Have you ever felt God has left you hanging?  This powerful passage is found in Mark 5:21-43 and presents a parental side to Jesus.  We see Jesus being incredibly responsive to the urgent request of a desperate father whose 12-year old daughter was on her death bed. Though responsive, Jesus seems easily distracted when someone touches him in the midst of a huge crowd. ( Read more... )

I just really liked this week's devotional because sometimes we just need a reminder that God's timing isn't our timing, and when we're asking God "why hasn't this happened yet" it doesn't mean God's forgotten or isn't getting there, just that maybe there's other things that are also important that God wants to do in your life (even) on the way there.

Just a quote to give you something to think about on this gorgeous Saturday...

"I realized that instead of thinking that my life has to be some big windstorm or earthquake for God, perhaps I only have to let Him whisper gently through my life. I realized that I don't have to accomplish some giant thing for God. If I'm just a camp counselor who makes a difference in the life of one person or I'm just a mom who loves her children and tells them about Jesus, that's enough. It took a little while, but I finally figured out that God's purpose for me is to let Him do whatever He wants in my life, big or small. Being a part of writing this book may be the last 'big' thing I do and I'm fine with that." - Whitney Cerak, Mistaken Identity

Can someone please explain why polygamy was accepted in OT times?

I just want to thank all of you who prayed for my Birthday....the Curse has been broken, praise God, haha.

I didn't get the permit to have a bonfire on the beach, but I did have an awesome birthday. One of my best friends even came down from Northern Florida for my birthday, so it was completley awesome.


Thanks you guys,
♥Hali

We serve such an awesome, infinite, loving God! His Word dwells in my heart, and He establishes and confirms the works of my hands. All day long my heart sings praise for all His glorious wonders - for every blessing and every perfect gift that has come down from Him, with Whom there is no shadow or variation due to change. As I speak out His Word of truth, He watches over it to perform it, and follows His Word with signs and wonders so that all men know He is Lord, and there is none like Him! His lovingkindness endures and His faithfulness extends to all generations! Hallelujah to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords who has confirmed our salvation by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and works in us to accomplish His Will to form us into the image of Jesus Christ! There is none like Jesus, for we are the righteousness of God through Him! Everything that has breath, praise the Lord with the air in your lungs and the beating of your heart as you sing about His glory and His victory in the lives of His children! Hosanna to the Lord of Glory!

I was just thinking: I learned in western civ this semester that the Protestant Reformation helped to spread literacy in that the Calvinists felt it was important for women to learn to read so that they could read the Bible. 

This was also way before our modern time period of mass printing of novels and such. Now you can walk into a Christian book store and buy all kinds of books about the Bible containing all sorts of points of view: all kind of authors, like books by Joyce Meyer, Stormy Omartian,  Donald Miller, John Piper, C.S. Lewis, Max Lucado, Tim LaHaye, the list goes on and on... 

But back then they didn't have all these books. Maybe they had one or two prayer books or hymnals, and of course, the Bible (probably the King James version). 

I was just thinking: while books by authors today like Piper, Lewis, and so on offer great depth of understanding on the scriptures, do you think that they (the early Protestants like Lutherans, etc and the Catholics) were better off only reading the Bible and discerning for themselves? Or are we better off because we are able to reference literature by great minds such as C.S. Lewis and so on? Because I was thinking, what about the books that are really just people's own modernized "versions" of christianity? Like, one might say that these books offer more deception than they do delving into the scriptures. 

Also, if you look at how now the average Christian probably has much more liberal values than those of two to three hundred years ago. I mean, if you read sermons  from way back then, it seems they focused more on repentance and salvation or damnation, whereas now it seems like sermons focus more on personal spiritual growth. I mean, obviously people's views change over the course of centuries but...

What do you all think? I am personally not sure. I think it's great we have so many references, but at the same time, some books written today are people's "versions" of christianity that have more to do with modern values and personal convenience rather than the gospel. So I say we're better off for having such an extensive amount of sources, but it can also be distracting from the Bible which can be bad in the sense that you don't want other people's opinions and agendas polluting your understanding of the Bible. 
Like the Bible does say "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding." Prov. 3:5 

Thoughts? 

Hebrews 12:14 "and holiness without which no one shall see the Lord"
Why settle for less than God's best

For the last month or so I have been really wanting to get away . To take a vacation . But, my finances have not afforded me that option . Well, last night , around 9pm my time , I got a call from what i thought was a telemarketer . However, as I listened to his pitch , it turns out some friends of mine submitted my name into some thingie and they drew 50 names from this pot and the first 20 to accept get it . I am now the proud owner of a 3 day 2 night getaway to Orlando Florida complete with 2 tickets to Disney, Universal, or Sea World . It also includes meal certificates ! All I have to pay is the room taxes and the transportation there . Thats the 1st trip , this trip must be taken within 1 calendar year , booked atleast 45 days in advance . The 2nd trip, is a "get up and go package" to one of 1400 cities in the continental US . Each city comes with its own perks, live Vegas has show tickets , Nashville has tickets to Dixie stampede . This trip must be taken within 18 months of the first trip . This trip I intend to make somewhere I have never been far far away . I figured I would pick and do Orlando first since its close to me . Its amazing how God answers prayers and I didnt even realize thats what this was until this morning . But all this time I have been wishing and praying for a vacation, a chance to just get away and now, I have it and its affordable ! having the hotel and park/show tickets and meals included makes it much more reasonable . Another thing I would like to praise God for and this may seem silly to some folks but My doctors put me on this strict diet due to some medical issues and was soo scared that i would just totally starve to death because i was used to eating alot more . Not only has my appetite matched to my intake preventing the hunger , I am losing weight . Most girls are grateful weight loss . I am one of them . God has just blessed me soo much lately with the weightloss and now the answer to my prayers of escape . He truly is awesome .

So I have a list of things I need prayer on.  Thanks in advance for the prayers:

1. Rachel, a 7 year old in my after school program is home sick with pneumonia. It's really taking a toll on her body.  Please pray the Lord will heal her swiftly.
2. One of my friends recently was dumped by her boyfriend.  She currently fears that she may be pregnant.  Which would mean its his kid.  Obviously, she's hurting.  Please pray that things will work out as God has planned and that the changes she is facing are for the better.
3. Pray for my financial situation.  I'm currently working two jobs, one part-time and one full-time.  My part-time job ends this month and if I don't find another pt job to take its place, I won't have the money to pay my bills.  I'm stressed about this and know that if the stress continues, I will make myself sick.  Please pray that I can trust that God will make everything work out on this front.

Thanks again!

From my New Living Translation bible...
12 And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? He requires you to fear him, to live according to his will, to love and worship him with all your heart and soul...

Why do we have to fear God? I mean no disrespect, I'm just curious why God requires us to be afraid of him.

I'm curious (amazing, I know), what do the members of this community view as an "attack" on their religion?

Wow,

this poor guy ... i feel sooo bad for him..

i donated


www.truedonations.com  prayers needed 

Feeling numb.. :**(

I Will Lift My Eyes

Written by Bebo Norman and Jason Ingram

God, my God, I cry out
Your beloved needs You now
God, be near, calm my fear
And take my doubt

Your kindness is what pulls me up
Your love is all that draws me in

I will lift my eyes to the Maker
Of the mountains I can’t climb
I will lift my eyes to the Calmer
Of the oceans raging wild
I will lift my eyes to the Healer
Of the hurt I hold inside
I will lift my eyes, lift my eyes to You

God, my God, let Mercy sing
Her melody over me
God, right here all I bring
Is all of me

‘Cause You are and You were and You will be forever
The Lover I need to save me
‘Cause You fashioned the earth and You hold it together, God
So hold me now

Greetings all,

I need some help from those who like a good story. The sermon on Sunday, combined with my current ‘Christian Living’ book, inspired this short piece of writing. Before I do anything ‘official’ with my story, I wanted opinions on what was good, what needs work, and what parts I used too MUCH detail. (And if it was theologically sound too, lol)

(  A parable of restored purity, inspired by Song of Solomon 4:12 )

This is my first semi-parable in over a year.
( Read more... )