life. Jesus did not come to give anyone a life of leisure, he came to provide an abundant life...but not a trouble-free one. Part of the abundance that He offers is the power of His Spirit to overcome what others cannot! As believers, we have the power of the Holy Spirit to help us with circumstances differently than nonbelievers do. When we are in Christ, we are supernaturally anointed to live our natural, ordinary lives in supernatural ways! We can be at peace in the midst of a crisis, and we can be positive when everything around us is gloomy and depressing. Why? Because by keeping God first in our lives, we can obtain the power to choose joy, peace, positive attitudes, and stability. We can overcome the negative situations in life, but we need to choose to do so! Obtain the "Power to Overcome" in your life, put your faith in Him and all of the negative things that happen to you will become trivial and insignificant. Not saying that they won't happen, but they will lose their power over you life! God bless and have a great week!!
Loving others with your prayers! Colossians 1:93- We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you... ***Intercession is one of the most important kinds of prayer because alot of people don't pray for themselves. I pray for all of those that i care about everytime that i pray, everyday. I want my friends, my family, and my enemies to have blessings in their lives that will continually better their days and improve their attitudes in hopes that their happiness will be passed on to the next person they come in contact with. Some people don't actually have a relationship with God and they don't pray for themselves because they don't know how to, or even want to. But from my experience, when you live for God first, and then others over yourself, that you actually experience all or most of the things that you may want/need in your own life while you're focusing your time and love on everything/everyone else. Try to focus your thoughts and prayers on someone else today instead of yourself. It will bless you as well as them! God Bless and have a great day!
Been slacking with this thread with the whole LaCrosse cruise thing. But that's over and no excuses now. But instead of a verse today, i'm posting the lyrics of a song that empowers me daily. Hope that you guys that haven't heard it yet enjoy it! God Bless! Jeremy Camp's "Restored" --All this time i've wandered around, searching for the things i'll never know---I've been searching for this answer, that only will be found in Your love---And i feel it, my heart is being mended by Your touch---And i hear it, Your voice that's shown my purpose in this world Chorus: You have restored me, from my feeble and broken soul---You have restored me---You have restored me, from my feeble and broken soul---You have restored me... --I've only come to realize, my strength will be made perfect at Your throne---Laying all reflections down, to see the precious beauty that You've shown---And i feel it, my heart is being mended by Your touch---And i hear it, Your voice that's shown my purpose in this world Chorus: --Laying all these questions down, You've answered what i need---You've given more than i deserve, You're making me complete---You give me all these open doors, i'm humbled at Your feet---To show me what You've done for me Chorus:
I thought you just had the verse there for a reason, I'm what Chuck Wendahl said in his leadership book, i'm in a faith blackout. Cool to hear yours and many others testimony. I was a Baptist, Head of Men's Ministry, Worship Director, Youth Leader, Building fund committee, Nominating committee, Lead Guitarist. this change my view of you, still b4 this, your already a cool guy.
Nope, my back window banner is Matthew 6:33-Seek ye first the kingdom of Heaven and all it's righteousness... Well thanks mang! This thread was intended for sharing testimonies, expressing thoughts/feelings/opinions, and just good old fashioned fellowship for those that care to participate. And i still have your LaXCruise prize for ya.
yes! i need a cooler for my non boat fishing sold the canoe set up. waiting to bump " i'm a boat b*****"
Happy Sunday! This verse and teaching is from Joyce Meyers' daily devotional "Love Out Loud". Have a blessed day and a wonderful holiday celebrating our freedom! "Set them Free" Leviticus 25:11, 17- That fiftieth year shall be a jubilee for you...You shall not oppress and wrong one another, but you shall [reverently] fear your God. ***We often feel that others are indebted to us...that they owe us something...when they have wronged us. Sometimes we even want to get revenge on them. But as believers in Jesus Christ, every day can be a type of "jubilee" for our lives and souls. We can say to those who are in debt to us through their mistreatment of us, "I forgive you and release you from your debt. You are free to go...I leave you in God's hands and let Him deal with you, because as long as i am trying to deal with you, He won't." According to the Bible, we are not to hold a person in perpetual debt, just as we ourselves are not to be indebted to anyone else. We can have our sins forgiven continually through repentance and faith in Christ! Jesus paid our debts for us...it IS done! "Thanks you Jesus for setting me free from all penalties of my sin and paying the price for me so that I can live in a continual state of Jubilee, and I choose today to cancel the debts I feel that others may owe to me freely, just as you have for me." Forgive others that have wronged you! It will relieve you from the anger and stress that you have built up inside from their actions. And it will bring peace back into your heart, soul, and mind!
Bumping this for my good friend and co-worker Greg Buhl. He passed away in his sleep on Wednesday night from what they believe was heart complications. As a favor to me, PLEASE put his family and friends in your prayers this week to help us all cope with our loss. It was very sudden and unexpected and he will be GREATLY missed by us all. He was a really great guy, father, grandfather, and friend. I loved him like family. Thank you! -Josh
Bump...God is good! Still blessing me everyday! If you need someone to talk to about anything that you are dealing with/going through right now, PM me. Sometimes just talking about it helps us in getting through it and or over it! God Bless!
Happy Friday everyone! It has been too long since i've bumped this thread, so a 'God is good' bump is in order! Romans 15:2- Let each one of us make it a practice to please his neighbor for his good and for his true welfare, to edify him [to strengthen him and lift him up spiritually]. ***When you take the time to say a positive comment or lend a hand to a friend/neighbor/family member/stranger, you open the door to changing their day in a positive way! Life is full of challenges and hard times. Every little positive thing that happens to us in our lives is extremely helpful in how we deal with the harder days. Make an effort today to share a constructive/positive comment with someone, or maybe lend a hand in helping them with something that they may need help with. And in making them happy or reducing their stress level, you will ultimately increase your own joy...so don't just do it for them...do it for you!*** God bless and have a great weekend!!
Happy Monday to everyone! I'd like to have a get together with my God loving Subaru enthusiasts(or if you're curious or have questions and want to talk, join us)! If you've enjoyed this thread and or have experienced a blessing through it...would a meet be something that you have interest in? Any of you have interest in getting together for lunch, dinner, or coffee and doughnuts? I'd love to meet you(if i haven't already, lol) and chat about how God has blessed us through this thread and through daily life in general. Thoughts, comments, interest/ideas? Post up and let me know! Thanks, Josh
Josh I would like to get together soon. Pm me your number I dont know if I have it any more. PS: Post something about having patience!
^^Ask and ye shall receive! Isaiah 40:31- But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint... Psalm 37:7-9- Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes. Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper—it only leads to harm. For the wicked will be destroyed, but those who trust in the Lord will possess the land... ***Living your life without patience leads to a more high stress, overwhelming lifestyle which is also harder on your relationships! It's also hard on your health. High blood pressure just to name one issue, can lead to early heart problems. Letting stuff go and realising that there is no way that you can change things on your own is critical in character developement! You can't get angry at traffic and expect it to start moving. Take a deep breath and let it go. Focus on making prayer a substitute for bickering/ranting about it! Instead thank God for your health...for the job that you are heading to while you're stuck in traffic. Not everyone has their health and a job to be thankful for, so don't take it for granted. Besides, if you let the traffic get to you it will wreck your mood and affect not only your day, but all of those around you! Next time that you are feeling impatient about ANYTHING, take a breath and give thanks for the positive things going on in your life! And don't forget about the simple things, like health and a job. God Bless!
I could use some prayer. I'm sure it's way down at the asscrack of god's priority list, but what the heck. A few months ago, I reenlisted in the army for another 6 years. One of the reasons I did this is because I was authorized a ten thousand dollar bonus for doing so, half to be paid on the day I would have gotten out, the other half 3 years later. Sweet. Extra wedding money. Next, it turned out that I had some travel vouchers out there from some trips I had taken for the army. Sweet, unexpected money! More wedding help! Things are looking up, right? HAHAHAHAHAHA **** NO. In a massive episode of monumental stupidity, I counted on the army to come through with it's end of the bargain, and budgeted and planned some things that required that bonus money. Mainly, my entire honeymoon. Well, after speaking with my unit a few times over the past couple of days, I discovered something. The 'promised pay date' of the bonus is really just...and I quote... ''The day the army would LIKE to pay you. In reality it usually takes at least 30 to 60 days beyond that''. Awesome. Here's the kicker, which really adds insult to injury. The travel vouchers are stamped 'PAID'. I get all the confirmation emails. Things are paid, done, archived. Well, where the **** are they? I spend about two hours digging, and find out the best part of all. They were paid to a bank account that I closed three YEARS ago. There were no errors, no issues, the money was accepted by my old bank. So all odds are that I will never see this money. Just another reason to love TCF, those ****ing thieves. Best part of all! Jenni lost her temp job yesterday, when she was under the assumption that they were keeping her through November, and TOLD her such. well HR decided **** that get rid of the extra money going out, can her. SO, as a result of this, I am now out approximately four thousand dollars that I was counting on receiving this week. My honeymoon is cancelled, I can't afford groomsmen gifts, and I may need to sell my car because I can't afford the timing belt and water pump job. Jenni, who just lost her job, is stuck paying for more things, and she really can't afford it with her situation. I've had some struggles with my faith recently. I grew up lutheran. But every year it seems like more and more things go wrong, and this is just the icing on the cake. How am I supposed to believe that there is a loving and caring power out there that gives even one tiny iota of a **** about me when what is supposed to be the biggest day/event of my life is getting hit with one punch after another? I know it's just money, but it really would be nice if the biggest day of my life would stop getting attacked, and I feel like this 'loving caring' '''''god''''' who supposedly orchestrates the universe is just sitting by and eating popcorn while everything (everything everywhere, not just my life) goes to ****. I'm at a loss for what to do here. help.
Fear not. Do not be afraid. Thou shall not fear. Those phrases are mentioned 100's of times in the word. When things appear to be impossible for us, God shows up. Have faith that he will. Plus, crappy things just plain happen to good people. Theres a lot more that could be said here, but the real question (IMO) at hand is your relationship with Him. Where is it? How is it? How has it been? Youre at a loss...I get that. I'm there many times myself. What to do? Turn it over to Him, walk away..."Cast your cares". Its going to be better than alright.
Nothing is "Higher or Lower" on his list. Everything and everyone is of the up most importance to him. If we trust him and pray about it. He will listen! Now does it always work out like WE want it too? No. Although it does say that God will not give you more than you can handle... Think about that.
Does anyone's church have a clothes drive coming up? Or maybe your church takes clothes donations year round? If so, hit me up.
^I'd have to dig into that one and get back to you. Not for sure. So happy humpday to everyone! Today, instead of a verse...here is the song that drives me and inspires me daily! Better is one day in your courts, better is one day in your house, better is one day in your courts, than thousands elsewhere Lord! I wouldn't trade anything for your love and grace. Thank you Jesus for reviving my life and driving me to be a better man everyday! God bless, hope that you all have a great day!
Turn the lights down, open your heart, raise your hands to the father, and listen to this song... God bless!!!
God is good bump...for my buddy Rick! Romans 15:2- Let each one of us make it a practice to please (make happy) his neighbor for his good and for his true welfare, to edify him [to strengthen him and build him up spiritually]. ***Today's scripture gives us great advice, but we usually do the opposite of what it advises us to do. We want others to do what makes us happy and do what pleases us. The ways of the world, which are focused on "self", do not work. In general, people are more selfish than ever, they are also more dissatisfied. God's ways DO work, and His way is to genuinely love other people. If we do as He instructs, we may make some sacrifices, but we will have a kind of joy that cannot be found anywhere except in the center of God's will! Take a step in love today and another one tomorrow...as you press on, you'll be happier and feel at peace with yourself. Instead of receiving joy from "getting" something, you'll receive joy from "giving" something. And when you receive joy from giving, you spread the joy to others!!! God Bless, have a great day and week! **And as stated earlier in this thread...if ANYONE needs help with something, need prayer, or just a friend who will listen to what you are dealing/struggling with in your life (advice needed or not), let me know either here or via PM. You don't have to go through tough times alone!**
Hey everyone! I've been MIA for a while now but remembered this thread and thought I should contribute. In case anyone hasn't heard by now, my subbie was totalled the night after my graduation from college. Rear ended on 494 passing another accident on the shoulder. I was doing around 40 as was most of the traffic...most. About 100 yards past the accident I felt the impact and next thing I know, I spun around 4-5 times and ended up in the ditch. Aside from the obvious soreness that comes with being in an accident, I left without a scratch or bruise on me. Some people have tried to tell me it's because Subarus are built to be so safe, but I know that the Lord was there watching out for me. I admit it has been a while since I really felt the Lord's presence and at that moment I knew I was gonna be ok and everything would work out. Just thought I'd share that with you all
^Praise God! Very glad to hear that you made it out of the situation with your health and all of your extremeties! Subarus ARE good, but God IS even better! Sometimes we have bad things happen to us, but when we give God the glory and thanks, they are only temporary and something good always comes out of it. Continually giving Him praise during the bad times instead of blaming Him for the situation is how we grow our faith. There is a saying..."There's a blessing in the storm", and it is true in all walks of life! I'll make sure to give Him thanks today that you are in one piece and alive and well!
Josh if you're going to church today can you drop off Phil's car dollies. He said I can use them for a bit. Thanks pal, My higher power makes me
God is still doing amazing things everyday bump! Just wanted to wish you all a wonderful weekend and holiday! Hope that everyone has an enjoyable Christmas, i'll be praying for everyone as we begin our journeys to spend time with our families. God Bless, and remember to take a moment to give thanks and wish our saviour a "happy birthday"!
I'm very new to this forum, and I have to say - what a refreshing change! This is an awesome thread and hats off to the op! It's great to see a thread designed with the intent to help and encourage others, rather than put them down.
I subscribe to Joyce Meyers Twitter feed. She has some good ones. Recently, "Never hesitate to take what you think are small things to God: after all everything is small to God. Wow...perspective.
You're no less a priority than any of God's children, man. I'm sorry about your rough times. I'll pray for you. One of the hard questions everyone asks is the question you're asking. "If God is all loving and caring, then why am I going through all this crap? Why does He let this sheet happen?" Being a believer doesn't keep crap out of our lives. I came to faith as an adult, and from experience I can say that sometimes having faith is harder than not. Crappy things have a way of walking in at unfortunate times. God doesn't keep it all out of our lives. What he does do is: He never leaves us and never stops caring for us more than we can imagine. His Love does not waver. He knows we will go through hard times in life and He promises to be with us through them if we ask. He will not always keep the bad crap away, but He will lend us His strength if we ask and help us get through it. With God, we can get through anything no matter how hopeless and crappy it seems sometimes. Hard times come and go. That will always be the case. Life isn't designed to be smooth sailing all the time. Have faith, brother. Trust Him that He won't abandon you.
