Just My Two Cents, For What It's Worth
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Aug 25, 2009 5:27 am
Mood: Tired of it!!!,
1724 Views
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Opinions are like anuses, we all have one and they all stink! I'm sure that mine will not be fragrant as a rose, but I'm disgusted with reading all the hatefulness in the blogs lately, it's a real downer. People calling each other out, judging, criticizing, condemning, while all the time trying to appear holier-than-thou. Get real! Here's the TRUTH, let it speak to you:
"I give you a new commandment, that you should love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too should love one another. By this, will all men know that you are my Disciples, if you have love one for another, if you keep on showing love among yourselves."
John 13:34, 35 AMP
How do you reconcile this truth? Is it evident that you are a disciple of Jesus! Can the world see His love in you? Claiming to teach and correct according to God's Word? What's your real motivation? Read this:
"If I speak in the tongues of men and even angels, but have not love, I am only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
And if I have prophetic powers and understand all the secret truths and mysteries and possess all knowledge, and if I have faith so that I can remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing, a useless nobody. Even if I dole out all I have and if I surrender my body to be burned or in order that I may glory, but have not love, I gain nothing."
I Corinthians 13:1-3
Are you just a noisy gong or clanging cymbal? A useless nobody? What do you gain by sowing strife and discord? Can't you speak the truth, in love? Just because you post a dozen blogs a day or get hundreds of views doesn't mean you're popular or loved by others. Unfortunately, all it means is your fruit is showing. You claim Jesus, but you reveal pride and a need for attention.
".....we should not deceive ourselves into thinking that we love God, while we hate others."
I John 4:20
Do not deceive yourselves, God is not mocked, He sees your heart and all of your selfish motives, so do we. Turn away from hatefulness and wickedness and begin to love as Jesus commanded you to do, His words, not mine.
Forgive my harshness and impatience, I just needed to vent. It's simply my opinion, feel free to take it or leave it!
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His Perfect Mercy For Imperfect Me
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Aug 23, 2009 4:51 am
Mood: Receiving His mercy,
1429 Views
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I often get frustrated with myself when I fail to do the things I know to do. I can so relate to the words of Paul, agonizing over not doing the right things, even though he really wants to. And the utter disgust when doing the things he doesn't want to do. We ALL fail and come short of where we need to be, we beat ourselves up, feel condemned and guilty, and sometimes, that keeps us from receiving His perfect mercy and understanding His loving compassion.
"But You have lovingly delivered my soul from the pit of corruption, for You have cast all my sins behind Your back."
Isaiah 38:17
Aren't we blessed to know that He remembers our sins no more? He casts them into the sea of forgetfulness. When He sees us, He doesn't see our sin, He sees Jesus, and all that He sacrificed, in taking upon Himself, ALL of our iniquities.
There was a king who suffered much grief over his rebellious subjects. But one day a group of these rebels surrendered their arms, bowed at his feet, and begged him for mercy. He pardoned each and every one. One of the king's friends later said to him, "Did you not say that every rebel should die?" "Yes," said the king, "but I see no rebels here."
The Bible tells us, "There is none righteous, no not one," and we all deserve to die for that unrighteousness.
Romans 3 :10
But God, in His perfect mercy, chose to allow His Son to take our place and die for us so that when He looks at us, He no longer sees the sin; He only sees His precious Son, our Savior.
As imperfect children of God, we can be very hard on ourselves when we make a mistake and sin or struggle with a particular issue. But let us take comfort in knowing that because of Jesus' sacrifice, while we see our shortcomings, God sees the child He loves.
Glory to God, Whose will it is that the sinner should be saved through His great mercy and compassion. Hallelujah to the Lamb!
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Top 10 Tips For A Successful Life-Gleaning From Proverbs
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Aug 21, 2009 5:28 am
Mood: Appreciating wisdom,
1288 Views
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I love the book of Proverbs! NEVER do I read from there without walking away with some valuable tidbits of wisdom. If I could sum up the most important principles contained there, it would be the following:
1. Guidance Proverbs 3:5-6
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."
This might be the most quoted passage in all of Proverbs, but wherever you're headed in life, these words will always remind you Who directs your steps.
2. Discernment Proverbs 14:12
"There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death."
Yeah, that verse ends on kind of a downer. But you get the point: Sometimes something seems right, but it might be the wrong choice after all. That's why we've always got to ask God to help us make wise decisions.
3. Confidence Proverbs 3:25-26
"Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared."
We may not ALWAYS feel confident, but remember: "The Lord will be our confidence.
4. Work Proverbs 6:6-9
"Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep?"
Life lessons from an ant? Yep. Ants might be the hardest-working critters alive. They're always busy, always planning ahead. Sometimes, you'll have to kick yourself into gear, because nobody else will do it for you.
5. Relationships Proverbs 12:26
"A righteous man is cautious in friendship, but the way of the wicked leads them astray."
Here's a great verse on choosing friends wisely. As you develop new friendships, ask God to point you to people who won't lead you astray.
6. Sexual purity Prov. 6:25-26, 28
"Do not lust in your heart after her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes, for the prostitute reduces you to a loaf of bread, and the adulteress preys upon your very life. Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched?"
You might be saying, "prostitutes and adultery? That doesn't apply to me." But these verses are about much more than that. They're about the strong temptation of sex, a temptation that affects us all. This passage clearly says sex outside of marriage is also outside of God's perfect plan. When we violate that plan, we walk "on hot coals"—and we WILL get burned.
7. Money Proverbs 11:28
"Whoever trusts in riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf."
It's easy to think that Money will bring happiness or solve our problems. But the Bible is clear that Money doesn't do those things. If we wanna "thrive like a green leaf," pursue righteousness, not riches.
8. Parents Proverbs 23:22, 25
"Listen to your father, who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old. May your father and mother be glad: may she who gave you birth rejoice!"
Your parents are always your parents and deserve your respect. Do what you can to make them proud and glad you're their kid.
9. Compassion Proverbs 19:17
"He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will reward him for what he has done."
We all tend to get so caught up in our own lives that we sometimes forget there are hurting people all around us. But God always wants us to share his great love with others. Make time to reach out and touch someone.
10. The future Proverbs 23:18
"There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off."
We often wonder what our future holds. But this verse says we don't have to worry about it: If we follow God, He'll take care of it—and He'll take care of us. Nothing can cut us off from His love. He will carry us through, all the way.
Today's tidbit of wisdom-A few Proverbs read every day, may help to keep the problems away.
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OFFENSE: When Should We Confront? When Should We Overlook?
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Aug 18, 2009 6:00 am
Mood: Slow to speak,
1265 Views
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I find offense to be one of the most common daily struggles to deal with. We ALL have occasions to get offended on a regular basis. When we are offended, should we confront the offender or should we overlook the offense, forgive, and go forward? It's such a fine line to walk and a definite challenge to know when it is right to confront and when it is wrong.
Since I am an assertive person with a strong personality, I tend to confront more than what is necessary. More times than not, this has led to the situation becoming worse rather than better. I am finding that if I will simply take the time to consider the following points, I am better equipped to know when something needs to be confronted and when something needs to be left alone.
"Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense."
Proverbs 19:11
"Good sense" has me first examining myself in order to determine if I should confront an offense. I want to see if there is some log in my eye that I have missed in all the fixation on the speck in my neighbor’s eye (Matthew 7:3-5). I should examine my motives to determine why it is that I may desire confrontation (or perhaps why I may desire to avoid confrontation). Am I angry and seeking revenge? Are my feelings hurt? Am I operating from a prideful spirit? Do I harbor a grudge against the person? As I focus on my own sin and on my motives, I may find that the desire to pursue confrontation fades in the light of God’s holiness and in the darkness of ungodly motives.
If I determine that my motives are pure and I'm not acting out of pride, I then consider the relevance of the matter. Am I dealing here with a matter of preference or a matter of objective right and wrong? Is this an issue that will have long-term ramifications or something that will not much matter one way or the other? If the implications are not long-lasting or do not have a negative effect, and may be only a matter of opinion, perhaps it's wise to just let it go.
I then try to consider whether the offense is a regular occurrence from the offender or could they simply be having a bad day. We all have bad days and say things that we later regret. If someone offends me and it is out of character for them to do so, I try to forgive and encourage them, or draw them out to speak of their difficulty, in an effort to bless them. There may be stresses or strains in that person’s life that are causing him or her to act out in ways that are atypical. In such a situation you are not excusing the person’s sin but, rather, understanding that difficult times can cause even the finest Christian to act out in ways that are unusual for him. Adding the burden of confrontation may not be the wise or sensitive thing to do at that moment.
Finally, if I will take the time to seek counsel, whether it be from the Holy Spirit, or a mature Christian, I may be less inclined to confront and damage the relationship or the offender. Many times, when dealing with a difficult scenario, I pray that the words coming out of my mouth are only what the Spirit would have me speak.
For me, the key is taking the time to consider before confronting. James 1:19 says that we should be "quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to take offense." If I only practice this one scripture, every day, I sense much more wisdom in knowing when to confront and when to overlook.
How about you? Do you have a particular way of determining when to confront?
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My Wedding Shower Tomorrow, Dreams DO Come True!
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Aug 14, 2009 5:34 am
Mood: Blessed beyond measure!,
1400 Views
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This last year seems like a fairytale, like a fictional story, too good to be true. Even with all of the planning we've done for our wedding, it still feels like a dream and not reality. But, tomorrow will be my wedding shower, the fairytale is being manifested, and even though I've been married 3 times, I've never had a shower, or a wedding, or a honeymoon.
It's been so amazing to look back and see how God has put everything together. After being single for 10 years, I had finally come to the point of accepting that Jesus would be my only bridegroom and I was satisfied and content with that. Little did I know that God had other plans for my future.
Getting to today hasn't been easy. God has put together two very strong-willed individuals, both of us stubborn and independent.In addition, neither of us have ever been in a godly relationship, resisting the many physical temptations and learning to defer to each other. Many things have had to be worked out of us, needless to say. But, finally, after a great deal of prayer, surrender, and some good Christian counseling, we are ready to become one flesh, in every sense of the word.
Without God, front and center, we would never have realized this dream. I give Him all the praise and glory, not only for bringing us together, but for keeping us together. Dreams DO come true, we are living proof, but only after submitting ourselves to God and allowing Him to prepare us for the desires of our hearts. Never forsake that time of preparation, it is vital and necessary to accomplish the things God has planned for us, in HIS timing.
Tomorrow is the beginning of our dreams coming true, with God, ALL things are possible. NEVER give up on your hopes and dreams, we have a heavenly Father Who longs to bring them to pass. And, you will find that He will do so, exceedingly and abundantly, above and beyond, ALL that we could ever dare to hope, ask, or think.
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What Do You Smell Like?
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Aug 13, 2009 7:15 am
Mood: Using my olfaction, lol,
1093 Views
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Every human being has their own unique scent. Scientific studies have proven that scent plays an important role in sex appeal and the lack thereof. We all know how important the sense of smell (olfaction) is in the world of nature. Certain scents are emitted from animals during mating seasons, there are many differing scents, most pleasant, but some even unpleasant, in flowers and plants. I have to admit that scent has most definately played a role in all of my past relationships, as it currently does. I have felt drawn to certain men because of their scent and been repelled by others. How often do we consider that God created the sense of smell AND it's pertinence to not only human nature, but mother nature? What is the "fragrance of Christ"?
"For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing."
2 Corinthians 2:15
Several species in the amorphophallus genus of flowers give off a scent of decaying flesh, by which to attract insects for pollination. Other flowers emit a sweet fragrance to attract bees and other pollinators. It is this second class of flowers that provides a metaphor for the Christian life.
The Old Testament refers to sacrifices that gave up a "sweet aroma" to the Lord—especially the fat portions of the animals that were burned (Leviticus 3:16). Coming to the New Testament we find the sacrifice of Christ referred to as an "offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma" (Ephesians 5:2); and the sacrificial gifts of the Philippians to Paul in prison are referred to the same way in Philippians 4:18. But it is in 2 Corinthians 2:14-15 where Paul says "the fragrance of His knowledge" is diffused through every Christian, "the fragrance of Christ" among the saved and unsaved alike.
For Christians, our fragrance should be "the fragrance of Christ"—of His love and salvation.
There's one other thing that I find particularly interesting about how God instrumentally uses the sense of smell. There are some flowers that must be broken or bruised before they emit any fragrance at all. Hmmmmmmmmm.
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Seeing And Hearing Is The Evidence
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Aug 12, 2009 6:18 am
Mood: Blessed!,
991 Views
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"And what He has seen and heard, that He testifies."
John 3:32a
The Bible has something to say about evidence, calling it "that which we have seen and heard" (1 John 1:3). In other words, a testimony is an eyewitness account. And that standard also forms the basis of a Christian's testimony of salvation through Christ. The evidence in a Christian testimony consists of the changes in one's life after an encounter with Jesus Christ, much as the blind man said in John 9:25 "One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see" No one can deny the changes brought about in your life by the working of the Holy Spirit in you. Those changes are the evidence on which a person hearing your testimony may be encouraged to believe in Christ as well.
Make a list today of the changes that Christ has made in your life. Organize them in a way that can be communicated to others when God gives you that opportunity.
"Testimony" is not a synonym for "autobiography"! To witness is to speak of Christ and the work He has accomplished in your life. Your testimony is the evidence of Him. As I look back, it's almost as if I'm seeing the life of someone else, someone that I do not know nor do I want to know. Isn't it amazing?
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Hey Drifter, I've Got A Boogity Animal !!!
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Aug 10, 2009 4:12 am
Mood: Boogity! Boogity! Boogity!,
979 Views
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In response to drifter's post There's A Lot of Animals Here on BC, I felt it only fair to include my Boogity animal. She's a racing puppy, black and white like the checkered flag, and she belongs to a racefan-atic. (me, lol) She's a Bijon Poodle, a year old, and weighs all of 7 pounds, she's black with a white patch on her chest and her two back paws. Since everything in my house is black and white, she blends in well and gets stepped on alot, lol.
We are also going to have a Caleb animal, although we haven't found him yet. As soon as we return from our honeymoon, we'll be in search of a German Shepard puppy, as a big brother for the Boogity animal and to be guardian of the castle. Even though we haven't found him yet, we've chosen his name already.
Any more BC animals, not previously mentioned?
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The Lego Jesus-Really Cool!!!
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Aug 5, 2009 4:53 am
Mood: Loving it!,
1011 Views
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I was reading an article this morning about a church that constructed a statue of Jesus out of 30,000 lego blocks, so I researched it and found this pic. Isn't it cool?
STOCKHOLM — Parishioners at a church in Sweden celebrated Easter on Sunday by unveiling a 6-foot-tall (1.8-meter-tall) statue of Jesus that they had built out of 30,000 Lego blocks.
It took the 40 volunteers about 18 months to put all the tiny plastic blocks together, and their creation shows a standing Jesus facing forward with his arms outstretched.
The Protestant church was filled to capacity with about 400 worshippers on Sunday when the statue went on display behind the altar, and some of the children in the congregation couldn't help but touch the white art work.
Church spokesman Per Wilder said the statue at the Onsta Gryta church in the central Swedish city of Vasteras is a copy of Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen's "Christus" statue on display in Copenhagen.
He also said that even though the statue is all white on the outside, many of the donated Legos that the church received were of other colors and were placed inside.
BTW, this same statue can be found underwater in the Keys, (however not made of legos, lol) at Pennekamp's State Park, the only underwater state park in the U.S. It can only be seen scuba diving, I have seen it and it is awesome to see Jesus under the sea.
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Whom Does God Bless?
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Aug 4, 2009 2:49 am
Mood: Blessed beyond measure!,
927 Views
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Does He bless you? Me? Good Christians? Bad Christians? Unbelievers? Sinners? Saints? Well, how about ALL OF THE ABOVE?
"...for He makes His sun rise on the wicked and on the good, and makes the rain fall upon the upright and the wrongdoers alike."
Matthew 5:45
"Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful.
Psalm 1:1
In the Hebrew language of the Old Testament, the word "ashre" can be rendered in English as "blessed" or "happy"—understandable since God's blessing leads to happiness. But who does God bless? The simple answer is "everyone," but the deeper answer is "those who do His will."
God's blessings are of two kinds: general and specific. Some of God's blessings fall upon everyone (general) and other blessings on those who obey Him (specific). Jesus Himself said that God causes the sun to shine and the rain to fall "on the just and on the unjust" But Jesus also named eight categories of people whom God specifically blesses: the humble, those who mourn, the meek, the righteous, the merciful, the pure, the peacemakers, and the persecuted (Matthew 5:3-12). That isn't an exclusive list, but it is indicative of who God blesses—those whose character and actions are like God Himself.
If you are reading these words, you are blessed, even if you may not realize it! We could ALL sit down and make a long list if we chose to. But there are deeper blessings than just sunshine and rain—those that come from a Christ-like character.
When man follows God's example, he receives a divine blessing because he demonstrates that he is one of God's children. Just for today, focus on the many blessings that God has bestowed upon you, yesterday and today, with the anticipation of so much more coming tomorrow. The more we become like Jesus, the more we see blessings being manifested in our lives. I'm so very grateful for His love and His perfect plan for redemption, especially since I don't deserve a single thing. Thank You Father for Jesus! Hallelujah!
Have a blessed day!
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