Steve_K

Thanks Angels. GBU

The story is true. And how did I misapply scripture?

I'm sorry, I don't think I follow your reply.

PHILLIPIANS 3 13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Paul's point is valid, of course, yesterday is yesterday. BUT, as a human being with a memory, I get sentimental and travel back to the days of my youth. When I was 5 years old, my dad's aunt and uncle. Vern and Mary. lived in my hometown. We lived with them for a while because my dad was laid off from General Motors. Mary took a special "shine" to me. One Christmas, Mary had their home decorated with lights and a beautiful light up church. I can remember being so excited about that church. In fact, I can remember crying because we had our own place by then and had to go home. The next Christmas, I got a wonderful surprise, a light up church exactly like Vern and Mary had! Mary had bought it because she knew I loved it. Mary was always like that toward me. My mom told me Mary never turned down a chance to babysit my brother and I. She always said she wanted my mom to be able to have a break. Mary passed away in 1961. I really couldn't grasp death that much then. When we went to the funeral home, I can remember thinking she was sleeping. The years passed, and more and more of my relatives passed on, and now there's no one left to put flowers on Mary's grave. So many of my family don't even remember her. But, I do. My brother and I always make sure her grave has flowers, as does my mom. When we're gone, maybe someone else in the family will remember.

I've always like this pic. It reminds me of creation and how amazing God is. PSALM 95 1 Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. 2Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. 3For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. 4In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. 5The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. 6Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; 7for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.

It seems like unChristian, combative trolls have over run the chatter lately at a higher and higher rate. While its true that as Christians we must share the Gospel with the lost, when does it become redundant and a circular argument? WE MUST WITNESS TO THE TRUTH, but, when do we shake the dust off our sandals and move on? Last night, I was actually developing a headache and becoming stressed over the way things were going in the chat. We had an apparent troll that kept the chatter tied up for at least 2 hours (that I know of). Several people were attempting to witness to this guy and it was getting nowhere. He was still spewing his anti Christian bilge water. I finally got to the point where I typed out "Why don't you go back to the abyss LEGION?" To which he replied, "Since you're going to attack me Steve, I'm going to block you." I did not attack him, nor would I. I was rebuking the demonic spirit that has him in its grasp. Besides, the demon that holds him was tested and proven to be diabolical. This man said he didn't know the Bible, and I never mentioned his name, but the demon knew "LEGION', because he spoke up about blocking me. My point is, we need more prayer warriors for the gospel. People that are willing to say "Enough Satan!!" As a Christian, I could not stand by and allow the demonic hosts to drag the name of my Lord and Savior through the mud anymore. It isn't "unloving" to rebuke evil, I was actually thinking of this man's welfare. He needs Jesus.

OPEN UP YOUR HEART (AND LET THE SUNSHINE IN) (Stuart Hamblen) Mommy told me something a little kid should know It's all about the Devil and I've learned to hate him so She says he causes trouble when you let him in the room He will never ever leave you if your heart is filled with gloom So, let the sun shine in, face it with a grin Smilers never lose and frowners never win So, let the sun shine in, face it with a grin Open up your heart and let the sun shine in When you are unhappy, the Devil wears a grin But oh, he starts a-running when the light comes pouring in I know he'll be unhappy 'cause I'll never wear a frown Maybe if we keep on smiling he'll get tired of hangin' around So, let the sun shine in, face it with a grin Smilers never lose and frowners never win So, let the sun shine in, face it with a grin Open up your heart and let the sun shine in If I forget to say my prayers the Devil jumps with glee But he feels so awful, awful, when he sees me on my knees So if you're full of trouble and you never seem to win Just open up your heart and let the sun shine in So, let the sun shine in, face it with a grin Smilers never lose and frowners never win So, let the sun shine in, face it with a grin Open up your heart and let the sun shine in

And to think, I wanted a link to this nonsense.

My viewpoint isn't so narrow that I look only to church attendance as the a way to show our faith. "You probably" assumes my beliefs are so static I could never change. Its also a tad pompous of you. My walk as a Christian involves a 24/7 365 life of repentance and faith. I also do my best to share the good news of Jesus Christ as God allows. I'm in church 1 hour a week.

I've been encountering allot of Christians that think its perfectly fine to hoard supplies in the event there's some disaster in the future. From my childhood, I've heard how bad things are going to get. Yet, the world goes on, the days pass, and God continues to be faithful. When supplies are hoarded, it shows a lack of trust in God. Its like saying "Lord, I trust you but only so far". MATTHEW 6:19-21 19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Jesus is saying, don't rely on the world, or yourself. Our focus needs to be on heaven. I get people telling me I'm a "fool" for not doing extra supplies. But, the I remind them of Elijah being fed by ravens 1ST KINGS 17:2-5 Then a message came to Elijah from the Lord. He said, 3 “Leave this place. Go east and hide in the Kerith Valley. It is east of the Jordan River. 4 You will drink water from the brook. I have directed some ravens to supply you with food there.”5 So Elijah did what the Lord had told him to do. He went to the Kerith Valley. It was east of the Jordan River. He stayed there. 6 The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning. They also brought him bread and meat in the evening. He drank water from the brook. When we don't trust God to provide, we are like the rich fool, LUKE 12:18-20 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. 19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’ 20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ If the power grind fails, there's a natural disaster, or whatever else, God will provide, because he's faithful. PHILLIPIANS 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Finally, when it comes to hoarding supplies, we need to remember Jesus words in the sermon on the mount, MATTHEW 6:25-34 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[e]?28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

I just wanted to share: Several years ago, I bought a plaque at a thrift store for just a buck. Its a deer standing on a hill watching a sunset. it says "Peace is seeing a sunset and knowing who to thank" How completely true.

I never rebuke unless I include myself. Thanks Abby

Abby, I thought I was a little too hard on the church. But I really wasn't. I love the church, I think I need to remind myself as well as other believers.

The church is becoming the church of Laodicea. REVELATION 3:15-16 "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth" Christians are becoming lazy, uncommitted and self centered. Too comfortable in their own little world. And Lord help anyone who messes up a round of golf or a trip to Walmart, for of all things, a need someone has *GASP*. Allot of Christians have the attitude, "I put my money in the plate every Sunday, let the Pastor handle it. After all, I've got a BBQ tonight." It reminds me of MATTHEW 25:41-45 41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ 44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ 45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ You're right, just a simple hug means allot. But alas, we're talking about the modern church of Laodicea. Has the church forgotten these words of Jesus? JOHN 13:35 " By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

What's the matter with Christians anymore?

My mom used to say "There's people starving in Africa, eat your potatoes." It was hard for me to relate to, mainly because I lived in Millington. Michigan, not Africa. Besides, I was 8 years old and didn't really care what was going on it the world, just my little part of it. Some people find me hard to relate to anymore, especially the last couple of years. Especially since I've been down about as far as I could go, without having the Lord call me home. In the Spring of 2015, I started to have some problems with my left arm. I didn't think much of it because I was always having aches and pains. By that summer, I couldn't walk up steps anymore. And I grew weaker and weaker. That fall, I went to the doctor and he put me on pain med. From then on. my wife became my primary care giver. We tried to find out what was wrong with me, but I had a terrible doctor. Skip to 2016, summer. My wife left me and I could not take care of myself at all. So, I ended up in a nursing home in a wheelchair. Plus, I was now going through a divorce. In October, I was finally diagnosed with a mild form of Parkinson's and was put on medication and extensive rehab. Some people, especially in my church, make me feel a little like those starving Africans years ago. As I was indifferent to the struggles of the Africans, so people in my church are detached from my struggles. I'd had 3 people visit me, and no one calls me or my mom to find out how I'm doing. Why I don't know. By the way, August 1st I'm being discharged from the nursing home. Everyone says I'm good enough to go home. And I now use a walker instead of the wheelchair.

I think we're all guilty of talking without thinking. Sometimes conversations start in Worthy Chat and people don't think about what they're talking about may be bringing pain or sadness to another. When talking about a topic, just think a little more before you post.

Thanks Gator. I filed for divorce 2 weeks after she left.

I agree Angels. Thanks GBU2

I've moved on. I have a new love and today should close the book on all of this, unless of course she calls again.

A year ago today, my wife left me without warning. When she left, I was unable to take care of myself. She was my caregiver. But, when she left, I had to fend for myself. Had it not been for my mom and brother, I don't know if I'd still be here. Some of you have accused me of not honoring my marriage vows. My wife spent 6 1/2 years lying to me, and when I needed her, she took off for Vegas to get back with her ex husband. She stole money from me to get there, spent many nights secretly online w/him, and committed adultery. She also had the lights shut off in our apartment, since it was in her name. Last week, she called me and had the nerve to ask me to get back together with her. How can I? There's no trust and I believe she'll do the same thing again. I was completely faithful to her and honored my vows to the Lord and my wife. I must forgive, but its going to be difficult to forget.

Self respect? Right. I am worth more than her games.

Her side was that she "didn't want to take care of Steve" and she wanted to "Go back to the guy she'd always loved" Its as simple as that.

Yes it is. She stood before that alter with me and promised the Lord that she would be with me forever. As I promised her. The entire marriage all she talked about was her ex's. I felt like it was very crowded. And, according to scripture, I am free to remarry if that is God's will for me.

Healing will come, but its gonna happen with her out of my life.