shepherdsgrace

the over use of many things is not good..... antibiotics being over used is the number one cause of C-DIFF, which can be very dangerous, especially for the elderly and young and is very very contagious through body fluids, which would also include sneezing and caughing.... i feel the same about immunizations being over used..... can cause the body to shut down its own defenses, because we are not making it do its job, where it is not used it will disipated...... some places, it is needed that sanitation be done, if not required, then i feel we ought to let it go..... for the last 13 years, i have not had any flu shots, and have not had the flu, nor any other cold that would take me out of commisison for even a day..... being around others that have been sick (after taking meds to keep from getting sick)..... being around some of the nastiest environments and not getting a thing... (other then a mild case of food poisoning from long johns....) mike How wonderful that you are so healthy and obviously have an active healthy immune system! Some of us are not so blessed. But last year I did take the vitamin D regularly and missed all cold and flu symptons. That is what this topic is about...what can we do to help ourselves miss some of this stuff? I have read that the D gives the body much resistence against many diseases including the flu and virus symptons.

Praying for you now! May you heal quickly and stay healthy this winter.

Thanks Shlomo. Indeed the overuse of antibiotics is high on the list for cause of these virulent strains. We all have a great deal to learn in order to protect our children. And really thankful for your information concerning the use of alcohol which is a main ingredient in the antibacterial wipes and gels which people are using to clean their hands when away from soap and water.

Well, Nebula. I know there are bacteria everywhere. But I have read the studies. And the handles on grocery carts showed billions more bacteria plus different strains than even the worst scene in a dirty bathroom. I certainly understand about the different bacteria and how you do not want to completely anihilate all. You want the good to live. But if you put your hands to your nose or mouth or ears after some situations you are in without washing you are giving your body a bunch to overcome. And people with weak immune systems need help. I have watched students 13 and 14 years old lick their hands and wipe them on their desks. They do not wash their hands all day. A large percentage of youth today have terrible personal habits. And then there are those who are sick, coughing into their hands etc etc etc and they place those hands on handles in stores. Then people let their babies chew on them and then they take their hands and follow the others. Then they go home with those hands....oh gracious the scene takes on myriad of possibilites. But I know from experience that this is a redundant conversation. There are different views involved. I just pray from the heart that these virulent strains do not get on hands that go unwashed and then are placed in the mouth etc until the proportions reach epidemic. Also I would ask how many times children and babies and youth and adults Have put bacterial laden objects in their mouths and HAVE gotten sick?

Also it is being publisized that the handles on the grocery carts are laden with bacteria. So either have the sanitizing wipes as you go in or sanitize your hands when you come out as soon as you sit down in the car. I keep a small bottle of sanitizing liquid beside the driver's seat just for that. So although the antibacterial soap is not good for all time cleaning at home etc., there are proper places for its use and this is one. The doctors here are beginning to tell their patients to clean the hands after leaving any place where you push a cart or buggy.

I have been reading about the deadly drug resistent staph infections that are beginning to show up all around the nation. Here where I live in NC it is in the school systems. And I saw where it was posted in the prayer forum. I thought it might be helpful to discuss what we should do to protect ourselves and our children from such a deadly infection.

Poorinspirit! Thank you for adding such scriptures that line up with what I was trying to point out. I am copying them to use with my lessons on this subject. Thank you again. God's blessings, It seems to me that between Traveller and PIspirit the part that God plays and the part that man plays in a move of God to reclaim a people is seen clearly. I do appreciate the time you two took to answer my post. I am presently teaching on this subject and I plan on using the scriptures from both answers.

Another Traveller, Thank you for the uplifting scriptures! I am making note of them so that I can use them during prayer. Praise the LORD!

Hey Poor in Spirit. I really appreciate your point about people coming together in faith to stand against the works of darkness. And you are so right. We must stand against those works that are so destructive. But I am concerned about the anger that is prevalent in many when I hear them speak. Anger does not work the righteousness of God. But rather it is the love of God which prevails.

Hello Patricia, It is so good to be reminded that God's mercy prevailed "anyway" as we might say. I really appreciate being reminded of that point. I am happy to remember right now that God is truly sovereign. And I loved your point about wearying ourselves over people we had not yet been called to. It really is best to hear that call from God rather than calling ourselves. Oh I have given myself quite a few headaches in this area down through the years! Praise God for his total Sovereignty and great mercy. His Redeeming Love goes forth.

How wonderful Fraught, to consider that we have a reasonable faith.

So thankful and glad for you all.

Greetings All, I have had on my mind lately Jonah the angry prophet. As you know Jonah was angry with God because God did not destroy Ninevah as He said He would. In Jonah 4 he accused God of being gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. In fact he was so angy that he declared it was better for him to die rather than to live. Sometimes I think many of us forget the Great Redeeming Love of our Saviour. He who knew the depth of Sin and its consequences from width to breadth chose to die and to redeem rather than to annihilate. In Matthew 24:12 Jesus reminds us that in the latter days men's love will grow cold because of the increase of lawlessness. Sometimes I think the emphasis is on when is God going to destroy rather than remembering the interceeding God who is vitally interested in Redemption and Salvation of people and circumstances. Such times as these are ripe for intercession for a movement of the Holy Spirit bringing life and light to our world. Abraham thought of his family when God told him he was planning to destroy Sodom. I am thinking of a lost generation of children who have not known the gracious moving of the Spirit in their lives. I am wondering if some of us could agree in prayer together for a move of God ....one more time. Perhaps we could share scriptures by way of this topic that we would pray and believe together. Perhaps you have some ideas you would share. Thanks...

May the LORD bless her and use this to her good.

I thought of this scripture today. .....we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit whom he has given us. Romans 5:3-5

When there is so much oppression for long years of living without let up or break through we grow weary and tired. Surely the LORD is near to the broken hearted. As you turn to Him may He break through the tiredness and oppression to your weary soul and lift you up! May you be encouraged and strengthened in the LORD. He is with you. His love does prevail. May His comforting and strengthening Spirit be like a fresh breeze to your weary heart.

WEll, since the scriptures tell us plainly that God does not change, that He is the same today, yesterday, and forever, then I must take for granted that His attitude remains the same towards sin. Being a Christian does not exempt us from obedience. In fact the Christian walk is to be a walk of obedience to the Lord and his ways. Love obeys. Perhaps because in his patience the Lord often defers consequences people think they are getting by with sin and disobedience. But in the long run we reap what we sow. I want to remember that.

Hey Bestill, You are so right. Pride is ingrained in us. Not just you. All of us. Pride is part and parcel of the human being. Then after we accept our Redemption through Jesus Christ we begin to see this element of ourself. The struggle begins. What you will find is that a number of things will kill your pride. First and foremost as we begin to see ourselves as we really are pride takes a big fall. As the Holy Spirit begins to reveal the depth of our sin nature pride crumbles. This takes time but as you live for the Lord He will do it. It sounds as if He is already starting that work in your life. At the same time we begin to realize the greatness of the gift of Jesus Christ. The wonder of our salvation even though we are so pitiful in our sin nature begins to open to us. As life progress in the Lord this walk of humility grows in both areas. We continue to have revealed the depth and width of our nature in ourselves which is most pitiful. And we continue to have revealed the grace and glory of Jesus working in our lives. This is why we can esteem others better than ourselves. It is actually very easy. We have seen ourselves to some extent. It is not a pretty sight. We have seen the beautiful sight of the Lord working in us and for us. And now we can look out and see the positive grace in our fellow Brothers and Sisters in the LORD. ANd it is wonderful. It is actually a wonderful thing as this happens to us. It is so good to be free to recognize others fine points without it causing us to feel that we are somehow less than what we actually are. We are in Christ and moving in his grace therefore we can see the beauty of others without it making us feel rejected or negative in any way. Humility is the ground of all Christian virtues. Without the working of humility in our lives we produce self righteousness. It truly is the way of God. May you be blessed.

Hi There, What a joy to see someone asking about humility. I came on to specifically suggest that you get Andrew Murray's book and was happy to see it already suggested. I read it some 30 years ago and it started me on a path that has done nothing but brought me nearer and nearer to God. The book will open some windows of understanding for you. For instance we have to do things to humble ourselves. But in the end it is God who will truly humble you. He will do for you what you cannot do for yourself. And it will be painful, but let me tell you that it will be worth it. So do all that you can to humble yourself and then trust God to destroy the root of pride for you. He will do it when you are ready. God bless you as you walk this marvelous path.

ROTFLMAO. ORal Roberts never had a good name! He's nothing but a snake oil salesman selling prayer cloths and other various sundries to old folks who gave him their trust with the claim that it would soothe their ills and fix their problems. He's as bad as that pasty faced lying Earnst Angley. IF Earnst Ansgley is "pasty faced" he certainly cannot help the color of his skin. And there is the possibility that God will be the judge concerning rather Oral Roberts is a snake oil salesman. Does the church do well to display such rage and anger through name calling and judgment?

My heart is broken for the sake of the church. To find sin in the church is a thing of grief. May God's redemption flow. If it is true I am sorry to the core of my person that materialism was traded for the reality of God.

Appreciate that story about the donkey.........

So thankful to see that we are still able to erect the cross!

That feeling of "you want to but you don't want to" is coming from not doing anything. The longer we do not act the harder it is to act. Personally I think higher education if for a purpose is a tremendous blessing. And this could be a wonderful opportunity for you. But since you are not perceiving it as a blessing then it is not. Living with parents can be a joy if you are free in that relationship. So much is in our own perception. It is the cultural standards that say you should be out. But one thing for sure. You are old enough to be thinking and acting out of your own person. That is a must. If you seek the LORD and believe that He is truly your Shepherd then you will know what to do. But to begin is the thing. Begin to believe that He is leading you. Begin to think of the wonderful possibilities for your life. Begin to see your parents out of love and respect but not as leaning upon you...rather they are or not. Begin to move toward a decided goal with either work or education. I feel in my heart as I write this that God has something very good in store for you. You need to simply think, and begin in faith. God bless you richly.

Life is so much better if we can just live by faith. Keep it simple. Trust God with all your heart. Lean not upon your own understanding. And be thankful for all that you do have. It is absolutely amazing how happy we can be and how good life can be when we LOOSE all things to Him, leave it at the foot of the cross, unburden ourselves of all our wants, and trust in the LORD. It is very easy to bind things to ourselves. We can pray over and over and yet in not releasing the issue into God's hands we just go round and round binding it tighter and tighter to ourselves rather than opening ourselves to God's power and work. Releasing our desires and trusting God is so powerful and freeing that it cannot be described in human words.