Are singles incomplete?
My answer is no. And I agree with the reasons in this article: http://searchwarp.com/swa430678.htm
What has been a difficult personal tragedy you've experienced? How did you react and what effect did it have on your belief in God?
My brother committing suicide about a year ago. I am still reacting to what happened, and battling depression. It was this event that actually caused me to believe in God.
what is your favorite attribute of God?
I really don't have a favorite attribute. I feel like saying I have a favorite is saying I like his wisdom more than his faithfulness or something, and that's definately not the case. I like them all equally and individually.
Sharing Faith
"Are you going up or down?"
"Excuse me?"
"Are you going up there?" *points up* "Or down there?" *points down*
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about J the son of G."
Do you find yourself being cryptic when sharing your faith? I know I do, or I find myself avoiding or denying my faith because I fear the negative things people might say. Today at Cedarbrook Community Church pastor Ken Jackson talked about sharing your faith and how to overcome the fear you might have in sharing your faith.
2 Kings 7:3-11: 3 Now there were four men with leprosy at the entrance of the city gate. They said to each other, “Why stay here until we die? 4 If we say, ‘We’ll go into the city’—the famine is there, and we will die. And if we stay here, we will die. So let’s go over to the camp of the Arameans and surrender. If they spare us, we live; if they kill us, then we die.”
5 At dusk they got up and went to the camp of the Arameans. When they reached the edge of the camp, no one was there, 6 for the Lord had caused the Arameans to hear the sound of chariots and horses and a great army, so that they said to one another, “Look, the king of Israel has hired the Hittite and Egyptian kings to attack us!” 7 So they got up and fled in the dusk and abandoned their tents and their horses and donkeys. They left the camp as it was and ran for their lives.
8 The men who had leprosy reached the edge of the camp, entered one of the tents and ate and drank. Then they took silver, gold and clothes, and went off and hid them. They returned and entered another tent and took some things from it and hid them also.
9 Then they said to each other, “What we’re doing is not right. This is a day of good news and we are keeping it to ourselves. If we wait until daylight, punishment will overtake us. Let’s go at once and report this to the royal palace.”
10 So they went and called out to the city gatekeepers and told them, “We went into the Aramean camp and no one was there—not a sound of anyone—only tethered horses and donkeys, and the tents left just as they were.” 11 The gatekeepers shouted the news, and it was reported within the palace.
There are three lessons that these four lepers teach us.
1. Take a risk. When it comes to sharing your faith one must take a risk like the lepers did. They had no idea what lay ahead of them when they decided to leave the city and surrender to the Arameans. They looked at all their options and the best case scenario was to go to the enemy camp and risk the chance on the enemy having mercy on them and help them. The worst case scenario for them is that they die, which would happen if they stayed in the city. What is the worst case scenario if you tell a friend about your faith? You might be told that they are not interested, you might be made fun or labeled, but none of these things are that bad. Take the risk to reach out and speak up.
2. The lepers delighted in the grace that they received; they didn't take what they found for granted. Because of Christ we are forgiven of all our sins-- past, present, and future. We celebrate this through our singing. But how else can we celebrate? By reflecting on our grace and worshiping God regularly. Live in awareness. Live in the enjoyment of grace. Celebrating the grace God has given us makes it easier to share your faith with friends.
3. The lepers remembered others who needed grace, not out of guilt or religious responsibility but because they did not forget themselves and had compassion and cared about the people in the city. Do you care enough to share with others?
You can listen to this message at http://cedarbrook.org/podcast.php?pageID=34 . I downloaded all the available podcasts to listen to this week at work. Also if you have an Android phone I highly recommend the Bible app from LifeChurch.tv Just search Bible in the Android market. It has really nifty features such as "plans" that help you study the Bible, as well as numerous versions of the Bible and a notes feature. I currently have two plans I'm using: Life Application Study Devotion, and Why Read the Bible?
How do you usually react when your faith is tested?
Like the guy in the video in church this morning, read the latest post I'll make later today to find out what I'm talking about.
You have just learned you have 24 hours to live: Which of your current "do today" items do you forsake? What do you do instead?
none, i'd still do what I usually do.
How do you react when you don't get what is "rightfully" yours?
I make sure I get what is rightfully mine.
What is your favorite cure for the blues?
prayer, st. john's wort and staying active (ie exercise, hanging out with friends, window shopping)
How well do you manage your time? Money? Emotions? In what areas of life are your "investments" too concentrated? Spread too thin?
Time: poorly-- I'm a big procrastinator
Money: average
emotions: sometimes they're not in check.
i waste to much time planning my future... i'm constantly doing that. i have back up plans for my back up backup plans.
How do you handle situations where your faith is criticized or questioned?
i've been in situations where I've denied my faith, or "ignored" my faith. and i feel awful for it. the last time i did that i think it was at the chili cookoff in dc.
In elementary school, what was your hardest subject? What did you do to try to improved your grades?
there wasn't a subject that was ever hard for me in elementary school. I was in the gifted and talented program.
What do you remember about the first time you were away from home without a parent?
i was at a slumber party with my friends. i remember having fun but couldnt wait to go back home to my own surroundings.
How did (does) peer pressure affect the way you dressed? How you acted?
I was never one to be affected much by peer pressure. I disliked "name brand" clothes throughout middle school and high school. I've always tried to minimize my own vanity. I where what I feel is comfy and what I like. and I act like me.
Where do you go to get refreshed or live it up?
to bed. sleeping is refreshing. hanging out doing nothing with my friends would be ideal for "living it up".
What is the worst investment (of time, money, etc.) you ever made? Why?
I don't have one. Any loss of time/ money has long since been forgotten so was it really a bad investment if I can't recall it? Is it ever a bad investment if I still end up with the same outcome in life that I want anyway?
How has your faith in God affected your outlook on aging? On dying? On death? Which do you fear most? Or do you truly yearn for one of these? Why?
my faith has had no affect on my outlook on aging, dying, or death. I've never cared about physical appearance much, especially about aging, and everyone dies. If I died tomorrow, what earthly care would I have? None. And I fear none of it. Nor do I yearn for any one of them in particular.
How much do "eternal concerns" affect your daily decision? Which areas of your life are least influenced by your faith in God? Which are most?
what are eternal concerns? all aspects of my life are equally influenced.
Do you know with certainty where you are going to spend eternity? What is the basis for your certainty?
Yep-- "..this I know for the Bible tells me so!"
When has God worked good in your life despite your blindness and deafness? How would you explain to a non-Christian what God has done for you?What should be our motivation in witnessing to others of God's grace in our lives?
all the time in the past when i didn't understand His existence and how he worked in my life, he's been there to help me get to where i am today. I would tell them point blank what He's done for me in my own words, and why I believe what I believe. To glorify Him should be your motivation.
Have you ever misplaced something, only to discover it "right under your nose"? What and where was it? Why did you fail to see it right away?
my glasses, usually they're covered by something.
Did you know that there are only 344 days, 4 hours, 57 minutes and 12 seconds till Christmas? :) <3
nope.
Ever try taming a wild animal? What kind?
Nope, but I was halter broke a calf, which is as close as I can get to taming a wild animal. She was quite a wild calf.
If you found out the government was bugging your home, what would you immediately stop saying or doing?
Nothing, I am a very boring person. I hardly even watch tv.
Could something as good as going to church and saying your prayers actually be offensive to God? How so? What does please the Lord?
If you are just going through the motions, I think he wouldn't appreciate it because there is no sincerity behind it. Sincerely worshiping and seeking pleases Him.
1.What collectible item do you treasure he most? Why that one? 2.What do you keep that your parents or spouse would rather you threw out?
1. My stuffed animals-- all of them. Each one was given to me and there is a memory associated with each one. 2. Probably my blankie; I still sleep with it, and I almost can't sleep without it. (By almost I mean I've gotten to the point where it doesn't have to travel with me)
What is the closest brush with death you ever had? How did it make you feel?
About two summers ago I went tubing in a river with some friends. We came to this one part were the rapids were really turbulent and it flipped my tube over. The currents were so strong that I couldn't swim to the surface. All I could do was tumble helplessly with the current. Oddly enough, I felt proud of myself for not panicking and thinking through the situation. As I was tumbling I tucked in my knees and head and protected my head with my hands to minimize injuries from colliding with rocks. When I noticed the current calm down a little I attempted to resurface, and grabbed the first thing I could to stop myself from continue down the river.
When was the last time some smooth talker convinced you to do or buy something that was against your better judgment? What did you learn from the experience? What did the lesson learned really cost you?
A smooth talker lol? Um, I'd have to go with my undergrad advisor advising me to not accept my professor's TA position he offered me. Lesson learned: Don't pass up an open door for another door that hasn't been opened yet. Cost: The experience and it probably would have helped in my initial job search.
Why in the world would God need to die?
So we can go to heaven :)
Romans 5:21: "sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
How to get to heaven
I keep getting asked "how does one get to heaven", or "am i going to heaven?" Below I have posted the scripture that Jesus explains how one gets to heaven, it also explains why God must die.
Matthew 19:16-30
16 Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”
17 “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”
18 “Which ones?” he inquired.
Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, 19 honor your father and mother,"and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’”
20 “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”
21 Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”
26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
27 Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?”
28 Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.
Hopefully you read the entirety of the scripture. What Jesus explains is that following him above all else, gets you into heaven. He also goes on to say that he must be in heaven for you to get to heaven ergo God must die. Also because the people assumed responsibility for Jesus' death, Jesus ask God to forgive them, which is how we are saved through his blood.
How in the world could the God of the universe ever die?
When God took on the form as God the Son (Jesus) He took on two natures- God and human. Humans can die, hence God the Son can die and go live for eternity in heaven.
That idea of a divine incarnation is silly, why would God want to become a human being?
My guess is so that the world would recognize Him. It worked too, people see Jesus' face in just about anything from toast to marmalade http://www.totallyoffbeat.com/7-odd-jesus-sightings/
If God were to ask to you today, "Why should I let you into heaven?" what would you answer?
"Found ya!" (corny- you get into heaven by actively seeking God)
What do u mean elect? Everyone is choosen to go to heaven but it is there pick to go or not human will decideds for u
I never used the word "elect". (nor select) you might have me confused with someone else?
o ok that makes sence :) thanks your such a big help in my life right now :)
You're welcome, you are in my life as well :)
am i going to heaven when i die?
i don't know. Do you believe Jesus is the Son of God? Are you seeking God all the time? Are you repenting your sins?
How do you respond to the promises of a trustworthy God?
I give 100% faith, and if I catch myself lacking faith, I gain faith by learning more.
How many long lasting promises keep you going at work? Home? What limited contracts get you worried about the future?
There are too many to count, in fact so many that I don't even realize they are promises. I have this book called Promises for You, it's very helpful to refer to review God's promises. I always remind myself of Romans 12:12 "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer" because point blank tells me how to relieve my anxiety and because of that there are no limited contracts that get me worried about the future. Which by the way is an interesting way to word that question because I literally have a limited contract for my current position at work which about to expire, but I have no worries about moving on from the position.
Happy New Year!
This past Sunday I visited Covenant Life Church. It was a huge church! I'm not sure if I feel comfortable there, but I did like the message. We read from Matthew 6:25- 34:
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
In a nutshell, have complete faith in God for He will provide. The pastor taught on how seeking God and His kingdom helps you build faith, which makes sense: the more you learn, the more you grow, and the more you trust. Hebrews 11:1 says that "faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." I reiterate seeking God (learning) gives you that certainty that you need to have faith. And you must seek God all the time, which is so easy to not do. This blog helps me seek God as it provides me with the ability to get different perspectives on how to learn from the Bible, and when people ask questions before I answer with what I know I refer to the Bible because it explains the "why and how" behind my answer. For example, yesterday I answered a question that asked "Who killed Christ?" The answer in my head was we did, but to be honest with you I didn't really understand how we did. I read both Matthew and Mark and found out that the people of Judea chose to have Jesus crucified and in fact said "His blood with be on us and on our children." (Matthew 27:25) This also explains how Jesus' death saves us. By the people saying that the blood of Jesus is on their hands and their childrens' was them choosing for themselves and all of their descendant's to take on the responsibility for crucifying Jesus. Jesus in turns asks God to forgive them (in Luke 23:34) and since we were spoken for that forgiveness passes onto us. Get it? I'm pretty bad at explaining this.
1When you were a child, where did your grand parents live? How often did you visit them? 2What are couple of things you remember about your grandparents?
My grandparents lived in the country. I visited them a few times a year, enough to know who they were, what they looked like and identify their voices alone. My granddaddy always wore a hat, and my gramma was that special person that I always wanted to seem perfect to.
if an agent from a foreign power wanted you to turn over state secrets, how might he or she attract your attention and get you to listen?
I don't have any state secrets so they couldn't attract me to do anything.
thats all i have to do? ask god to come into my life. Will i feel a change??
Frustation that nothing magical happened. When you truly as God to come into your life and actively seek Him, you feel relief (at least that's what I feel)
purgatory is in the bible my friend and i talked about it but thats beside the point lol every religion has its diffrent facts and opions so im open to urs anytime i like hearing it.
I've searched through the bible and I have not seen the word purgatory written anywhere. Where in the bible can I find it?
Who killed Christ?
Matthew 27:25 "All the people answered, 'His blood is on us and on our children!' " Pontius Pilate was the judge of Jesus' trial, It was tradition to allow the public to choose which criminal to release and the highs priests and teachers of the law convinced the public to choose another Jesus (Jesus Barabbas). Pilate did as the crowd requested and released Jesus Barabbas, and had Jesus Christ crucified, but before he did this Pilate literally washed his hands and told everyone that an innocent man's blood won't be on his hands, hence the people saying "His blood is on us and on our children."
4. living and the dead. (basicaly i just explained the nicene creed have you heard the prayer. if not can i show it to you??) so what im getting to is what i just explained was that what you ment or were you taught diffrent? God never intended to
What my boyfriend says: "the apostles creed states that he decended into hell. which was an old creed recited in the early ne testiment church. this is not part off the bible.
my thought is if not hell then where? because not heaven because he was taking on the sin of the world and god had forsaken him. and since time is not applicable to god ( not waiting in line at the pearly gates for judgement) the only 2 options are hell or the three days past instantly for him and the death and reserection was all that mattered not the journey to hell and back. he took the punishment for all the sins of the world. 3 day vaca to heven is not really punishment"
5. punish us it was human mistake that we are born with original sin. Jesus was sent to save us. He suffered the ultimate price to save us. God bless you!
I haven't heard of the part where Jesus descended to hell. I just asked my boyfriend, and he told me that was a common belief. I have no clue what happened during the three days before he was resurrected. I believe that Jesus died for our sins and that he was resurrected 3 deaths after his death. That's about it.
2. go to heven to see god. we must be absolut & perfect when we see god face 2 face. so if we r not perfect when we die we go 2 purgatory b/c that is where we r cleasnes of our sins. if there is no purgatory then we will go to hell for not being perfec
Purgatory is not mentioned anyway in the Bible, therefore I do not believe it exists. Also, Christ died so that we can be cleansed of are sins and all God to see us, and for us to get to heaven we must seek Him and His kingdom and believe in Jesus.
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