LisaMarie savedbygrace

Wingnut I know.. I know and agree with everything you said... Not sure what's up with me because i know not one person is perfect..I just get tired of dealing with ppl who like to play games and use God as a way of getting something. . I know every one is fighting some sort of battle.. myself included.. and we all fall short and we all sin.. I mean if I have arrived then Lord take me now... but i am aware that I have a job to do. and need to be more focused on God and understand how He would handle this..

Thank you for takin time to respond ..

Hmm.. think i may have misunderstood the post..LOL.... See what happens with out enough caffeine... hehehehe..

What makes Bible study pointless...is if you're going to study for just head knowledge.. you can talk the talk all you want but if you are not walking the walk then what you know means nothing...

Maybe, but I don't think we should say "hey, don't read that if you only want to intellectually dissect the merits of what it teaches!" I understand the general idea behind the statement, but I wish it were a little more specific. I would never, under any circumstances that I could think of, discourage someone from reading the Word of God, no matter what their intentions, because the truth is there.

No, I wouldn't discourage anyone from reading it either .. but to read it only to gain head knowledge and not do anything with it except use it for a conversation piece or just another check in the "I know" dept. doesn't serve it's purpose.. it's just like someone who has a bumper sticker on the back of their car saying "I love Jesus" yet you're flipping everyone off who cuts you off in traffic.. or someone who wears pins and crosses and whatever to decorate their outside yet their gossiping and complaining about the preacher, or others in the church.. Doesn't really make me want to follow them or think they are any different than those who don't believe..

I don't disagree with you in principle. But we have to remember that the Holy Spirit is going to work in someone on His timetable. He may be putting them in the Word in this manner without them even knowing it? Maybe after years of academic study they come across something that moves them spiritually.

Also, we have to remember that not only believers read the Bible (though I'd have to assume the original statement is directed at believers). I'm sure many, many nonbelievers have came to know Jesus due to opening up the bible just to mock it, to refute it, out of boredom, or out of just simple curiosity.

i do agree there ))

Hmm.. think i may have misunderstood the post..LOL.... See what happens with out enough caffeine... hehehehe..

What makes Bible study pointless...is if you're going to study for just head knowledge.. you can talk the talk all you want but if you are not walking the walk then what you know means nothing...

Maybe, but I don't think we should say "hey, don't read that if you only want to intellectually dissect the merits of what it teaches!" I understand the general idea behind the statement, but I wish it were a little more specific. I would never, under any circumstances that I could think of, discourage someone from reading the Word of God, no matter what their intentions, because the truth is there.

No, I wouldn't discourage anyone from reading it either .. but to read it only to gain head knowledge and not do anything with it except use it for a conversation piece or just another check in the "I know" dept. doesn't serve it's purpose.. it's just like someone who has a bumper sticker on the back of their car saying "I love Jesus" yet you're flipping everyone off who cuts you off in traffic.. or someone who wears pins and crosses and whatever to decorate their outside yet their gossiping and complaining about the preacher, or others in the church.. Doesn't really make me want to follow them or think they are any different than those who don't believe..

Hmm.. think i may have misunderstood the post..LOL.... See what happens with out enough caffeine... hehehehe..

What makes Bible study pointless...is if you're going to study for just head knowledge.. you can talk the talk all you want but if you are not walking the walk then what you know means nothing...

There's been something on my mind for quite sometime.. I still don't know how to put this all out there but I am relying on the Holy Spirit's leading to help me as i go...

i find it extremely heartbreaking that some people are just not who they claim or portray themselves to be.. Especially when it comes to believer's... Granted each and every one of us are on different levels, have different things to work through and sometimes those things take time depending on how deeply rooted they are..

But what truly is breaking my heart is how people who claim to be believer's feel as if they can fool or underestimate someone who is truly a Spirit filled person.. Have we forgotten that the Holy Spirit works in us and gives us nudges, and tells us if something or someone isn't right???!! . Some people look and talk to you as if you don't have discernment or can't pick up a lie. When in fact most believer's are filled with the Holy Spirit therefore being able to sense these things..

To me being a believer isn't about being a robot.. i don't expect everyone to walk the same, talk the same, listen or watch the same things as everyone else.. I respect and love the fact that we are all different... But for me I am finding that alot of people who claim to know and love God do not bear any fruit.. I know Jesus said we would know them by their fruit so with just that said why would anyone feel as if they could underestimate or even try to fool someone who is truly a believer.. How can you say you believe and follow God when behind closed doors (including online) you act like the world does..

You can usually sense by how someone speaks , whether online or to your face who they are.. that little nudge in your spirit tells you.. even if they are funny, kind, and speak about the Word you can still pick up someone being false.. I know there are false prophets out there and too many at that.. It's just sad for me to see it all.. Granted I am not perfect, i have my own things to work on but I am taking the steps.. I am not allowing myself to stay where I am at.. I want to go deeper with God and when you are in a relationship with Him you can't help but to change.. The seeds He gives us begin to grow but we also have to help that process along..

Please do not misunderstand I am not meaning to be judgmental, it's just my heart is breaking from this. You either get in or get out.. God never promised an easy journey, but if we can't even be real or be ourselves online or anywhere else how can we expect God to work in us.. Sure He loves us but i wonder how heartbreaking it must be for Him. to see people claiming to love Him but in fact only use His name for their own selfish reasons.. That's just like having someone say they love you when in fact they truly don't.. Why even waste someone's time... You have free will.. You have a choice.. You're either in it or you're not.. It's a struggle, it's a challenge, it's something that will break you to the point of wanting to call it quits.. But to be in a solid, honest, loving, trustworthy relationship with God our Father, our friend, our Savior.. It's priceless..

I don't know if I would go so far as to say it's pointless..Granted if someone has never opened a Bible and went to a study .. at first they may be quite confused but then again it would depend on what kind of study they went to. Maybe a new beginner's study would suit them better if they even have those kinds..

Maybe it's the same as taking up a new language.. at first it's overwhelming but if serious about the venture and the wanting to learn I'd say they are in a fairly good place to start.. just my thoughts.. on a limited amount of coffee at the moment.. ))

Amen ... there's no better relationship/friendship than the one we have with Him.. The joy He brings, the love He shares and shows.. How He is everything to us all rolled into one.. Being that intimate with God is the greatest pleasure there is .. I love that i can come to Him with anything.. No matter how big or small .. and talk with Him as i would my best friend.. And to have those secrets told to those He chooses to tell..How wonderful is that to know the Almighty God loves us that much to be in that kind of a relationship with is just awesome..

No fears, no worries, no doubts when it comes to the Lord's love.. His love, His friendship, His need to need us.. is just .. well there are no words to truly describe the awesomeness of it all..

would have loved to have seen that... very cool.. thank you for sharing

LOL...Happy Birthday ..

I'm glad it encouraged you Fluffy .. Blessings to you

A very timely message for me..

Thank you for sharing this .. Last night I was at a very low point ..couldn't see or even think straight.. no matter how much I tried to fight it off i couldn't get past the pain and all I could do was cry out to God .. I believe He heard me..

The part that stuck out for me was when you said "But our lives should reflect our salvation" and last night mine did anything but . I truly want to be so close to Him to rely on Him fully.. I don't know how i would react seeing His finger like that but oh to have a touch from Him. How beautiful that would be.. I have felt His presence before and it is a warm, peaceful feeling.but never have seen His finger . I got tears in my eyes writing this.. because they are moments that I treasure and they bring me such comfort.. and I really needed Him last night..

I went to Isaiah to read the verse and noticed i already had it highlighted but forgot i did that.. so I now have it written out on a post it.. and it's on my comp.. The one in Proverbs is one of my favs .. For far too many times i have relied on my own understanding and we all know where that leads..

Thank you again for sharing your story.. )) God bless you

From what I understand our faith is always being tested. Not in a way to punish us or anything but more so to see where we stand in Him.He gives us faith not so everything will be easy.. but so we can stand firm in the midst of it..

I have been learning to be more deeply rooted in Him and what i am noticing is the more deeper I go the more the enemy wants to try and stop me and keep me where I am .. I have walked around the same stupid mountain too many times and now it is time for me to step up and step in.. So I am digging in with both heels and I am not giving in.

I am sure it is very confusing and frustrating dealing with so many different beliefs but you have to be strong and stand firm in what it is you believe in .. i have had my share of questioning my faith .. especially seeing as to how I am in the same boat as you in the looking for work dept. But I have to believe that God is working in my life no matter what it looks like or doesn't look like and no matter how it feels.. I have to believe.. It's really the only thing I am counting on.. That He is indeed working in my life..

I don't know your sister's beliefs or her age but I wouldn't let yourself believe that her decisions are punishment for anything.. The enemy will use any opening given.. so try as much as you can to cast down those negative thoughts.. Your sister is her own person and sometimes we have to let people do as they will in order to learn.. I know for me I was forever learning the hard way.. I like to think I have smartened up some..LOL..

Just talk to Him let Him know how you're feeling.. I mean He already knows.. but just talk to Him .. let Him reassure you and encourage you. For me I believe in God with all my heart.. yes i had moments of doubt and I questioned so much.. But I had to get comfortable in not knowing , and i know I still have to work through over thinking and over analyzing so much.. I won't understand everything God does and why and that's okay. But I believe.. I believe that even when my world feels like it has been turned upside down that God has got me. It's Him redirecting me... showing me what I need to work on and where i stand with Him.. Ask Him to fix your foundation.. He will be there to carry you through this .. )

i understand what you are saying but i have to agree with ncn.. Jesus would not turn anyone away..

He did turn away pharisees and tell his disciples to shake the dust from their feet.

Yes, I know He turned away pharisees, but if one were to come to Him and repent do you think He would still turn him away?? i know there are those people that we need to distance ourselves from and we don't need to be the best of friends with everyone .. but we do need to remain civil as much as possible..

i understand what you are saying but i have to agree with ncn.. Jesus would not turn anyone away.. One of His commandments is that we love our neighbor as we love ourselves and that includes.. atheists, gays, anyone and everyone..Just because they believe or don't believe doesn't give us the right to shun them or make ourselves better than them..

What we need to ask ourselves (those that believe ) is how rooted and grounded in Christ are you ?? Are you affecting them or are they infecting you.. When people who don't believe come to places like this we truly do not know the reason but Love believes the best and it is up to us to show who Christ is everywhere we go and to everyone we meet... Granted we are not perfect and we are all on different levels but the the whole nature of being a christian is becoming more like Christ...

So ask yourself ..W.W.J.D. .. ))

God is soooo good... It's amazing what we uncover when we get our minds and eyes on Him and off the world... changing your perception changes everything.. I am so happy for you and your new found joy.. God bless you and your family always...

Jesus is Lord...

God gifts us as He sees fit..And yes for those who don't understand such things will be turned off by it or look at you like you have 3 heads or something..LOL... But for me..no, not gifted that way.. God certainly knows what i can and cannot handle.. that I don't believe is one of them.. I am aware if that's a good word to use.. I can usually pick up vibes .. I don't know how to rightly say it.. but as far as being a seer of that .. Nooooo ..

I can really relate to what you said about how a strong mind can break down.. Too much alone time can really make one think things that aren't true . But that is where we need to step out in faith and keep fighting the good fight..

I don't know what God's plans are for you but I do know with Him we are NEVER alone. It certainly can feel like that most times without anyone there to talk with in the natural.. And 12 yrs is certainly a long time.. But as you and I both know His time is not ours.. Do not give up for your breakthrough could be right around the corner.

Maybe for the time being you could invest in a pet.. I don't know if you have any now or can have them where you are .. But they do make great company and most are in need of a great home as well..

Your life does have purpose.. it has meaning and God needs you. He put you here for a reason.. keep holding on and reaching out to Him and that purpose will be revealed.. Maybe go and spend time at your local nursing home.. where i used to live there were so many who's family never showed up to see them.. it was actually quite sad.. Maybe you could help out at a local shelter ..or volunteer somewhere... Not sure if you are working or what your financial situation is.. But, we are here to serve and to be a blessing to one another.. God will take care of what you need.. Since you are alone maybe you could reach out to others who are as well.

Please don't fall into this pit of self pity.. it doesn't get you anywhere but locked inside yourself and that is the last place God wants you to be.. Find ways, search the internet and go out and be a blessing.. I can guarantee when you step out God will step in...

You don't need an angel to come to your door.. God is right there inside of you.. He's as close to you as your next breath..Ask Him what he wants you to do.. He will show you .. God Bless you ..

Wow!!! very inspiring.. it gave me chills. )) Thank you Tina for sharing this.. God bless you

I haven't seen the video yet, not sure it has been approved yet or not but I think you wrote this just fine.

When i first signed on here I have to admit I was a bit skeptical and even backed off for a time.. I believe God called me back here and I have to say I am growing more and more and wanting God to use me .. My life is far from extravagant, i am not a pastor, preacher, teacher, or anything of that nature but I have been to the point of wanting to throw all of this away to finding out and learning about God's love for me..

I have been broken, bruised, torn, and shattered..maybe not to the extreme as most but pain is pain.. And God is certainly doing a work in me..I may not be where I want to be right now, but so far from where I used to be So if i can help just one person then my pain was not in vain.. (Not intending for that to rhyme)

Encouraging others is a strong desire of mine. And through being here I have found that I have been encouraged as well as challenged. ) Many blessings to you Tina..

It's just me, myself and I but I will take that as a reminder of how much God does love me..

Sometimes we forget just how precious we are to God and how important it is for us to realize that alone or not we all are precious in His eyes and should be a little more careful as to how we treat ourselves and one another

Thank you for the reminder.. )

The 3rd one caught my attention.. but i do like the 1st one too.. )

Sweetheart.. you're over thinking everything right now.. and the enemy is very very good at making you feel all kinds of worry, depression, thinking youre not good enuff.. etc etc... Just keep telling yourself "God loves me".. Make it personal.. and understand whenever u feel those not so good thoughts that is the enemy .. Keep saying "God is working in my life".. repeat that over and over and over.. Get into His word and He will guide you.... don't worry about stuff that isn't happening yet.. Take one thing at a time and the first thing you seem to need is knowing God's love for you .. Start there

I do over think things a lot. I have this voice in my head telling me that I am not good enough for God to love me and that I haven't got a path set by God and that I am forgotten.

DO NOT LISTEN TO THAT VOICE... That is the enemy .. this is the battle of the mind.. this is where you need to get into a habit of renewing your mind everyday.. even 1,000 times a day.. Keep telling yourself that YOU ARE LOVED BY GOD.. Make it personal.. GOD LOVES ME.. keep saying that quietly or outloud.. ..God has not forgotten you.. He has never left your side..

I truly admire what you're doing... love the creativity God is given you.. ) thank you for sharing this..

no i have read some of your posts. i cant remember what i was. when and if i do comeback i know that i will have a story to tell.

it's all good if ya don't remember.. I'm lucky if i do half the time.. LOL.. I'm sure you will have quite the story.. )))