Willa

1Jn 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 1Jn 1:2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— 1Jn 1:3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. John is also very convincing. The point is he was a witness to the resurrection and so is more convincing than than someone who is merely reporting about it third hand. That perhaps is why Jesus said He would give us power to witness after the Holy Spirit had come upon us. We witness as to what we have seen and heard and touched.

My point is that one experiential demonstration was far more effective than had I only reasoned probabilities in a classroom. I was a witness of the puzzling expression when I gave them the check and the amazement when they took it all in when they held the bank notice. You can read about God's provision for the Jews in the wilderness, but it quite another when you see it happen before your eyes. Moreover, If God can do this things today, It doesn't take any stretch of the mind to believe that God did it so many centuries ago.

I goofed when I typed. God was not Lord of all my life till I stoped questioning Him. He used me to help provide for the need to the dollar for someone else before they were even aware they were overdrawn at the bank. I actually just provided for the overdraft charge but my friend who was also led to give provided for the main amount. That fact that God would use me to help do this before they had even received their notice from the bank just blew my mind. He is every bit the omniscient, omnipresent God Who provides our needs that the Bible describes. Rational arguments didn't do nearly as much as this demonstration of God's love for these Christians that I had never met.

I have had that happen. It is an opportunity to forgive her, ask that God bless her, and to pray for her. It doesn't matter as much what they think or do, it matters how I respond. I can't change them. I can change me.

This was further brought home to me when I was incapacitated for 3 months. I felt so worthless, not even being able to cook for family or do any chores. My knees were bloody from crawling. So I was consumed with self pity. That is when God spoke to my heart that He loves me simply because He created me, and now because He lives in me. I don't have to do anything at all. He simply loves me. It is a hard thing to wrap our minds around that we don't have to do anything at all, and He still loves and treasures us simply because we are. We don't even have to hold down a job or do the things needed to be done.

I don't often feel I love God either. My love is so inadequate and puny when compared to His sending His son to suffer and die for me. Mine is brotherly love for God-- more like affection, deep friendship and that of a daughter; I have not shed my blood on His behalf though that may be required someday. All I do know it that life is not worth living without Him--in the filth and shallowness of the world. When Jesus said to Peter, do you agape love me? Peter replied I phileo love you Lord. So Peter realized his love was brotherly as well. Eventually he did die for God.

The Holy Spirit in my heart cries Abba, Daddy. Gal 4:6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” Jesus Christ lives in me to love and forgive others. 2Co 13:5 ESV Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!

Rom 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Rom 5:9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. Rom 5:10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. Rom 5:11 And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. It was so freeing to me to realize that God is pleased with me right now. I don't have to keep trying to be pleasing and forever failing. When freed from the self effort God was able to start transforming me into His likeness by His Spirit. All my self effort, which became self righteousness, just got in the way of God's work in me. The just shall live by his faith.

Psa 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever.

ty, I also enjoy Andrew Murry.

One idea is to find a person to be your legal guardian and handle your finances. I am in sound mind but am retired and I chose one should I be unable to handle my affairs. Better to choose one now while you can. If you turned your finances over to an accountant that you trust you would not have the pressure that family places on you because the guardian would deal with it. On the other hand you would pay them for their services.

A friend would call a cafe and tell them to put a hamburger and a cup of coffee on her tab for the guy she was sending in. That would be a safe way for women who are alone to reach out to the poor.

No one can be saved without God's grace. These failed to obtain God's grace. They fell short of it. That is as plain as it gets. It says see to it that no one falls short of God's grace and then gives examples of people who did fall short. They came with impure motives, warped values and unrepentant hearts, not humbled and broken.

These are people who never received God's grace and salvation. They fell short of it due to bitterness and due to not treasuring his birthright, the blessing of his father and his inheritance. Simon the sorcerer also had a root of bitterness that defiled him when he asked for the power to confer the Holy Spirit on people. Their hearts were not right.

Heb 12:5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? "My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. Heb 12:6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives." Heb 12:7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? Heb 12:8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Heb 12:9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? Heb 12:10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. Heb 12:11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Heb 12:12 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, Heb 12:13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.

Joh 3:17 ESV For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Joh 3:18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. Joh 3:19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. Joh 3:20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. Joh 3:21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God." If you want KJV you won't get it from me. The closest I do is NKJV.

Only the comments in brackets are explaining the implied meaning of the Greek. The other words are contained in Bible dictionaries as expounding on the full meaning of the Greek.

John teaches that we are all headed for the lake of fire until we receive Christ. It is definitely the destination of those who reject Christ. Joh 3:17 AMP For God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge (to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him. Joh 3:18 He who believes in Him [who clings to, trusts in, relies on Him] is not judged [he who trusts in Him never comes up for judgment; for him there is no rejection, no condemnation—he incurs no damnation]; but he who does not believe (cleave to, rely on, trust in Him) is judged already [he has already been convicted and has already received his sentence] because he has not believed in and trusted in the name of the only begotten Son of God. [He is condemned for refusing to let his trust rest in Christ's name.] Joh 3:19 The [basis of the] judgment (indictment, the test by which men are judged, the ground for the sentence) lies in this: the Light has come into the world, and people have loved the darkness rather than and more than the Light, for their works (deeds) were evil. [Isa 5:20] Joh 3:20 For every wrongdoer hates (loathes, detests) the Light, and will not come out into the Light but shrinks from it, lest his works (his deeds, his activities, his conduct) be exposed and reproved.

I agree, Neighbor. It is pretty hard to deny Bible accounts when those same things are occurring in our own lives and in the lives of people we know well.

I told my 6th grade girls sunday school class that I never heard the church teach about repentance. They responded "what do you mean.? We have NEVER done anything wrong," I was aghast. Most of these girls had asked Jesus into their hearts and had been baptized. So I asked them if they had ever talked back to their parents, or lied, or stolen anything. They got very quiet. I told them that this is 10 commandment stuff. All they have to do is ask God to forgive them and make them more like Jesus. Then thank Jesus for dying for them so they can have a new clean life in Him. At this point a few fell away, but most became strong Christians now serving God. We don't have to scream or condemn. We just have to reason with people and speak on their level. It can be done with kindness and concern.

The cross is a foregone conclusion. A person cannot have Christ in him without the cross and trusting in the finished work of Christ there. A person must trust Jesus as his Lord and believe He arose from the dead to be born again and have Christ live in him.

This also applies to doctrine. If God does not open our eyes to the truth of a teaching, we can't beat it into them with endless posts. Some truths are spiritually discerned. Moreover I am convinced that sometimes we need an extreme end of a doctrine to bring our perception into balance. For instance, a person who had been caught up in legalism may need to hear only grace and no works, because hearing works might bring them back to working to be good enough to go to heaven. While the person who was taught grace that thought that meant they can live like a heathen, that person may need to hear about righteous living because the word grace may mean to them that they can live like sinners. God brings our perception into balance by opening our ears to the teachings that we need to hear, that helps us to live for Him. My 2 cents.

I post scriptures because that is what helps me, and it is what I live by. The Scriptures carry the authority of God. My opinions don't help much. They don't guide, or heal or cleanse. I can grieve with those who grieve and rejoice with those who rejoice. Ultimately it is the Holy Spirit working through God's word that transforms lives.

Often the govt. buys the produce for free school lunch programs and other programs to feed the poor. So it wouldn't surprise me if kids start getting WA State apples, since it is hitting our apple industry very hard.

You made me a chat mod., maybe so I can approve videos and other posts, which I do. However, yesterday people who were banned from the boards moved to chat with their attacks, and I was unable to kick them from chat. I think other mods may have done so. Please check my settings in chat so that I can do so if the need arises.