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1John 5:3 Hi JFsurvivor, if you have already experienced pain and heartache and have cried out to the Lord for help and have felt His presence, then know that God can do the same with every concern you have. Cultivating patience is part of growing in understanding. Waiting on the Lord and do not give up on His love for you. He knows of your struggles and is waiting for you to come to Him always with every concern you have. Give over your concerns to the Lord and He will guide your path. Let go and let Him take control of the situation. If the situation that you are in does not line up with the Word of God, it probably is not the right path you to stay in. as it will only hurt you more in the long run. When the commandments seem burdensome, it could be because we still want to hold onto things we know are wrong but that we feel hard-pressed to give up. Bring these burdens to the Lord, ask Him to help you be free from those temptations. Many of our struggles could have been avoided had we listened and been obedient to Gods will over our own. God knows whats best for us, more than we know . Turning our will and our lives to the care of God is giving Him a chance to work His commandments in our hearts and lives and navigate us to making decisions that align with His will for us. Seek the Lords always in everything, and He shall direct you path. : )

Got to agree with everything that has been said, but that does not change my faith in God and what God has done already in my life. I still believe that there are good people to be found in church as in everyday life. But I have learnt it is best to place my whole trust in God and let Him guide me to the people who can help me when in time of human help. If going to church and placing my confidence in church goers was the foundation of my faith, I would be in deep trouble. Even the disciples, who spent time with Jesus, and saw His healing miracles , scattered and had no time for Him in His time of need. When He asked His disciples to stay and pray with Him a little while, they fell asleep. The only one we can try to modify with Gods help is ourselves and be a shinning light to others through Him working in us in church as in our daily life with whoever we interact with. We ALL fall short of His glory and are in need of the Great physician Christ Jesus to change and transform us. Trust in God alone and He shall direct your path says the scriptures. The good Samaritan does exists in our midst and can walk the walk, not just talk the talk. If we each practiced this .... I think the church should have better organizational sectors, committees to be of help for different needs and to be there to guide people to places that can be of help to them. And there probably exist some, but not in my area. Today its better to collectively help someone, so as not to get oneself in a position that is greater than our capacity to handle the situation. Unless you feel called to help and know that you can help, than you know what to do. I may get beaten down on here with my views but I have seen good organization skills and committees in the catholic church. There is a certain order that you can count on. They have committees to visit the sick, to gather clothes and food for the needy, find shelter for the homeless. I have also seen this with certain Jewish synagogues and their divers committees to be of help in their community. But I have not seen so much of this in Evangelical churches that I have attended. I have seen more closed circles in these types of churches than I have seen elsewhere. If you don't fit into their "ilk" than your out. Believe me I really wish it was different and not so, but it has not been my experience so far. Also as a single (middle aged woman) I have felt more welcome going into a catholic church than going into an evangelical one, where I have felt terribly judged for being single. Hopefully as I get older, this will be less of a stigma. I write in this edit: I know all about the catholic church, so please I don't need a scriptural lecture on all the bad and falseness of it. I left the catholic church to follow my mother in the pentecostal church when I was thirteen years of age, just after my father died. Was also baptized at twenty one in this same pentecostal church. I belonged tp a choir, taught super church and was involved a bit in church drama plays. I left the church in my mid twenties when they rotated the pastors around and more instabilities began in the church. My mother remained true to that church until she passed away in 2002. My only brother never ever entered a church again after my father passed and declares himself to be an atheist and thinks anybody who believes is terribly misguided. As for me, as I left the pentecostal church in my mid twenties, I went through a searching time trying to find where I belong. (Also my grand father on my mothers side was a bible believing christian man, who was a walking example of His faith in Christ Jesus.) I thank God for my grandfather Gustave, who exemplified the love of Christ Jesus to all , all through my childhood and early adult life. He passed when I was 29 years of age. All through this God never left me or abandoned me. And just before my mother passed, He showed me the way back to Him. God has been my guide in all my circumstances, and my faith in Him is stronger than any building. He has placed people in my life to help me, guide me through some very difficult times since my mother passed. And I have also helped others in their time of need and will continue to do so where I can. Today, I have no church to go to that I can call my home church. My church is where I live in nature. So when I feel the need to assemble with believers in Christ Jesus, It has happened that I have gone to catholic services and pray to God the bible believing way in my Lord and Savior Christ Jesus. Being alone and single, I have to protect myself, I help where I can, and i pray that God keep guiding me and helping me through the people He places in my path. All things work together for those who love the Lord. working things out with God, I am never alone. Amen!

1 John 5,6,7,8,9,10 -5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. -6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. -7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light,we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus Christ His son cleanses us from all sin. -8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. -9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us fromn all unrighteousness. -10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. The blood of Christ Jesus covers our sins, makes us acceptable into the light of God. Our salvation in Christ Jesus is to repent, crucify our sin nature to the cross, and ask the Holy Spirit of God to come and forgive us and to come make a home in our hearts, so that He can begin working in our hearts and transform our hearts into His new creation. This is done by a daily relationship with God. This process of transformation is a lifetime process until we return to the lord. Like any loving relationship, it has to be in symbiosis to be and to grow, and to grow in love, in life, in what is good and of good rapport. God has given us a choice to be in relationship with Him here on earth. He has given us free choice to choose Him or not. God is still available to us here on earth; but it is written that Gods will not always strive with man and to seek Him while He may still be found Genesis 6:3 My Spirit shall not always strive with man, Isaiah 55:6 Seek you the LORD while he may be found, call you on him while he is near Romans 3:23,24 23-for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 24- being justified FREELY by His GRACE through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. 25-who God set forth to be a propitiation=(take our place) by His Blood through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because of His forbearance=the action of refraining from exercising a legal right, especially enforcing the payment of a debt. GOD HAS PASSED OVER the sins that were previously committed. 26-to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Christ Jesus. 27- where is the boasting them? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of FAITH. 28- therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. 29- Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not the god of the Gentiles also? 30- Since there is ONE who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 31- Do we not then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary we establish the law Christ Jesus blood shed at the cross on Calvary was meant to be for the remissions of the adamic sin nature of all mankind who come into repentance=turn around from sin and turn towards and with God, who desire with ALL their hearts a relationship with God Christ Jesus said when He was walking this earth to those He healed: be healed, be forgiven and go and sin no more lest a worse sin befall you. If we continue to willfully sin and have not changed in our sinful nature since we first came to ask for Gods salvation, we really need to re-evaluate our consciousness, for as to why we choose or seem trapped to continue a lifestyle of sin over turning our lives over to Gods will and plan of salvation for us. Yes Christians can have oppressive spirits in them that have to be dealt with through Gods help. And yes He will help if we with a true and sincere heart walk and seek the right path that God has set for us to take. We have to pray to Him about these things daily. Yes Christians are tested everyday with tests of faith, Everyday we are to place our spiritual armor to be able to face life's challenges that come form the enemy. Ephesians ch6 explains this further How we handle these tests, reflects the truth of where we are at with our relationship with God in relation to our sins. Yes Gods Blood was shed for our sins, our part of is to acknowledge the sins we can see in us, ask for forgiveness to what we acknowledge and grieve also in our hearts those sins acknowledge also to ask God to examine our hearts and convict our spirit of the sins that we have yet to acknowledge so that we can be set free of them as well, The Holy spirit of God, when it is working in our hearts does nudge us to our wrong ways and Is there to guide us out of our sins and sicknesses. God knows each man's heart, He knows our struggles. But His word says that He can deliver us from our struggles, He gives us the strength to surmount them, and that He will never allow on us more than we can endure. When we stop trying to control everything and hand God our sins and ask God to handle them, take them away, heal them, His Word says that He will take them away and restore us. What we are required to have is faith, faith in God, faith in His word and nurture faithfulness within ourselves towards Him. God has granted every single human being a measure of faith. Romans 12:3 For I say , through the Grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not yo think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly,as God had dealt to each one a measure of faith. It is what we do with this measure that make the difference of our final outcome God is life and without God there is no life, call it what you will, it is the absence of God

Well then it takes a real God fearing man to set things right unfortunately man seems to fall for satans trap as well. But there are good men and thus good women and children, when good honorable christian faith is placed in God and His plan of salvation through Gods only begotten son Christ Jesus. Ephesians ch5 25-29 A good christian teacher (Bishop): 1 Timothy 3:2 1It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do. 2An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3not addicted to wine not violent,no greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome not covetous; 4 one who rules his own house well,having his children in submission with all reverence. 5 for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?; 6 not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same temptation as the devil. 7Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. ----------------------------------------- By her falling for temptation, then tempting him, then him tempting her, tempting him... and than the whole blame business starts up again. Happens when the first order of direction becomes corrupted. ----------------------------------------- God order is correct 1)God 2)man 3)woman 4)children Each having received good communicated faith, wisdom from their superiors following up to number 1) God ---------------------------------------------- Around Christmas time and on this past December 24, P.B.S. was showing a documentary on the Islam faith, trying to give information of the beginnings of that faith. They explained the origins of Mohamed in a very favorable light.) Also at this time PBS was also showing a documentary about Jesus the man kind of insulting really to the christian faith but made to look very historically sound in its findings. About Islam Excerps from what have read form book: " Larson's book of World Religions and Alternative Spirituality."p268-276 Islam began with the mystic vision of a nondescript camel driver named Ubu'L -Kassim (who became known as Muhammad). For six month he had been in solitary meditation in a cave at the door of Mount Hira near Mecca. Had he not married a widow ( business woman) named Khadijah, fifteen years his senior, he might have spent his life on caravan journeys. Khadijah's wealth gave Ubu'l Kassim (Mohammed) the time he needed for ascetic reflection. Mohammad (Ubu'l-Kassim) was born in a"D 570 in Mecca. He was yet a baby when his father died and his mother passed away when he was six. Abu-Talib, an uncle, raised the young lad and took him on lengthy trips to Egypt and through out the Near east. During these travels Muhammad engaged in lively conversations with Jews and Christians. From these encounters he learned the theological concepts that where later to influence his teachings. In Muhammad's time the Arabian peninsula was populated by wandering tribes that practiced various forms of polytheistic idolatry. The pantheon of deities they worshiped included angels, demons(djimn) and a supreme god known as Allah. Ubu'l -Kassim seemed an unlikely challenger to confront such a firmly entrenched animistic religious system. He was afflicted by a strange disorder that caused him to foam at the mouth and fall into unconscious trances, Christians might well wounder in retrospect whether such phenomena reflect the symptoms of demonic possession as represented in the Bible, Muhammad himself questioned whether the seizures where divine or devilish, but his wife encouraged him to ignore any such considerations. Today perhaps some would say that Mohammed suffered epilepsy attacks. According to Islamic tradition, at forty years of age he entered the Hira cave and was confronted by a being who identified himself as the angel Gabriel. "Proclaim!" Gabriel declared, choking Muhammad into submission. "Proclaim in the name of the Lord the Creator who created man from the clot of blood." During periodic return visits to Hira, the frequency of revelation increased. what he saw and heard was summarized in what became Islam's sacred book, the Koran (or Qu'ran, meaning "recitation"). Over a twenty -two year period, Mohammed memorized all 78,000 words of the Koran's 114 chapters and transmitted its teachings orally (he was illiterate). Although Christianity shares some ideals with Islam, the two faiths differ on most major theological issues. Muslims view all other religions as satanic expressions of polytheism. Allah alone is to be praised and worshiped. Muhammad originally prayed facing Jerusalem and gave jews an opportunity to submit to his spiritual authority. when they refused, he persecuted them severely. Christians must be opposed, violently if necessary. In the eyes of a Muslim, if Jesus were God, it would have been unjust for God to have punished His own nature. All Muslims have a sacred mission: to bring the entire world under Allah's dominion by force of persuasion. The God Mohammad preached was a transcendant ebing who was both lawgiver and divine arbiter. Mohammad's theologiy proclaimmed the Day of Judgment with severe punishment for the unbeliever. This harsh warning of accountability was contrasted with sensual heaven where green meadows, rivers of wine, and beautiful virgins awaited the faithful. In the begginings of the religion, few converts accepted Mohammads message because of Mohammad's denunciation of idol worship threatened the livelihood of Meccan businessmen. Those following Muhammad were stoned and beaten. In ad 622 Mohammad received a vision warning of mortal danger. He escaped toward the oasis of Yathrib, 250 miles away, became known as the Hegira ('migration") or "tlight"). This event marks the beginning of the Moslem era. Later the name Yathrib was changed to Mdinat al-Naabi (Medina), the " city of the Prophet". second only to Mecca as a Muslim spiritual center. To raise funds for his spiritual quest, Muhammad sanctioned plundering expeditions that raided caravans. Even during his native land's traditional month of peace, his followers mercilessly attacked innocent citizens. During the tme when Muhammad ruled as a king and prophet, he forged the Islamic concept of jhad(exertion), the "holy war" that advocates military ventures in God's name. those who died in battle were promised immediate transition into paradise. In 618, Muhammad led a force of ten thousand men toward Mecca and in a bloodless coup gained control of the city. Within ten years of his Hegira, all Arabia was under his control. In 632 not long after his triumphal entry into Mecca, Mohammad died. One of his early disciples, Abu Bakr, was chosen as successor, establishing the system of releigious leaders known as caliphs. Filled with religious zeal, Muslim armies spread the message of Islam to India,across North Africa. and into Spain. Had it not been for the Battle of Tours in 722, all Europe might have succumbed to the message of the Koran. A capital was established in Baghdad, and the caliph who ruled from there was the most powerful man on earth and headed a regime spanning three continents. The Islamic empire was to last for a thousand years. Arabs developed the concept of algebra, and their skills in architecture helped them devise the pointed arch that grace Europe's lofty cathedrals. Sugar, paper, apricots and rice were introduced to the west. Constantinople became the headquarters of the Ottoman Empire in 1453, which endured until Arab power diminished in the twentieth century. God did promise to make of Ismael's offspring a great nation (Genesis 16:9-11;17:20,21:1318,25:12-18). Their ascent to world influence might well be viewed as a fulfillment of biblical prophecy. About Islamic terrorists, Many Muslim leaders from around the world condemned the terrorosts acts, arguing that the perpetrators had twisted the concepts of jihad to persue political ends.But still many of the estimated 6 million Muslim-Americans understand the anger of their devout brethren who live in countries where U.S political , military, or economic might has changed traditional cultures. Small numbers of misguided fundamentalist in all major faiths believe they are taking matters of divine justice into their own hands when they use violence and destruction in an effort to punish sinners. But Christians shouldn't let the hatred of a few stop them from showing the love of Jesus to Muslims in their midst. Though Allah is believed to be omniscient, merciful, and compassionate, the Muslim holds him in such transcendent awe that he is virtually unapproachable. The message of John 3:16 that "God so love the world" is an alien concept to Muslims. God is to be feared and strictly obeyed, but the attributes cannot be personally experienced in man's heart. Allah demands a codified system of submission, but offers no immediate forgiveness of sin in return. The certainty of salvation known by the Christian (John 3:36; 5:24) is but a vague hope to the Muslim who awaits the Day of Judgment when works, not grace, will determine his destination in the next life. Christians cannot accept the authority of the Koran because it seeks to supplant the Bible. (copied excerpts from this f book:Larson's World Religions and Alternative Spirituality)

I agree that individually, Christians today should not be held responsible for the crusades. What I was trying to explain is that the crusades do not stand alone. There have been people who in the name of Jesus, that have committed atrocities down thru the years. And that non-Christians do not know enough about Christianity to determine differing groups. To non-Christians, everyone who worships or talks about Jesus Christ, etc, is a Christian. So, if a person calls a non-Christian lost or damned, a Christ killer, destined for hell. etc. They will believe they are dealing with a Christian. Since there have been so many people who have done things to non-Christian for so many years, non-Christians have no other way to interpret Christianity then to believe that it is a potentially violent religion. Understand, I grew up in a non-Christian household, and so I know the views of people who are not Christian, but have been persecuted in Jesus name. I'll tell a quick personal story. I read the NT, and from reading, I became convinced that Jesus was the prophesied Messiah. I accepted Jesus, but was very confused about what to do from there. I was raised hearing how Gentiles hate Jews. In my understanding, most Gentiles were Christians, so Gentile and Christian referred to the same group. I had run into some Gentiles/Christians when I went out of the Jewish neighborhood. I had been called a filthy Jew and a Christ killer, and then sometimes chased or hit. So, I believed that Christians/Gentiles deep down, hated Jews. I would have to walk by a church on my way to school. I would cross the street, away from the church. One day, the church doors were open and as I walked by from across the street, I looked in to see what the inside of a church looked like. I saw people kneeling and lighting candles in front of an idol. I was shocked that Christians/Gentiles worshipped idols. Anyway, I had accepted Jesus, but I didn't know what to do because I thought Christians worshipped Jesus, but Christians had idols in their churches. Christians also hated Jews, and for some reason, I thought that they stored weapons and ammunition in churches. As a believer, I did not really want to go to a church. I did go to one 2 years later. And I saw the basement door open one time and asked if I could look in the basement. I never told them why I wanted to see the basement. They gave me a strange look when I asked to look around the basement but told me to go ahead. I went down. It was a dirt cellar, with old empty boxes and a furnace. No guns and no ammunition. I talked to people who wonder how it is I am a Messianic Jew/Christian since Christians did so many things against Jews. The crusades, pograms, inquisition, Nazi Germany, plus all of the personal experiences. The KKK uses Jesus name. Christian Identity uses Christian in their name. The list goes on and on. Not just in the middle or dark ages. So, perception of groups other then Christians, do not necessarily see 'Christianity' in such a positive light. I still say it is fortunate we don't have to sell the title 'Christianity'. We sell the gospel of Jesus. People don't have to trust or have faith in Christianity. They need to learn and have faith in Jesus. Telling non-Christians that the crusades were not done by real Christians, makes no sense to a non-Christian. Yes they were. They were doing it in Jesus name. They are seen as Christians. So the answer is, point to Jesus. Jesus would not have allowed what they did. Jesus did not teach anything that would have supported Nazi Germany. Jesus taught against things like that. The problem is, Radical Muslims are a big problem, but so much has been done in Jesus name, Christianity, to non-Christians, doesn't look a whole lot different when 'Christians' go wild in Jesus name. I agree that individually, Christians today should not be held responsible for the crusades. What I was trying to explain is that the crusades do not stand alone. There have been people who in the name of Jesus, that have committed atrocities down thru the years. And that non-Christians do not know enough about Christianity to determine differing groups. To non-Christians, everyone who worships or talks about Jesus Christ, etc, is a Christian. So, if a person calls a non-Christian lost or damned, a Christ killer, destined for hell. etc. They will believe they are dealing with a Christian. Since there have been so many people who have done things to non-Christian for so many years, non-Christians have no other way to interpret Christianity then to believe that it is a potentially violent religion. Understand, I grew up in a non-Christian household, and so I know the views of people who are not Christian, but have been persecuted in Jesus name. I'll tell a quick personal story. I read the NT, and from reading, I became convinced that Jesus was the prophesied Messiah. I accepted Jesus, but was very confused about what to do from there. I was raised hearing how Gentiles hate Jews. In my understanding, most Gentiles were Christians, so Gentile and Christian referred to the same group. I had run into some Gentiles/Christians when I went out of the Jewish neighborhood. I had been called a filthy Jew and a Christ killer, and then sometimes chased or hit. So, I believed that Christians/Gentiles deep down, hated Jews. I would have to walk by a church on my way to school. I would cross the street, away from the church. One day, the church doors were open and as I walked by from across the street, I looked in to see what the inside of a church looked like. I saw people kneeling and lighting candles in front of an idol. I was shocked that Christians/Gentiles worshipped idols. Anyway, I had accepted Jesus, but I didn't know what to do because I thought Christians worshipped Jesus, but Christians had idols in their churches. Christians also hated Jews, and for some reason, I thought that they stored weapons and ammunition in churches. As a believer, I did not really want to go to a church. I did go to one 2 years later. And I saw the basement door open one time and asked if I could look in the basement. I never told them why I wanted to see the basement. They gave me a strange look when I asked to look around the basement but told me to go ahead. I went down. It was a dirt cellar, with old empty boxes and a furnace. No guns and no ammunition. I talked to people who wonder how it is I am a Messianic Jew/Christian since Christians did so many things against Jews. The crusades, pograms, inquisition, Nazi Germany, plus all of the personal experiences. The KKK uses Jesus name. Christian Identity uses Christian in their name. The list goes on and on. Not just in the middle or dark ages. So, perception of groups other then Christians, do not necessarily see 'Christianity' in such a positive light. I still say it is fortunate we don't have to sell the title 'Christianity'. We sell the gospel of Jesus. People don't have to trust or have faith in Christianity. They need to learn and have faith in Jesus. Telling non-Christians that the crusades were not done by real Christians, makes no sense to a non-Christian. Yes they were. They were doing it in Jesus name. They are seen as Christians. So the answer is, point to Jesus. Jesus would not have allowed what they did. Jesus did not teach anything that would have supported Nazi Germany. Jesus taught against things like that. The problem is, Radical Muslims are a big problem, but so much has been done in Jesus name, Christianity, to non-Christians, doesn't look a whole lot different when 'Christians' go wild in Jesus name. Bravo sister! you write the sentiments that I feel too, but could not express so eloquently as you just did.

Christ Jesus the only begotten Son of God, is the bridge for us to reach God. 1 Timothy 2: 4,5 4who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time... God is Light and in Him is no darkness. 1 John 1:5 5This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. 6If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth;… Cross References Christ Jesus was sent from God to free us from sin. By His blood we are healed (Isaiah 53) Christ Jesus came to rescue the fallen adamic race and break satans power over us. This was accomplished on the cross at Calvary (John 19: 28-30) He is our advocate, our intercessor to God, who pleads our case before God, 1John 2;1,2 1My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; 2and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.… Through Christ Jesus sacrifice on the cross, dying for our sins makes us acceptable to come into the presence of God because of His shed blood covering on us and over our sins. Colossians 1: 21,22,23 21And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, 22yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach-- 23if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister. Of course God will meet you where you are at, when you seek Him with all your heart and reveal more about Himself and His son , though His Holy spirit working in your heart ...as you continue developing your relationship with Him. Jeremiah 29:1 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. Christ Jesus said :ask in my name... Christ Jesus said: "Whatever you ask in My name, that I will do so my Father may be glorified in the Son." John 14:12-13 12"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. 13"Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14"If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it. John 16:23 Christ Jesus said: 23"In that day you will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you. 24"Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full... God is looking for a sincere heart and spirit when we pray. John 4:24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” Psalm 25:4-5 Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long. Psalm 40:4 Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust

Yes, he is a teacher in the Seventh Day Adventist. Perhaps this should be brought up in another category; The Seventh Day Adventist, are they not a false religion ?

I am not sure now, but is this man not a seventh day Adventist? Fasting is a good thing when it is done with the right Godly intentions.

Trusting in the Lord is the way to allow God to work in you. This is the way He will direct our path. Proverbs 3 Trust in the Lord with All Your Heart 3 My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, 2 for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you. 3 Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 So you will find favor and good success[a] in the sight of God and man. 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. 7 Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. 8 It will be healing to your flesh[b] and refreshment[c] to your bones. 9 Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; 10 then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine. 11 My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline or be weary of his reproof, 12 for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights. Blessed Is the One Who Finds Wisdom 13 Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding, 14 for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold. 15 She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her. 16 Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. 17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. 18 She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called blessed. 19 The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens; 20 by his knowledge the deeps broke open, and the clouds drop down the dew. 21 My son, do not lose sight of these— keep sound wisdom and discretion, 22 and they will be life for your soul and adornment for your neck. 23 Then you will walk on your way securely, and your foot will not stumble. 24 If you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. 25 Do not be afraid of sudden terror or of the ruin[d] of the wicked, when it comes, 26 for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught. 27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,[e] when it is in your power to do it. 28 Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again, tomorrow I will give it”—when you have it with you. 29 Do not plan evil against your neighbor, who dwells trustingly beside you. 30 Do not contend with a man for no reason, when he has done you no harm. 31 Do not envy a man of violence and do not choose any of his ways, 32 for the devious person is an abomination to the Lord, but the upright are in his confidence. 33 The Lord's curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the dwelling of the righteous. 34 Toward the scorners he is scornful, but to the humble he gives favor.[f] 35 The wise will inherit honor, but fools get[g] disgrace. Deuteronomy 6: 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your souo, and with all your might. Relationships are based on trust. The more trust you place in a relationship, the more you can allow it to grow. In human relationships when trust is broken, it can be very difficult to regain it back. Gods word is eternal,a fixed equation it cannot change. God is light and in Him is no darkness at all 1 John 6 God does not break trust with us. we break trust with God by placing more trust in our self will or in the doubts of the ennemy. The more trust we place in God, the more He can work in and through us. Proverbs 3:6 ESV / 22 helpful votes In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths . Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Psalm 28:7 The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him. Psalm 91:1-16 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not see Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. John 14:15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. If you believe the Word of God written in the Holy Scriptures of the bible, you have placed trust in that to be true. By practicing what you know to be true from Holy Scripture, your trust and faith will grow. as you see good results from practicing what you believe to be true

Best to read ALL of !John ch2, ch3 1John 2:27,28,29 26 I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. 27 As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him. God’s Children and Sin 28 And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming. 29 If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him. 1John 3 1,2,3,4,,5,6,7,8,9,1-,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24 1 John 3 New International Version (NIV) 3 See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears,[a] we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure. 4 Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. 5 But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. 6 No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. 7 Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. 8 The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. 9 No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. 10 This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister. More on Love and Hatred 11 For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. 12 Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous. 13 Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters,[b] if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. 15 Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him. 16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. 19 This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: 20 If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 21 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God 22 and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. 23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. 24 The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.

Who were these early Christians?

In other news, last week Islamist insurgents murdered 2000 black people in Nigeria: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-30728158 The teenage girls in the Yazidi slave market couldn't be reached for comment,

Since we do have a Muslim here on this Worthy site; I certainly would like to welcome and hear Wanderers opinion . And I very much appreciated his blog on the topic "What do you like most about Christianity." So Wanderer, if you are reading this, what is your opinion about this blog: "Islam is the most Violent Religion in the World, But let's keep Calling it 'Peaceful' Anyway." (corrected my spelling)

Actually, your argument is factually incorrect. Christians have never brought anything but compassion to the world. The Inquisitions, the crusades, the pogroms and so forth were not committed by genuine followers of Jesus. They did not follow the teachings of Christ. Jesus' teachings when followed by genuine believers have never created evil in the world, but have only brought good to the world. The crusaders were mostly prison inmates that were recruited to fight against the Muslims. They were not actual Christians. One has to either ignore the teachings of Christ or pervert certain aspects of the Bible to justify violence in the Name of Jesus. Christians have never fought for Christianity to be dominant over other religions. In fact, with respect to the crusades, if you study history, it was the Muslims who caused the crusades to happen. The crusades were a response to Muslims murdering Christians who were traveling as pilgrims to worship in the Holy Land. The Pope/Catholic Church. What happened is that they needed to raise an army and most of those in prison were murderers and thieves and were already sentenced to death. Pope Urban II and other Popes as well, gave the inmates the option of serving in the Crusades and if they survived, they were promised freedom. They needed an army of men who had no qualms about killing others and these murderers and criminals made for an instant and cheap army. They were "Christianized" when they crossed the Jordan River. They were told that crossing the Jordan in their journey to Jerusalem constituted their "baptism." They were never actually converts to Christianity at all. Of course the chances were that all of these inmates would either die on the journey or die in battle so it saved the state the trouble and expense of an execution. Thank you Completely different. You're comparing apples to oranges. Whenever Christians committed atrocities they were NOT following the word of Christ. Whenever Muslims commit atrocities they are doing exactly as Mohammed told them to do. It's not about what people have done in the name of their religion. Anybody can claim to be a Christian or a Muslim and then do whatever they wish. It's about what the religion teaches and what its scriptures say. Christianity teaches peace. Islam teaches war. That's the difference. I researched the Q'uran and other Islamic teachings for years. Mohammed taught his followers to conquer the World using whatever means available whether it be by force or by deceit. The Muslim god, Allah expects Muslims to do this. They have the full blessings of their god to lie to non-Muslims in order to achieve their goals. Unlike Jesus, Mohammed did not live an exemplary life. Mohammed was a murderer a bandit, a thief, and a rapist. The fruits of Islam are a direct result of the teachings of this false prophet. Thank you

Thank you all for your responses. It has happened already that in every day conversation with a Jewish person or a Muslim person about things like violence and such; that they have brought up those periods of time to say that Christians really are no better than others when it comes to doing atrocious things to defend and impose their beliefs, A question ? who recruited those prison inmates ?

But through out history, the times of inquisition and crusades and other, did they not also, so called Christians, in the name of Christianity also force people to convert and if not kill them? I think that the people in history who in the name of Christianity killed those who did not convert to Christianity or those who did not look sincere about their conversion also did something very wrong and sinful. People can bring the same argument about christian a religion of peace who have used force to instill their belief system. In the past Christians and Muslims did fight for dominance over their religions and as we can see continue to do so. Now it is the radical Muslims who seek dominance at all cost. It is really pure evil at work , but so called Christians of the past where not much better and if they did not repent for their evil doing, will also be held accountable. Two wrongs don't make a right.

Well I don't know what to call it, but Since for sure the last ten years, I am seeing more weather changes and weather related disasters than ever before. I don't know anyone who is over fifty that can deny this. I ask people in their eighties what they think of all these changes in the weather, also very the very hot weather. many say they have never seen or experienced the types of strange and ongoing weather disturbances we are experiencing now. I moved to the country, just ten years ago, on a country property that was used as a week-end vacation place since my childhood. Never was there any big weather related issues up until the 1997 ice storm. My 86 year old uncle living in Sweden told me just this week that the weather it is unseasonably warm now for this time of the year. In the past ten years, I have seen six big maple trees four feet in width over more than hundred of years old, just break and fall to the ground by the strong winds. Because of heavy rainfall, there have been land slides destroying homes. Maybe this is just normal? Of course an unusually heavy rainfall can destabilize the earth density We have been experiencing stronger winds than ever. We had 3 years ago near my area also a great flooding, flooding that took out many, many homes. The winds are definitely stronger. What about Ultraviolet-radiation and skin cancer. The effect of an ozone layer depletion ? I hear on the news just terrible weather related disasters like flash floods, crazy winds from all over north America and also around the world. I don't know but I don't think its normal. I do hear that the arctic is melting and impacting on the polar bears and other wild life habitat and food resources. I do know that we are a throw away society and that we waste and pollute a lot. There are a lot more planes in the sky, cars on roads, boats in the seas. There is a lot of plastic and pollution dumped in the sea. I know that we are expanding as a population of people and that perhaps in time, these too will have consequences on our food and water supply. For my part, I do believe in recycling and eliminating and disposing of trash in a safe way. Can our actions make a difference? I think so. I think there is such a thing as pollution and depletion of our natural resources, that in turn changes and modifies the earth, wild life, and the ecosystem. I think that turning away from these realities and not trying to take more responsibility and doing our part in fixing what we can; to be a sad reflection of what kind of driven people that we are. I am thankful for those who do place a concern on these things and do their part to pollute less our planet. Is this part of global warming what I ham talking about? I don't know, but I do know that something is rather wrong. And I do believe that we has human have greatly contributed in polluting and depleting our planet of its natural resources. Of course I read history and know that the earth has had different periods of weather changes. But did these changes occur at the frequency rate that we seem to be experiencing now? There is a cause and effect to everything. There is a cause and effect to our greed.

The most important thing to remember about the Jehovah witness is that they don't see Christ Jesus as the only begotten son of God. they do not understand or want to beleive the Holy Trinity They see Christ Jesus as being the archangel Michel. Just like the Muslims and how they interpret Christ Jesus Both points of view being false and unscriptural. as Willa said: "They twist a lot of scriptures to their own destruction." Ayin jade & Willa gave good info. About decent people? I know atheist who have the semblance of decency I know some Muslims who seem decent I know some people from different walks of life who seem decent. also you can find sociopaths in society that can seem very decent Seeming decent? As the bible says in romans3:24 We all fall short of the glory of God. Ephesians 2:9 …8For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.Ephesian2:9 We are not saved by our own works but by the Grace & Mercy through Gods plan of salvation in Christ Jesus, The only begotten son of God.

Praise God, God protected you Jerry 1023. When you are truly seeking the Lord and have repented and asked the Holy Spirit of God into your heart, You have a light shining in you. The light of The Holy Spirit Of God People of witchcraft can sense that and don't want you around them. They may try and make you fall, but if you are saved by the blood of Christ Jesus, The Holy Spirit will reveal to your heart that you are going onto dangerous ground. You will have warnings from the Holy Spirit of God. If you don't listen to these warnings, and decide to keep walking into that dangerous territory, you may fall into certain dilemmas, and these dilemmas could be lessons of a great price, but if you keep standing strong in the Lord He will protect your way. The Lord is our good shepherd, His sheep know His voice and when one goes astray, He will go looking for it, until it brings him back safely into the fold. John 10 John 10 New Living Translation (NLT) The Good Shepherd and His Sheep 10 “I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber! 2 But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. 5 They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice.” 6 Those who heard Jesus use this illustration didn’t understand what he meant, 7 so he explained it to them: “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who came before me[a] were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. 9 Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved.[b] They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. 10 The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. 11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. 12 A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don’t belong to him and he isn’t their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock. 13 The hired hand runs away because he’s working only for the money and doesn’t really care about the sheep. 14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, 15 just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd. 17 “The Father loves me because I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again. 18 No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.” 19 When he said these things, the people[c] were again divided in their opinions about him. 20 Some said, “He’s demon possessed and out of his mind. Why listen to a man like that?” 21 Others said, “This doesn’t sound like a man possessed by a demon! Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” Jesus Claims to Be the Son of God 22 It was now winter, and Jesus was in Jerusalem at the time of Hanukkah, the Festival of Dedication. 23 He was in the Temple, walking through the section known as Solomon’s Colonnade. 24 The people surrounded him and asked, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus replied, “I have already told you, and you don’t believe me. The proof is the work I do in my Father’s name. 26 But you don’t believe me because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, 29 for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else.[d] No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. 30 The Father and I are one.” 31 Once again the people picked up stones to kill him. 32 Jesus said, “At my Father’s direction I have done many good works. For which one are you going to stone me?” 33 They replied, “We’re stoning you not for any good work, but for blasphemy! You, a mere man, claim to be God.” 34 Jesus replied, “It is written in your own Scriptures[e] that God said to certain leaders of the people, ‘I say, you are gods!’[f] 35 And you know that the Scriptures cannot be altered. So if those people who received God’s message were called ‘gods,’ 36 why do you call it blasphemy when I say, ‘I am the Son of God’? After all, the Father set me apart and sent me into the world. 37 Don’t believe me unless I carry out my Father’s work. 38 But if I do his work, believe in the evidence of the miraculous works I have done, even if you don’t believe me. Then you will know and understand that the Father is in me, and I am in the Father.” 39 Once again they tried to arrest him, but he got away and left them. 40 He went beyond the Jordan River near the place where John was first baptizing and stayed there awhile. 41 And many followed him. “John didn’t perform miraculous signs,” they remarked to one another, “but everything he said about this man has come true.” 42 And many who were there believed in Jesus.

God is the greatest scientist and has given to each something that can benefit or hinder him /her and those around him /her and around this world. To Him all the highest of praises! God breathes in His soul into all human life. Since the creation of earth; Some are born with great intelligence to create and discover quite complex things. I feel very small when I look around me and what others have come and done through their God given intelligence. I have to accept my limitations and work from that point of reference to make the best of my given situation in this life. we all have a value to this life to contribute to it however big or small our capacities. I am so grateful for: The mechanics of engines, clocks, how metals are taken and made into materials that create other things. wood making, plastic making, paper making, metal mamking, ruber making. making tools water used to power things The buildings and manufacturers in which some materials are produced. the art/skill of clothing, the art/skill of knighting crocheting. ŧhe art/skill of farming The art/skill of food preparation, The art/skill of building. The ar/skill of music,.. The art/skill of dance... The art/skill of drawing, sculpting... The science of engineering... The science of medicine... God has given to certain an intelligence that has been capable of creating and developing things further. To each something was given to be of good use for Gods purpose. Some have been given greater skills than others. Without some of those who God blessed with greater intelligence to create and develop things, we would not have what we have now. However like with king Solomon, granting greater intelligence does not necessarily mean granting also a greater capacity to find God. Matthew 5:45 45 that ye may be the children of your Father who is in Heaven. For He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. Psalm 104 1 - v2 I say to myself, "*Praise the *LORD!" *LORD, my God, you are very great! (As a person wears clothes), you wear *honour and *majesty and light. You have put the skies as a roof (over the earth). v3 You have built your home above the waters that are over the skies. The clouds carry you and you ride on the wind. v4 The winds carry your messages and burning fires are your servants. v5 (The *LORD) built the earth on its *foundations. Nobody will ever move it. v6 You covered it with the deep (sea) as clothes (cover a person). The waters were higher than the mountains. v7 When you shouted (the waters) ran away. At the sound of your *thunder they *fled. v8 (The waters) moved over the mountains. They went down into the valleys. They went to the place that you had made for them. v9 You made a mark that they could not cross. Never again will (the waters) cover the earth. Gods son shines same on the good and the bad, its what we do with God's son that makes the difference with the condition of our hearts and soul. In finding God, we all are on equal footing. As each one has been given a measure of faith. Its what we do with this measure that makes the greatest difference. God meets us in our hearts not in our intelligence. There just is so much that through some of the great intelligences that have come into this world, we have now what we have , good and bad. Should we be grateful? Yes I am grateful , I am grateful for the great minds that came before and those that are and the one to come. I am grateful that collectively with great minds and with great workmanship, we have been able to create and through these creations discover our limitations as well. I am grateful ( in that sense you can say that I give praise to the pioneers and scientist, because God created them too) for those who think "their are no problems only solutions" I am grateful for the roof over my head, I am grateful for the heat in my house. I am grateful for the running water in my house. I am grateful for the food in my fridge and the food that i can prepare on my stove. I am grateful for my coo-coo- clock and also for my batteries run clocks or solar run calculators. I am grateful for lawn movers, for tractors, for cars, for generators,for canoes to get me across the lake and snow shoes to get me to walk over deep snow. I am grateful for hospitals that have trained and skilled personnel to take care of me as best as is possible. I am grateful for certain medications and certain flue shots or other shots that can prevent a disease. I am grateful to know more about the planets and stars because of those who pioneered before me and with the greater minds that came to discover and create from what they discover. So yes I give praise to these that God bestowed with great intelligence that through their great minds and fortitude opened pathways to broaden the learning capacities of great and lesser great minds alike, Because of these great minds of pioneering through with their ideas, I have a greater possibility of resources that alone I could never have come by. Of course there are also problems that can come from these blessings. God also has placed good people with humanitarian goals, to assist and to guide us, But God is always in our midst to be of help, through and beyond And for that I am the most grateful to give praise to.

Thanks for sharing Dang Spong. Praying naturally form your heart is what God is looking for from you. The more you pray naturally from the heart, the more God is able to guide you. Also reading the word of God found in the bible, is another way of God speaking to you. Sometimes He guides you to read a passage of scripture that can help further deepen your understanding and refine your soul and give you an answer to a certain question. About the dream? what sense did you get from the dream? Ask God what he wanted to show you from that dream. The inner sense that you got from the dream, is the one to go by. Also if someone else is trying to interpret your dream, if their interpretation speaks to your heart and further confirms your sense of the dream, than it has been helpful. Dreams can come from God, they can come for review, for clean up from current events,or past events, they come form "so they say" indigestion, they can also come form the enemy. Also to add that you are part of Gods family: John 10:27,28 … 27"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.… The important thing that you mentioned is that you prayed to God in sincerity and from your heart. That's all that God wants from us a sincere relationship from the heart. Then the Holy Spirit of God can then come into your heart, make a home in it and begin working in your heart, restore, healing, guiding it. And when you go the wrong way, the Holy Spirit of God will nudge you, give you the sense that you are going the wrong way. In the bible, Christ Jesus says that he will not leave us orphan or abandon us. John 14: Jesus Comforts His Disciples 14 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God[a]; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.” Jesus the Way to the Father 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know[b] my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” 8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” 9 Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. 12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit 15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be[c] in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” 22 Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?” 23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. 25 “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. 28 “You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. 30 I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me, 31 but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me.

Hi Gray Wolf, I don't know if what I am about to say may apply to you but here goes; Everyone goes through tests of faith. It sounds like you seem perhaps forced or obliged to do something you don't want to do and that may be bringing on a bit of resentment. I don't think God wants us to feel that way. I think that He wants us to freely choose Him because we want to not because we have to. But maybe it is not a bad thing to just take a step back and give things a break for a while and see how you really feel about things. God is always there , and will not let his own go to far astray without beckoning them back into the fold. He knows your heart, understands your struggles and desires that they end up bringing you closer to Him always. I know that for me, all my life, since I was a child I have been interested in having a relationship with God. My journey has been one of growth, set backs, growth, set backs, more growth and now the setbacks are more small personal things I must overcome within my soul over questioning my belief in Him. My relationship with God has progressed to a point that there is just to much stuff that God has done in my life for me to go way back and question His existence. I understand John 10:10, because that is what happened to me in my life Sometimes we don't realize what we got until its gone. God allowed me to experience this. 18 years ago, I experienced through a set back what it was like to be absent from the presence of God. It was the worst experience one could want to experience=the absence of God. I pray for you that if you decide to take a time out that God keep you protected and under His wing and let you experience what you need to, so that your relationship with Him, becomes even more profound and with greater understanding. In scripture, all the great men of God, have had their share of struggles before greater understanding occurred.

Richard, this time of the year like some other times can be real lonely for many and for many different reasons. Its good to know about resources that are available to keep connected and that some form of help can be found. I just googled: how to keep from falling deeper into depression and found a page from the site: Spych Central. Sometimes it helps to know that you are not alone feeling lonely or depressed. Even though we are all different with different struggles and life challenges, there is comfort sometimes in knowing that others too are going through a rough patch and can at least relate to feelings of loneliness and depression that can keep us stuck. On the christian side, God knows your life,and is always there for you and will not leave you or abandon you. Everyday we are given new test of faith. Deuteronomy 31 6, 8 6- 'Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you. 8- And the Lord, He is the one who goes before you. He will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you, do not fear nor be dismayed Hebrews13:5,6,15 Let your conduct be without covetousness, and be content with such things as you have. For He himself said. "I will never leave you nor forsake you 15- Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that this the fruit of our lips,giving thanks to His name. Matthew ch4:4 Christ Jesus said:" Man shall not live by bread alone, but by everything that proceeds from the mouth of God. 1Peter ch5:7. Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you John ch 16: 32.33. Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” Psalm 34:18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit Psalm 73:23 Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. Psalm72:12 For he delivers the needy when he calls, the poor and him who has no helper. In the blood redeeming name our our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus: May God Bless you Richard and surround you with His love. Amen! Amen!Amen! Looking these things up to and praying for you to try and bring solace to you has also helped me to get a bit of solace and to remember the hope there is in Christ Jesus. Halleluhia Praise God!

Brother Snow, those are very wise words you just shared. When we feel suicidal, I believe that we are under spiritual attack. This is the time to pray directly to God for help in overcoming the dark oppressive spirit of suicide. We need to utilize our spiritual armor from God. Ephesians 6;10,11,12,13,14,15,16 Depression and suicidal thoughts can be very strong, but God is stronger. Remember never to forget that. We can overcome with God as our shield. We are called to be overcomes. As Christians we are called to endure the race to a higher calling Philippians 3:,13,14,15 13Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet ; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you;… In our weakness God is made stronger, if only we hold unto our Faith ,faithfulness to God and remain faithful to Him, through, the only begotten Son of God, our lord and savior Christ Jesus. 2Corinthians 12:9,10 9And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness ." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 10Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. God is life and wants us to live and live eternal with Him in His light, in His love. Love is life and light and eternal. death is dark, cold, void of love. 1John 1:5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. -6 if we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice truth. Part of having faith is trusting in God, trusting that the Lord is in control of our lives, as we have surrendered our lives over to Gods will and not our own or satans for that matter. Satan is the spirit of death, his goal is to steal, kill destroy satan is the greatest Ponzi scheme ever. don't fall for him. Suicidal thoughts are just of of his schemes. Satan is the greatest snake oil salesman. he will try to sell you anything to get to your soul. he plays with our weaknesses, seduces us and hopes to; steal, kill, destroy John 10:10 Christ Jesus said: The thief does not come except to steal, kill, destroy, I have come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly Revelation 6:8 And I looked , and behold, a pale horse, And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger,with death, and by the beasts of this earth. Revelation 2: 10,11 Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed the devil is about to throw some of you in prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.