THE INNER ROOM - "Learn and Grow - to Maturity". Please read the 1st Post.

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CODING

I've been doing a lot of work putting "Gems" onto our website. I had all the coding for the Index and the messages all done and apparently working. Was feeling quite excited!

Just before bedtime, all of a sudden everything broke loose... I haven't seen so many coding problems all happening at the same time in a long while. It was really quite unbelievable - and as I now go off to bed, also inexplicable...

And I'm so ashamed to report that it all 'got to me' once, and I lost my cool briefly - also hasn't happened when writing html and php code in a long time. Much apologising to the Lord and repenting!!!

It's so messed up, that I've had no choice but to take the Index off the 3 Gems so far done - while I try to figure out what on earth is going on, then work to fix it all up!!!

Man, it ANNOYS ME SO GREATLY when satan manages a win like that, brief or not!

Tomorrow is another day......

- BM
 
Please pray that Bondman and the Mrs. will dry out

Yes, the two of them got very wet this evening as they sat half under a canopy while God's love was being shared.

You see Bondman said in regards to the Gems he is working on

Man, it ANNOYS ME SO GREATLY when satan manages a win like that, brief or not!

Tomorrow is another day......
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However as he sat struggling with his computer in Australia, God was using his messages in the streets once again.. You see, Bondman's messages have made a huge difference in my life and the life of others that God has saved through what I have learned here and am able to share that love on the street.
A young woman got saved this evening. We are now working on getting her in a church and connected with local agencies that can make a difference.




THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE​



LET IT SHINE​





Ok, so we may not have had sunshine for our picnic this evening, but God’s light sure was shining bright! As Roxie, sang “ Let this little light of mine shine”, the youngsters were running all over the parking lot and hanging out in the back of the rescue van with Bridget.

The music was fantastic! We got new microphones for the band! This really made a difference. Our band is growing as well. God is leading people to Care-A-Van ministries that have a heart for going forth and taking God’s light to others. Is God nudging your heart to help let the light shine?

Tonight, a huge light shown as a single mom with 4 children came out to the picnic. As she sat and visited , she poured her heart out. Care-A-Van has been sharing the light with her for over a year, tonight God said let there be light! She accepted Jesus into her heart with the mist of rain falling on her and tears flowing ! We are working with her to get her connected to the local agencies that can help her with the different needs she has.

We will be returning to 193 South Main Saturday morning at 10:30 for grocery distribution. On Sunday afternoon at 2:30 we will be returning there for street church. Pastor Mark Perkins of the Oakfield Alabama Baptist church will be giving the message and the music will be provided by Mark Perkins and Possie!

We thank you for your continued support. Come on out and help us shine the light here in Batavia!


So there ya have it.. Satan did not win here tonight in Batavia.. but I am prepared because he is going to knock really hard now due to this soul being saved...
Grab ahold of whatever messages touch your hearts start living it.. God's word and you will never want to look back! Why wait until tomorrow , start today...

Amen
Faithwoman
 
Amazing stuff, sweetie!! What's intriguing me is it sounds like there are more and more joining Care-A-Van, which seems to me like it's becoming a unique and special ministry that God really WANTS!!! Wow!!

"Please continue to bless and prosper this wonderful Ministry! Seems like there are so many in need, often in deep need! Thankyou for those who are WILLING to step up and really get involved. That's what it's all about. We love You, Jesus!!"

- BM
 
Reaching Higher Message #32​

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This Was Actually on Oprah!​

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... The story of a Pastor who badly sinned.​

He was much-loved by his congregation, who he'd Pastored a long time. It's wasn't the slight GAYNESS he went very close to getting into, nor the HEAVY DRUGS that he was into that caused the ensuing furore, seemingly it was the fact that he covered it all up and LIED ABOUT IT TO EVERYONE!! THAT'S what the Church Leaders couldn't forgive him for! (I think they since have.) He was thrown out of the church and even agreed to leave his State for good, which he did!​

He told his wife to divorce him, but she refused. He, his wife, and 2 children left. He tried to get work and found it almost impossible. However he and the family together worked through all that had happened. At one point he considered suicide - because of feeling how BADLY he'd let his Church and everyone down! The counselling and all that they did AMAZINGLY allowed the Pastor AND his family to come out the other side - together, and remarkably whole.​

On Oprah, he especially, and his family as well, witnessed SO WELL to the Lord's power and goodness!! He sounded clearly FORGIVEN, his FAITH was strong, his belief in the Scriptures undiminished. It was an amazing witness to the Lord, to His love and grace - one of the best I've seen!​

But something very interesting happened when speaking of the gay problem. In response to Oprah's questions, he said that he ISN'T GAY and that he IS HETEROSEXUAL. So how to explain going to a gay man for sex?? (which he actually didn't have). This inexorably led to one of Oprah's favourite subjects: BEING TRUE TO YOURSELF (no matter what that 'self' is like!!) In coming to grips with all of his sin, the ex-Pastor said that he had HAD to come to terms with WHO HE WAS and WHO HE IS!! He was happy to tell Oprah that "HE IS WHO HE IS" (ex-druggy, gay tendencies), and between them, HE and OPRAH agreed right there on TV that HE HAD JUST BEEN TRUE TO WHO HE IS - the ONLY PROBLEM APPARENTLY BEING THAT HE LIED ABOUT IT!!​

___________________________​


THIS WAS REALLY STARTING TO GET MY ATTENTION!!​

Considering how much of the Scriptures he understands that left me feeling VERY SAD! Basically Oprah 'got him' - real good!! He can't HELP who he is, apparently, and so just ACCEPTS THIS?!! I found myself querying what had gone wrong in a dreadful situation, now seemingly pretty-well SORTED - enough, in fact, to tell the world your Christian story on prime-time TV. God gave me the answer quite quickly: Luke Ch 9:23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.​

Does DENYING YOURSELF sound to you anything like "being true to WHO YOU ARE"? Me neither!! The only Person I'm interested in being TRUE TO is my Lord and Master!!! - in fact as I submit all of me to Him, then MY relevance in this discussion goes way, way, way down!! - THAT'S what accepting Jesus LORDSHIP over your life means!! - and cannot possibly mean anything else or anythng LESS!! (I think this lovely man had been a Pastor for over 30 years, but how could he MISS such obvious truths??)​

"Take up your cross daily," Jesus said. "Oh, we all have our cross to bear," someone says. NO!! Taking up your cross does NOT mean enduring a bit of trouble or hardship - maybe even "bearning up manfully!" IT MEANS NOTHING LESS THAN DEATH!! That's what the Cross means! ME DYING TO MY SINFUL SELF!! Like the sinful self the Pastor was struggling with - and LOSING!! And maybe still is. Forget about any "being true to who I am" stuff (whatever that ultimately means...) ​

Then JESUS finished by saying to FOLLOW ME!! If you're going to FOLLOW Jesus, then you have to give up YOUR life!! JESUS, and following Him, and His commands, and what HE wants can be all that matters!! ​

That's what I want for EVERY ONE OF YOU. I can't handle the thought of even ONE person MISSING the KINGDOM of HEAVEN by not truly listening to, and following, what His Word says. James Ch 1:25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.​

Love to you all!!​

- BM, with his Lady​

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Bondman said:
​

"Take up your cross daily," Jesus said. "Oh, we all have our cross to bear," someone says. NO!! Taking up your cross does NOT mean enduring a bit of trouble or hardship - maybe even "bearning up manfully!" IT MEANS NOTHING LESS THAN DEATH!! That's what the Cross means! ME DYING TO MY SINFUL SELF!! Like the sinful self the Pastor was struggling with - and LOSING!! And maybe still is. Forget about any "being true to who I am" stuff (whatever that ultimately means...) ​

Then JESUS finished by saying to FOLLOW ME!! If you're going to FOLLOW Jesus, then you have to give up YOUR life!! JESUS, and following Him, and His commands, and what HE wants can be all that matters!! ​


I always thought taking up your cross daily meant some burden you had to bear. Now I understand what it mean. Taking up your cross daily, means dying to yourself daily. How 'bout that! I learn so much every day. There are so many cliques that the churches teach us aren't there? Thanx, Bondman. That was great.
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This verse was encouraging to me in my readings today. It was like a promise to my poor friends, Samantha and Jered, who are so steeped in sin right now. I know God is working on them and I just wanted to share these verses with you. It's taken from The Message Bible.

Isaiah 57:18




15-21A Message from the high and towering God,
who lives in Eternity,
whose name is Holy:
"I live in the high and holy places,
but also with the low-spirited, the spirit-crushed,
And what I do is put new spirit in them,
get them up and on their feet again.
For I'm not going to haul people into court endlessly,
I'm not going to be angry forever.
Otherwise, people would lose heart.
These souls I created would tire out and give up.
I was angry, good and angry, because of Israel's sins.
I struck him hard and turned away in anger,
while he kept at his stubborn, willful ways.
When I looked again and saw what he was doing,
I decided to heal him, lead him, and comfort him,
creating a new language of praise for the mourners.
Peace to the far-off, peace to the near-at-hand," says God—
"and yes, I will heal them.
But the wicked are storm-battered seas
that can't quiet down.
The waves stir up garbage and mud.
There's no peace," God says, "for the wicked."

Yes, we all were there once. :eek:
 
SweetSurrender said:
I always thought taking up your cross daily meant some burden you had to bear. Now I understand what it mean. Taking up your cross daily, means dying to yourself daily. How 'bout that! I learn so much every day. There are so many cliques that the churches teach us aren't there? Thanx, Bondman. That was great.
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Sweets, to me you have a very interesting "Spiritual" mind. You seem to be able to SEE the thing the Lord wants for you - you grab it: then you've GOT IT!!!

You probably don't realise how uncommon this is, and how much it is showing your openness to the Holy Spirit - FOR HIM TO TEACH YOU WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW!!!

Way to go, girl!!!

Love!

- BM
 
SweetSurrender said:
This verse was encouraging to me in my readings today. It was like a promise to my poor friends, Samantha and Jered, who are so steeped in sin right now. I know God is working on them and I just wanted to share these verses with you. It's taken from The Message Bible.

Isaiah 57:18




15-21A Message from the high and towering God,
who lives in Eternity,
whose name is Holy:
"I live in the high and holy places,
but also with the low-spirited, the spirit-crushed,
And what I do is put new spirit in them,
get them up and on their feet again.
For I'm not going to haul people into court endlessly,
I'm not going to be angry forever.
Otherwise, people would lose heart.
These souls I created would tire out and give up.
I was angry, good and angry, because of Israel's sins.
I struck him hard and turned away in anger,
while he kept at his stubborn, willful ways.
When I looked again and saw what he was doing,
I decided to heal him, lead him, and comfort him,
creating a new language of praise for the mourners.
Peace to the far-off, peace to the near-at-hand," says God—
"and yes, I will heal them.
But the wicked are storm-battered seas
that can't quiet down.
The waves stir up garbage and mud.
There's no peace," God says, "for the wicked."

Yes, we all were there once. :eek:
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Many of us surely were!!

We have The Message Bible, but don't read it any more after all the misleading errors we started finding! (It certainly is very interesting to read, but I do NOT like bad translation errors! (there's quite ENOUGH error already surrounding us!!!)

However, this is a most fascinating passage you quoted, hon! Thankyou!!

- BM
 
Bondman said:
Sweets, to me you have a very interesting "Spiritual" mind. You seem to be able to SEE the thing the Lord wants for you - you grab it: then you've GOT IT!!!

You probably don't realise how uncommon this is, and how much it is showing your openness to the Holy Spirit - FOR HIM TO TEACH YOU WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW!!!

Way to go, girl!!!

Love!

- BM
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Wow, thanx, BM. You are such an encourager. Yes, I believe the Holy Spirit is the one who opens my eyes at times like this. And you're right, He's teaching me what I need to know.
 
"and yes, I will heal them.
But the wicked are storm-battered seas
that can't quiet down.
The waves stir up garbage and mud.
There's no peace," God says, "for the wicked."

Yes, we all were there once. :eek:
Click to expand...

Amen that I am not still "back there". I would always say the Lord has alot of muck and mire to clean out of me.. Loved the verse sweets!

Your insight on scripture is great! I am in the process of making my spare bedroom into my prayer room. I bought a new computer desk at a yard sale for $ 50.00.. it would not fit through the door where I currently have the computer.. so now my work area will be in my living room. I took the door of room off to get a chair into the prayer room.. It is a mess right now but will soon be a place of solitude where I can sit and continue to learn the word.

God is being so good to me. The 6 month pregnant gal had a Christian friend who works on computers on the side. He came last night at 7 PM and stayed until 2 am working on my computer! My system was behind by 2 service packs! He put a new antivirus software on it.

Remember my snooping days? The old Robin.. he showed me how things are stored in many places. He helps the police with cases in regards to computers. Most recently he had to check a computer of his very dear friend who was involved in some things not to so good which involved the young daughter as well.. sad .. the man is now going to jail for 8 years.

My new "big brother" stands really tall, is an African American man weighs a about 300 pounds or more.. he has quite a testimony as well. I had ordered pizza for dinner. He lives in a boarding house and trying to get back on his feet. He didn't want anything for helping me. But when he left, I sent home the leftover pizza, $ 20.00 and gave him my new boom box I had just recently purchased so he could play music. He himself does not have internet connection at home as he is trying to get some bills paid off.
We had the King James Version out last night and as conversations led we were looking up scriptures while working on the computer.

He knows of my passion to write and we are working on getting my computer back out to the living room. He will be back on Monday.
Why do I share this story here? Because I am seeing as we turn to the Lord and die to self and pick up that cross daily, the Lord blesses us in many ways! If you would have told me a year ago, I would be on the streets, on my knees praying with people, hosting a new big brother in my home for an evening I would have thought you crazy.. last year I was still caught up in the muck and mire even as I was searching for what the Lord wanted from me. Our Lord is a mighty Lord, we do the possible and he does the impossible..

Oh and on a side note of restoration.. daughter is back home from Spain and she texted me last night about some boy issues she is having. She is trusting me! Isn't that just plum great! That my folks is because I am learning to trust in Jesus! Going to the bus this morning and then off to see my family for the week-end! I LOVE JESUS! AND HE LOVES ME! YIPEE!!!

Faithwoman
 
That's all so wonderful! You sure have come from "the bad and the ugly" to the "good', hey!! You're proving God's power and love in your life - it's so brilliant to see!

Great about your daughter, and your computer helper, and setting up your place, and more!

Thankyou so much for sharing, hon!!

- BM
 
Gems #4
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AND OTHER MATTERS OF INTEREST - 4


ANYONE HERE WHO LOVES BLESSINGS?​

I think we ALL do, right!! Ahh, but here's the big question: do you know how to GET them?

Here's the obvious way: ASK God for those you want!! That's works, doesn't it? Hmm, but HOW MANY of these prayers would be selfish, i.e., SINFULLY SELFISH? Many Christians spend so much time asking for things for THEMSELVES - and worst of all praying for their WANTS rather than NEEDS. This is NOT the way to BLESSING!!

God PROMISES to meet ALL of our NEEDS! We can call that A GIVEN!! (How amazingly WONDERFUL: "Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou, Lord!!") After speaking of our basic human needs of food, water, clothing, Jesus says: Matthew Ch 6:31 Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

God WILL supply your needs, but He DOES NOT say the same about your WANTS - BECAUSE these are usually self-serving, selfish, and sin. OKAY, THE SUPPLY BY GOD OF OUR NEEDS ARE BLESSINGS!! Well, there's our major CLUE to BLESSINGS from the Lord: let HIM give them to you!!!

The more you ASK for them, the LESS you're likely to get them. You'll likely ask awry (wrongly) anyway? - meaning NO HOPE of getting them!! Do you know what's the very next verse after His promise of supply of all needs in the verses above? Matthew Ch 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

Wow, how STRAIGHT is THAT!! Seek for Blessings?? No, no, NO!! What we must SEEK for is: a) the Kingdom of God, i.e., where GOD IS KING - King over all of our lives, and also seeking for this to be true in the lives of others!! b) Seek for righteousness in your life (living right and Godly lives) - having GOD's righteousness (growing) in you!

SUMMARY: If you want BLESSINGS, then concentrate on living as God wants you to. Do that and you won't NEED to seek for blessings! - He'll be giving them to you!!!

- BM and Mrs

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Matthew Ch 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

I use that verse a lot, BM. To help others, and myself to determine if I will be getting what I think I need. But, mostly, I have no needs, they are all wants. And, the blessings I get by living right and seeking after my Father's heart, already satisfies my wants. I'd be contented to live simpler if I just could. But, when you live with someone else, you have to give and take. You mostly can't live as you want to. But, at least I'm living better than I was. And I am truely being blessed.

Sunday, for Father's day, my husband, daughter and her husband are going to go to church with me, and then Kim and Adam are taking us out to dinner. I am truely blessed.
 
Son's Wedding

Our son, Jeff, is getting married in July, and it has brought up a few regretful memories and the way we raised our kids . . . or maybe the lack of a Godly life when they were young.

You know how much I love babies/children, and so of course, both Norm and I have looked forward to having grandchildren. But, the possibilities of those expectations don't look bright. Norm's daughter from another marriage has a three-year old son, who has a form of autism, and they live about 10 hours away from us, so we have not been able to see him being raised.

Then, our 2nd daughter, Kim is having to go through expensive procedures in order to bear a child because Adam doesn't produce enough sperm to produce a child without it. So, Jeff, our son, is perhaps our best hope of giving us a grandchild. They have been together for five years or more, and finally decided to get married.

I think satan has been whispering in my ear, giving me thoughts of Jeff's fiance not being able to bear children because of her being so skinny and not having regular periods for months sometimes. (sorry I'm being so blunt here.)

It's as if a curse rests on our lives because of our lack of Christian example, causing our children to turn from God. Does this sound plausible? Where once I looked with anticipation toward the future, now heartache and regret block my view. Not that I am not blessed. But, sometimes I find myself dwelling on what I have already been forgiven of, and I wonder about that verse that says, "The sins of the father (or mother) will be visited upon the children."

I realize there are others with the same regrets, and some whose children are deeper in sin than mine, but I guess I am simply asking for prayer, that Kim will be able to have a child, and Jeff also. I have asked God this question before, but end up crying buckets of tears instead of waiting for Him to answer me. Bondman, can you address this for me? I know Robin has gone through this herself. And God is coming through for her. It takes a long time, doesn't it?
 
THERE ARE SOME IMPORTANT LESSONS FOR ALL IN THIS POST!!

SweetSurrender said:
Our son, Jeff, is getting married in July, and it has brought up a few regretful memories and the way we raised our kids . . . or maybe the lack of a Godly life when they were young.

You know how much I love babies/children, and so of course, both Norm and I have looked forward to having grandchildren. But, the possibilities of those expectations don't look bright. Norm's daughter from another marriage has a three-year old son, who has a form of autism, and they live about 10 hours away from us, so we have not been able to see him being raised.

Then, our 2nd daughter, Kim is having to go through expensive procedures in order to bear a child because Adam doesn't produce enough sperm to produce a child without it. So, Jeff, our son, is perhaps our best hope of giving us a grandchild. They have been together for five years or more, and finally decided to get married.

I think satan has been whispering in my ear, giving me thoughts of Jeff's fiance not being able to bear children because of her being so skinny and not having regular periods for months sometimes. (sorry I'm being so blunt here.)

It's as if a curse rests on our lives because of our lack of Christian example, causing our children to turn from God. Does this sound plausible? Where once I looked with anticipation toward the future, now heartache and regret block my view. Not that I am not blessed. But, sometimes I find myself dwelling on what I have already been forgiven of, and I wonder about that verse that says, "The sins of the father (or mother) will be visited upon the children."

I realize there are others with the same regrets, and some whose children are deeper in sin than mine, but I guess I am simply asking for prayer, that Kim will be able to have a child, and Jeff also. I have asked God this question before, but end up crying buckets of tears instead of waiting for Him to answer me. Bondman, can you address this for me? I know Robin has gone through this herself. And God is coming through for her. It takes a long time, doesn't it?
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I feel really, really sad for you, hon. And before going further, want to tell you that I have compassion for you and DO UNDERSTAND every word you wrote, okay! You're going through a time of feeling sad (and maybe sorry for yourself??), hence your posts.

Yes, I surely do know how much you love children, and of course it's hard when you've wished for grandchildren, but none have been forthcoming.

FIRST. The verses about the sins of the father being visited on the children to the third and fourth generation are ALL OLD TESTAMENT - and WE LIVE UNDER A NEW, DIFFERENT, AND BETTER COVENANT!! So this DOES NOT apply to you and us today - please put it out of your mind!

Certainly, how we bring up our children will affect their lives - but IT'S NOT A SIN TRANSFER!!

SECOND. NO CURSE can possibly rest upon you, dear one - you belong to Jesus, are indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God, and protected by His Power.

THIRD. Sounds like Satan IS whispering in your ear - but why are you LETTING him?? Soon as the 1st thought comes, you REJECT IT, "PRESS DELETE", quoting: James Ch 4:7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. All I do is just speak this verse to God, confirming with my Heavenly Father that: "the devil WILL straight off flee from me" - and because I believe that verse, and trust God: HE DOES!!

"Where once I looked with anticipation toward the future, now heartache and regret block my view." There is absolutely NO NEED for this to be so!! God's POWER is available to release you from this, BY HIS BLESSED SPIRIT. Any true Christian who is weighed down by heartaches and regrets is ALLOWING this - when there is no need for ANY of it!!!

Having said that raises a possible REASON for the heartaches and regrets. From your earlier post:

Matthew Ch 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

I use that verse a lot, BM. To help others, and myself to determine if I will be getting what I think I need. But, mostly, I have no needs, they are all wants. And, the blessings I get by living right and seeking after my Father's heart, already satisfies my wants. I'd be contented to live simpler if I just could. But, when you live with someone else, you have to give and take. You mostly can't live as you want to. But, at least I'm living better than I was. And I am truely being blessed.

Sunday, for Father's day, my husband, daughter and her husband are going to go to church with me, and then Kim and Adam are taking us out to dinner. I am truely blessed.
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You said: "I have no needs, they are all wants." You do have needs, of course - it's just that you don't notice this because - THANKS TO THE LORD GOD - they are being met (I know that's what you meant!)

"They are all wants," you said. Well, here's how this works: if we allow our hearts to be filled with wants, and more wants, and even MORE WANTS - then we can expect a most miserable life!!! As I've written before many times, and also wrote in the "Gems" you quoted from, OUR WANTS ARE MOSTLY GOING TO BE SINFUL. This is Western Society and culture - to the MAX!!! Already living like Kings and Queens because we have virtually "everything" when most of the rest of the world has virtually "nothing" -- WE THEN WANT EVEN MORE!!!

Sweetie, I'm NOT picking on you here, you know that!! I would NEVER do that!! Fact is, it's not just you, or the next guy, or the next, it's pretty-much all of us!! WE WANT... and this is sooo, SO UNHELPFUL, and even DESTRUCTIVE TO OUR SPIRIT. The Apostle Paul spoke of being CONTENT no matter his circumstances. Philippians Ch 4:11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.

And THAT is exactly where it's at: BEING CONTENT with what we've got!! CONTENT in the Holy Spirit, so we can be CONTENT in OUR spirit!! (Even in our own Society there are others who don't have what they want, e.g., my Lady loves babies like you do, can never have one of her own, and hasn't got to hold even ONE for over a decade!! That may help put things into balance a little for you.)

FOURTH, and finally, you wrote: "but I guess I am simply asking for prayer, that Kim will be able to have a child, and Jeff also." May I please gently ask you just WHO you're wanting this for? Aren't you asking God for something YOU want? Isn't this the very TOPIC I wrote about in "Gems - 4" just a few posts above this? I think you need to read it again, dear heart, asking God to really help you to take it in, and APPLY it to your situation/s.

Enough! I know I've been rather tough on you, but I'm confident you'll take it - from someone who LOVES you to bits!!

- BM


EDIT: I am allowed to pray for blessings for YOU - but please don't do this selfishly for yourself. (But I'm NOT going to pray for worldly and materialistic things for you, cos that would be bad for you, rather than good!!)
 
IMPORTANT MESSAGE TO ALL ABOUT RH and GEMS

After all the drama that I reported to you of all the computer code going wrong, next day dawned and I got at it - and fixed it all up!! That seemed to be as surprisingly EASY as the shock of the AMOUNT of things that were suddenly all wrong the day before!!

Soooo, as far as I can see, 32 "Reaching Higher" Messages and 4 "Gems" Messages are all up and running on our website, ready for you to check out, and to Search for words and phrases in all of them. Please DO try just ONE search - I believe you'll be as RAPT about this as I am!!! Just click the INDEX graphic at the bottom of any message, and go from there. EASY!!

I'm hoping to see the hit rate to the pages jump dramatically!!!

Now -- if you find some sort of problem (especially if serious), PLEASE jot a sentence into a PM to tell me! Thanks!!

I pray for you many blessings by LEARNING from and about His Word!!

- BM
 
I would love your help please

I am really at a crossroad in my life with my spirituality (it feels like I always am). I have walked down the path of Christianity and then gone off the path. I have also looked at Eastern religions such as Taoism and Confucianism and I have also looked at Bahai.

For the last few months I have really been involved in Deism and I thought that I have found my spiritual home. It still may be but lately I have been questioning my beliefs and I always think about the great people I know who are Christians. I think that there must be something to Christianity but I always go back to my questions and my personal beliefs and I just feel like I cant do it (be a Christian).

I am going to put down all my thoughts and questions and leave you with the lovely task of replying to them.

Ok I will try and put them in point form as best as I can.

* Being a Christian rules out all other religions and my thought process doesnt allow me to accept that only Christians go to heaven. (I realise that not all religions can be right but I just cant fathom a loving God who has created all of us being that exclusive.

* Homosexuality ( I really think that it is not a conscious choice that people make and that if 2 people love each other then I am fine with it. Remember animals can naturally try and mate with the same sex and they dont think like we do and God created them.

* Having doubts with Christianity (What I mean by this is for example the Catholics say that a priest cannot have a partner but other Christians as yourself say it is fine to be married and be a reverend - which I completely agree with by the way. Then there are also Christian ministers who are gay!) - Sorry if this doesnt flow but I just need to get my thoughts down to you as I cant keep them bottled in anymore.

* The Bible (This is a hard one as this is the ultimate scripture fro Christians but some people say that you shouldnt take it literally and others say that it all happened. Some also say it is a bit of both! It is really hard to know what actually happened and what is just a story that has a valuable lesson.

I think that is enough for now. Please dont take the above as negative as I am just trying to find the truth so I can be at peace spiritually.

Take care


Brad

P.S I am currently reading a book from Lee Strobel called The Case for Christ just to see if that gives a fresh perspective on things. I cant wait to hear back from you.
 
Hi Brad!

I've seen your name, but this its great to make your acquaintance! Looks like you've been round the ridges (and maybe valleys too!) in your quest for the truth. I'm sure you know that Jesus said that HE IS THE TRUTH. Pretty strong statement for a man to say, UNLESS He was and is Who He claimed He was - God's Son.

Okay, your queries. Oh, before I start, I didn't find your questions negative in any way! You're simply putting the queries you have, with some explanation of why you have them - works for ME, no probs!!! (People here know they can throw pretty-much anything at me!)

I then would like to start with the Bible first, if that's okay with you, so we at least have a known and grounded starting-point.

* The Bible (This is a hard one as this is the ultimate scripture fro Christians but some people say that you shouldnt take it literally and others say that it all happened. Some also say it is a bit of both! It is really hard to know what actually happened and what is just a story that has a valuable lesson.

It's only a hard one to some people! I don't find it hard at all! - and I've been on MySpace with piles of Atheists, etc., talking about what I believe and KNOW (I NEVER debate with anyone by the way, seeing that is a pure futility - hence "talking"). They didn't accept most of what I said, of course, but before I left I had won the acceptance and even admiration of SOME of them. Maybe because my explanations of the truth had at least SOME reasonableness, and because I loved them, never 'fought', always respected them and their position.

The Bible is... well, the Bible!! 66 Books written over a vast period by many people from different nations - but with just ONE theme. It is totally unique amongst all literature in the whole world. The New Testament is where we must go to learn about Jesus, heaven, Who God is, and so on - I say: "it's where we all must live today". And this New Testament is PROVEN as wholly accurate as to what really and actually happened!!!

That's a bold statement! By it I mean that you can read from Matthew on, and it's a record of real events, that took place at a specific point in time, concerning real people. I have no idea how others would "categorise" me as to how I approach the Scriptures (nor particularly care). It claims to be God's true Word, right! - I then just ACCEPT what it says - it's as easy at THAT!!Take it on face value! (but NOT without first checking that it IS what it really is!!)

Thus, let's say I read this in the New Testament: John Ch 14:6 Jesus said to him [Thomas], "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." What I then do is KEEP reading, to see IF THAT STACKS UP!! In other words, does His life, what He said, what He did, tally with that? I found that it most certainly DOES!! I've read and studied the NT now for 51 years, and NOTHING has been proven wrong, AND I understand most of what the NT says. (Quite clearly actually... which is quite amazing to me!)

Next, I've then chosen to TRY IT. I call Christianity an "experiental religion" - you have to LITERALLY TRY (experience) IT to see if it's real and true!! No amount of "looking at it from outside" will get you anywhere. I took a step of FAITH, and had a go at it, to see if it was right. Now 5 decades later offer me $10billion to give up my faith in, and love-relationship with Jesus -- and I'd just laugh!!! THAT'S how CERTAIN I am - from real, practical, daily experience - that the Bible, and the New Testament in particular, is ALL TRUE.

So I know who I am, where I'm going, and what I'm about, and I guess that's why some hundreds of people regularly come to read my Messages here.

* Being a Christian rules out all other religions and my thought process doesnt allow me to accept that only Christians go to heaven. (I realise that not all religions can be right but I just cant fathom a loving God who has created all of us being that exclusive.

If for a moment we assume that the Bible-God IS the one true God, which is what He EXACTLY and ABSOLUTELY CLEARLY claimed of Himself - Ezekiel Ch 13:9b Then you shall know that I am the Lord GOD - then what He has done out of his astonishing LOVE for us - is provided a way for all men/women to be saved. I personally don't see anything "exclusive" about that. Rather it is all-encompasing! As the New Testament says: 2 Peter Ch 3:9b [God] is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. And from there to salvation, becoming one of His sons, ending up in heaven with the Lord God, and a WHOLE PILE MORE!!

The freely-given FORGIVENESS He offers of the SIN WE'VE COMMITTED AGAINST HIM AS GOD (forgiveness through the death for sin provided by His only and unique Son, Jesus) is for all people. NO ONE is EXCLUDED!! Those who accept this gain LOVE, and deep-down PEACE, and deep-down JOY - Galatians Ch 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness - and true personal FREEDOM, and CONFIDENCE about your life here and now, AS WELL AS after I step through death, that I get to meet Him face to face, AND live with Him forever!!!

* Homosexuality ( I really think that it is not a conscious choice that people make and that if 2 people love each other then I am fine with it. Remember animals can naturally try and mate with the same sex and they dont think like we do and God created them.

Homosexuality is NOT a major issue for me. Let me explain. I live MY life day by day with God as my God, Jesus as my Lord and Saviour, and the Holy Spirit of God as the One Who dwells in me always, giving me the POWER to live the Christian life, without Whom this would be utterly and unquestionably IMPOSSIBLE!!!

Gays then live THEIR lives too, a few of them having been born that way (which I find quite sad), the vast majority having chosen to take it up as their lifestyle - which is their God-given RIGHT, because the true God has blessed us all by giving to all of us FREE-WILL, to allow us to CHOOSE concerning ALL things!!! That is, to CHOOSE even to live in ways that He has commanded us NOT TO!! I do not seek to change them, or stop them. I love them, and would wish for them to find true Salvation and a wonderful personal relationship with God, living a life of OBEDIENCE to Him and His commands, like I and others have been able to!! Whoo-hoo!!

* Having doubts with Christianity (What I mean by this is for example the Catholics say that a priest cannot have a partner but other Christians as yourself say it is fine to be married and be a reverend - which I completely agree with by the way. Then there are also Christian ministers who are gay!) - Sorry if this doesnt flow but I just need to get my thoughts down to you as I cant keep them bottled in anymore.

There is sound, Bible-based Christianity, which the MINORITY of those who call themselves Christian actually live out in their daily lives, and there is the MAJORITY who believe and live LESS or MORE error-ridden "Christianity" which is not Christian at all. All the arguments, and all the disagreements, and all the differences would cease if the Bible and the New Testament of the Bible were to be TREATED AS I DO ABOVE, along with others (the Roman Catholic Church doesn't follow this path), i.e., read it, read what's REALLY there, ACCEPT it, then TAKE THE DECISION TO TRY IT, AND TEST IT - THEN LIVE IT!!! I HAVE (and do) - and can give you a cast-iron GUARANTEE that --- It really works!!!!!!

I look forward to hearing from you if you choose to.

Love and blessings!!

- BM, with his Lady
 
Hey, Brad! Bondman is exactly right. Experiencing God, the one true God, is the only way to know if the Bible is what it says He is. The only other "religion" I know of that encourages you to give your soul away, is Satanism, but they don't promise peace and joy like Christ does. The two are totally opposite. Only thing, is that you have to totally and freely in your mind, give yourself to Christ to really experience the fullness of life. You have to say, "Ok, I give up. Take me and be my Lord. I want to live for you", and mean it. And then follow His instructions.

Some of us have repeated prayers of Salvation, but never continued to followHhis instructions. So, we fail to live the life He intended us to live. As you may have read the post of mine before yours, I let fear and regret into my life, not having rejected it when I faced it like Bondman said. It's is all there in scripture. I just let satan tell me lies and did not recognize it, nor turn to Father for help. But the more I mature in Christ, the less that will happen. I thank my Jesus that I can always turn to Him and His Word for my strength and victory. Thanx, Bondman, for encouraging me in that.

Good luck, Brad, in your journey. I hope you will sincerely try Jesus, because it really does work.
 
Hi BM and his lady!

Thank you so much in taking the time to reply to my post. I feel like I really need to talk to someone (and why not a fellow Aussie :)) about my journey and where I am heading.

I have alot to learn and take on before I can just give myself to God. I wish I could do that but I just have so many questions that I feel like I would be fake if I did that and if I am going to become a committed Christian then I have to be 100% behind it.

I have replied to a couple of parts of your message and I really loook forward to hearing from you guys again. Thanks again for helping me!

Brad




Bondman said:
Gays then live THEIR lives too, a few of them having been born that way (which I find quite sad), the vast majority having chosen to take it up as their lifestyle - which is their God-given RIGHT, because the true God has blessed us all by giving to all of us FREE-WILL, to allow us to CHOOSE concerning ALL things!!!
Click to expand...

I understand what you are saying for the gays that choose that lifestyle but you have mentioned that you believe there are gays who are born that way.

Does that mean they will go to heaven? Because if they were born that way then it was Gods plan. I think this a very important issue.

Bondman said:
There is sound, Bible-based Christianity, which the MINORITY of those who call themselves Christian actually live out in their daily lives, and there is the MAJORITY who believe and live LESS or MORE error-ridden "Christianity" which is not Christian at all. All the arguments, and all the disagreements, and all the differences would cease if the Bible and the New Testament of the Bible were to be TREATED AS I DO ABOVE, along with others (the Roman Catholic Church doesn't follow this path), i.e., read it, read what's REALLY there, ACCEPT it, then TAKE THE DECISION TO TRY IT, AND TEST IT - THEN LIVE IT!!! I HAVE (and do) - and can give you a cast-iron GUARANTEE that --- It really works!!!!!!
Click to expand...


Does this mean that you think Catholics wont go to heaven because they dont follow the path? There are many different Christian groups and it is very scary from my side to think that they wont go to heaven because they have a different take on things. Of course I understand that there are Christian groups that they are just plain wrong but surely there are others with great intentions but have a difference of opinion which leads them to a different view on Christianity.

As humans we could have 10 people read the same bible passage and we could possibly end up with 10 different interpretations because we are all different and we have all had different experiences, upbringings and so on.

I dont know if what I have written makes alot of sense but I feel comfortable sharing my thoughts with you guys. :)
 
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