Willow

Hi Guys! Thanks for your encouragement. I know that God will see us through! Our finances have come through some devastating family issues. Dad got cancer and for 4 months hasn't worked. His health insurance only pays 60% of what he used to make. We were budgeting and just making it then. They(mom and dad) bought a house last year which is a miracle for them. Now we are faced with the possibility of not being able to make mortgage payments. I am an only child and still at home. I lost my job recently and found another one which pays about 40% less that my last one, and I am giving mom and dad every penny I can to keep things floating - after all I need a place to live too. My car died on my birthday this year (April) and my aunt bought me a used car which was stolen one week after I got it from the parking lot while visiting dad in the hospital after his surgery. We just got an insurance settlement on it and had to use that to cover the mortgage last month. So our only car we had left is now not running still in our front yard. It actually was estimated it will only take $500 to fix it. Still....we are trying to find money to get me to work and for food. ......you see why I have issues...... Still, God is good and I know that. But we really need a miracle.... Thanks for your prayers everyone. Please know I appreciate them and I know God hears them! Willow

So I have some thoughts and questions I wanted to throw out there. Please bear in mind my computer access is limited so I might be a few days in responding. My family and I have always struggled financially. We never wanted to be the kind of people who always think about it, but somehow, it became that way, wondering where enough money would come from every month to pay for the basics, food, rent, etc. Lately I can't tell you how hard we have been hit. The latest was today. Another $600 problem we have to solve. So my question is, if you can solve it by paying the issue off with a loan, debt to someone or some institution or credit card, is it really provision? Has our need been provided for? i mean, the car is fixed....but we get further into debt.....into bondage. This verse is loaded and I know that there are spiritual conditions and other factors that work to completing the end result, or is there? Where is the line? My need is that I have to get to work, I live 1 hour away from my job now and no public transit connects the cities in between here and there. Our car dies. It's old and there is bound to be issues. But we cant afford a new one, or even a new 'old' one. So my need is to have the car keep working or have the money to fix it. Is a credit card God's answer? Is it my answer trying to do this on my own power? How long do I wait before it's clear there isn't any money appearing in my bank account or the car wont start that shows I have allowed enough time to pass to show I have faith to wait for God to work? Please don't mistake me!!! (I think I am sounding angry). I am not mad. I am tired and weary, but I just would like some input. My parents are getting depressed as they usually do in these situations. I am just unsure and I want something to give them to encourage them and me to not give up hope that our needs are being met and that sometime soon, provision to get out of debt will come as well. What do you guys think? God bless, Willow

K - I am openly admitting I am cutting and pasting it because a) I had no idea where it was until I looked it up, b) didn't know exactly how it went and c) I know that someone needed to read it at some point soon. It really encouraged me when I first read it.

I think they should have a planet naming contest, and the winner will have a lifetime pass to any Space Centre or observatory open to the public in North America.....or if it is a world wide contest, then it should be a world wide pass. No idea how you would arrange that, but you never know.....stranger things have happened. Then Willow could boldly go where no willow has gone before...

Proverbs 19:21 Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails.

I think in parables, or even metaphors. If I hear a verse - I immediately go to, does this remind me of a story, or can I build a lesson from it? Sometimes if I can get a sense of the meaning (even if there are many levels to that) I can wrap my head around memorizing it. There are some verses you just can't do that with.....especially in Chronicles The other thing is......I start with the parts of scripture I love. James, Ephesians, Proverbs, Philippians....etc....Going to those books is like coming home.....familiar. So I start with those. I will frequently sprinkle less familiar parts of scripture in there as well to keep things moving so to speak in my adventures through the bible. So I remind myself of the old ones I know, while I am learning the new ones. It's amazing, even reading a verse a few times...and I don't even think I have it committed to memory, the point was my eyes have feasted on it. God will bring it back to me, though I don't know where it was from. I get out my bible and concordance and low and behold.....I find it. I like those moments. When the Holy Spirit brings back to you a verse to aid you.

I love Charles Stanley. And yes, fasting and prayer is important. There are some spiritual issues that can only be resolved this way.

Come as you are has always also meant to me that we don't need to wait. As its been said, we don't have to 'fix' ourselves first. God's glory can shine through us through all the fixings....and we are not right when we think we can fix anything anyways! We also do not know how much time we have here on earth. Waiting to fix ourselves could mean we come to our end, never choosing Christ.

Hi Ms Divine!! The cool thing about prayer is that God looks on the heart. The position doesn't so much matter. Some people prefer to kneel. I have very bad knees.....it hurts a lot to kneel. But I have and do in moments of severe anguish where I am crying out to God with desperation. God doesn't hear you better if you sit, stand, kneel, lay down....He cares about what you did that day.....did you sin against him, not repent of it? Sin as stated in the bible is a blocker between you and God because it is not of God. The only other piece of advice I have is that you may want to reconsider lying on your bed to pray. You have had a long day.....it is the end. You are in your pj's, and settled in. You are in a very comfortable position and while you are praying, you....slowly be....gin.....to...d...oze...........off.......zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. It is so easy because you have placed yourself in that position. So, maybe just make sure you are comfortable wherever that may be - no stabbing pains from your chosen position or anything and then pray without the distraction of sleep. Another thing......praying is talking to God. Don't wait until the end of your day to start speaking to him. Sure, if that is the best time where you won't be distracted for bigger things that take up more thought....but pray through your day. I worked and am returning to a retail job. And even at our busy Christmas season, I would either in my head or under my breath, be praying. In between customers, sometimes about the people I was serving!!.....I just kept in constant contact with God all day long. My 'list' of things to pray for when I got home and had time, then didn't seem so big since I was remembering stuff to pray for throughout the day! Bless you for asking. I know there are others out there who aren't sure about prayer. I hope this helps! Willow

I will respond even though I live in Canada, since I go to a so called MegaChurch. My church has about 3,500-5,000 people. We have so many services to appeal to different ages and types that it is hard to keep that accurate. Our pastor once talked about this, he was concerned that we were getting people from other churches.....there is nothing wrong being called to another church. God will do that. But his point was, how many churches are closing up because the congregation got up and went elsewhere? He doesn't want our nice church to woo others away from churches that may just need a fresh breath of the spirit there and they should be filling their pews to overflowing. I would be interested to know the stats about how many have closed in light of all these Megachurches and their growth. I like my church. We are missions focused, community focused....and every now and then when we seem to be looking to much at our own lives and becoming like little cities unto themselves.....God sends us a reminder, or speaks to our pastor who addresses us. But I hear what you are saying Keith - cause I have been in other Mega churches. And it is a concern. A large church is also not for everyone. Some people just aren't suited for that. Nor should everyone be. Church was meant for the gathering of believers.....do you know people who like small parties and not big ones with lots of people? Why should that be any different with church?? My main prayer is that with the big churches, is that their finances are being used responsibly. With that many people and all those who tithe, after the operating expenses, they could do an awful lot of good with what is left over. I hope that they are! Blessings, Willow

Well Keith you pretty much summed it up there! I have spent much of my life in spiritual warfare. My spiritual heritage leaves something to be desired. Only my Grandmother (mom's mom) was a Christian. My other grandmother found Christ very very late in life (though Praise God for that!!) And none of my grandfathers are believers. In fact....they come from some very shady spiritual beliefs. My parents were both Christians when they got married, but dad was the baby Christian. And I believe now - a very wise well read man, he is just beginning what I would call the journey to a more fulfilled walk with the Lord.....29 years later..... That being said - any spiritual ground we are trying to gain in our family we have had to fight for. Always. It is tough. I speak of warfare on the family front since I believe that is where we get our strength and outlook sometimes to help others. I am trying to establish a new spiritual heritage in my family....one that will continue to praise the name of Jesus long after I am gone. The devil can have no more of my family, nor will I let him gain anything else in my family. Not as long as I am breathing and praying. The word is your weapon. But the other thing that is our weapon is knowing who we are in Christ. Understanding what it truly means to be a child of God. Understanding what immense power and authority comes with knowing and fighting in the name of Jesus. *highlighted parts are what I was people to notice. I don't want to have a spirit say to me - who are you? I want to walk in this world and have evil spirits tremble that a warrior of God is walking nearby.Someone who knows she is a daughter of the Most High God, Prince of Peace, Almighty One, Alpha and Omega, and she will not take their schemes of evil anymore. I don't want to be 'known' because I am power hungry. I can't do a thing myself. But I know that God has placed a call on my life, and that when I pray, part of why my prayer works is because I know who I am. I still struggle with it from time to time and need reminding. Actually I am reminding myself right now. It has been a long year of non-stop, in your face warfare at home. I remember one night, sitting on my bed, having the devil whisper in my ear bad things.....hateful, condemning, disheartening lies that I felt like Jesus being tempted in the desert. i was quoting scripture as fast as I could remember it. I was reading as fast as I could get to those pages. Finally I put my bible down and I yelled "ENOUGH! I know who you are, and I know what you are trying to do. I WON"T take it anymore. I won't listen to you and I will fight you. Not because I am strong, but because Jesus lives in me and I am bought with HIS blood. I am His daughter. And as such I have authority given to me to tell you be GONE in Jesus name!".......oh I didn't stop there......."Be very careful....I can smell you.....I see when you are around....you think you are subtle....you think you are sneaky....but I see when you are around....and I won't stand for your antics anymore. IT-IS-WAR....." Boy was there silence in my head, heart and bedroom after that. I felt a piece come over me. My body was exhausted - like I had just experienced a real physical fight.....but I felt strengthen inside. The oddest feeling. I have since stood in the face of terror....the face of terrible things....and God has come to my aid. And it hasn't always looked like I thought it would, but he was there none the less. Spiritual warfare is so different from anything we really understand. You are fighting something unseen.....yet this unseen manages to manifest in different ways physically in our lives. We can't use tools of man to fight this. We must use tools of God. I think I had more to add but my eyes are bugging out starring at this screen and it is time to feed the doggies I am looking after. More later if anything comes to me. Blessings, Wills

Thank you. Yes that is what I was saying. Another good way to put it. but if He didn't......how would that make Him still an all knowing God?

amen!! we all know he is insecure and likes to be talked about!!

Yes Satan is a created being. But did God create satan as we know him to be today.... Satan was what he became... Or am I missing something from scripture??

Well first of all, God didn't creat Satan. Satan was an angel, who was close to God. This angel at one point decided that he could do God's job better than God could...or I should say, he wanted the absolute power. He was so convincing that God had to throw him and 1/3 of the angels out of heaven. God created man because he wanted to and because he could. A mark of His craftsmanship and for us to be in relationship with him. If we had been born into existance not having the option of evil/sinning, what difference would it make? All we would ever know is the love and companionship of God! But...as Ovedya said "Who says?". The angels never knew there was anything other than God and his love (that we know of anyways) and somehow that went twisted...... If your really asking did God set us up on purpose to fail and fall into sin......I can't know all the reasons behind what God does. But I can guess that there was a choice in the universe-he allowed us to make it. He gave us a command not to do it, since it would harm us - since he knew what hatred could do. But He still gave us an option. IMHO

We show Him we love him by doing what he did for us....He held nothing back - even unto death. We ought to do the same, this includes obeying him, trusting that he knows what is better for us than what we know for ourselves. We cannot gain God's love by doing things for him and obeying him.....we have his love. We gain his righteous nature, his purity a little more every time we obey him. Remember what people are always saying. Love is a choice, not just an emotion. God chose to create us, we chose to sin, he chose to die for us to atone for that sin, now we can choose him and choose to obey him. Look at people martyred for Christ. They chose him - even unto death BECAUSE they professed their belief, there love for him.

I wish I had the reference for this. I will need to talk to my dad and confirm this. There was a man who encountered an 'alien' creature and the creature spoke to him - through telepathy? I am assuming - it didn't say, that Jesus was a false teacher, that he was a liar. I find it interesting that out of all the belief's on earth, of all the people, of all the races and billions of humans throughout history, a being from a so called other planet/galaxy would choose Jesus to pick on. There certainly are greater things on this earth I would argue as deception.... I will do my best to find out where dad and I heard that. My take, it is a plot of the devil to distract, frighten, and manipulate firstly, those who are spiritually blinded and cannot tell the devils tactics when they see them, and to those who are not listening to the still small whisper of God, but the loud booming voice of 'culture' saying this is real - be afraid - think on this as opposed to thinking on God and meditating on scripture. I am not saying anyone is here, but if something entertains more of your thought life than God does, and it causes you to worry or be afraid (both of which we are not to do according to scripture) there is a problem. Many many people have been sucked in to the alien culture. As Christians, we are aliens to this planet anyways since heaven is our home and this is just a brief learning stop before we get there. Bring as many people as you can 'home'. And let the 'aliens' be dealt with by God. Good question and very valid in this day and age! heh heh you crack me up!!

Hi bobo, I felt lead to respond to this as I come from a Pentecostal background.....I love these terms we get....holly rollers, etc. I got it at camp one summer when I was 14. I didn't have much idea what it was or what to do with it. Hadn't even been asking for it. Over the years as I began to read scripture and talk to my youth pastors, I began to realize it's usefulness. My idea of tongues is not the sensationalistic things you sometimes see on TV. To me it is personal, quiet, I use it in my quiet prayer time, I may even quietly do it in church during prayer.....the most beautiful thing I ever discovered was singing in tongues. I was in a room full of women, and we had no musical instrument. One woman started singing - and we continued on in the spirit for over half an hour. I have used it praying over individuals that have difficult issues to overcome, letting go of abuse, people coming out of bondage, addicts..... The bible says eagerly desire the greater gifts....

I am with Keith on this one. Have been interested in weather since I was little. My mom, growing up in Edmonton, one night during a Thunderstorm (has anyone heard of Prairie storms?? umm....dangerous) she decided to go out, in one of those old METAL lawn chairs, in the front yard...while it is lightening out. Grandma screeming from the front porch "You get in here!!" .....lol ahh I am my mother's daughter. Actually I studied Meteorology some....fascinating stuff....the semester ran out, as did my money before my interest did. I think the weather is changing more rapid that we realize.....I remember growing up (I'm not that old yet am I? ) that we had snow banks here. SNOW! in Vancouver!! Imagine that!!....I think this past winter we had a grand total of 1 1/2 weeks worth of snow that stuck around....early January (didn't even have the decency to be here for Christmas! ). And that was a big deal since we hadn't had a bad winter for say......5 years?? By bad I mean more than one major snowstorm LOL Oh what I wouldn't give to see a Tornado for real....I am not a death seeker, I wish there was a safe way to be there when it is LOL but I am just amazed at what nature - God's nature - can produce.

I have this long time friend, who remembers the day he was saved....Sept 11th..1999. When he told me, I gave him a card and a Christian CD every year for 4 years on that day, whether I had seen him or not, through the mail if need be to encourage him. Unfortunately, one year later, on that same day, his dad and stepmom were killed in a car accident. He didn't tell me until 4 days later. I went to his house that day, left a card and CD with his real mom who was there. She said nothing, but when he called me 4 days later to tell me, he said that was one of the only things that kept him together. The point I am making?? If you have a close friend you are praying for, and they become a christian and you know what day?? Even what month - send them a card for the first at least 3 years - 5 years. You have no idea what an encouragement you can be.......when cicumstances are low and new Christians have a situation where Satan can come in and make them doubt. Make it harder for them to forget!! Blessings, Willow

Well....think about it.....on the side of a milk carton I got, it tells me the process involved is that they have extracted some nutrients in the process...done whatever else they need to do, then RE-INJECTED the beefed up nutrients back in!! I am sorry, but why take it out to put it back in? I have lots to say about the tampering of food in North America. I don't think that what we have is any food any healthier than before. It's worse off. Not all of it, most of it. One of the biggest problems is that we don't spend enough time preparing our foods ourselves. We simply don't 'have time'. I think we have created our lifestyles that way. There has to be some kind of give here.....The other thing is even when we do prepare our own foods, we are using the wrong things! We have lost the fine art of cooking healthfully, no matter the fact that we have a 'Food Network TV" station now....sheesh. We are so interested, most of us would watch, and never try anything on those shows. I did hear a while back that the Mediterranean Diet is supposed to be one of the healthiest on the planet.....been thinking I might give that a go for a while and see what happens. I will let you know if I see any changes in me (and there are lots that can happen!!) I wish I could go to a little untouched Italian village and learn to cook with a little old Italian grandmother who still has a stone oven to bake bread in...... **But until all these things I put into practice or do something about - I agree....prayer is the best option. God can do anything, why not with food?**

where is that thread.....? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> It was in Fellowship Hall, under the one about are there any singles here. Fairly recent.

Oh a BIG AMEN to that!!! Much of that kind of music makes us discontent. It actually turns love into a commodity rather that a beautiful gift.....grrr......