From: MARY CATHERINE
Date: Dec 24, 2008 6:02 AM

How to Study the Bible
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
" Psalm 119:105


1. We must believe that the whole Bible is the inspired word of God, and we must be willing to abide by it's teachings, even if they go contrary to our own personal ideas and practices.


"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16,17.


"Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." Matthew 4:4.


2. We must be humble and teachable. However great and extensive our knowledge and educational achievements, we must come humbly to the word of God, not seeking to study it from a secular standpoint as a scientific or philosophical work, and with a dependence upon human intellect. Trusting in intellectual pride and humanistic opinion will prevent us from being able to understand the deep spiritual truths of the Bible. God requires us to come humbly and with a teachable attitude, sincerely and prayerfully seeking to understand His word.


Jesus said, "I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them unto babes." Matthew 11:25.


3. We must compare scripture with scripture, letting the Bible explain itself. It is common to find individuals and groups of people who build a whole theology upon one single statement of the Bible. This can be very dangerous and misleading, depending upon the method of interpretation employed in their Biblical research. The only correct and safe way of securing an understanding of a particular truth is to study everything that the Bible has to say about that specific topic.


"Whom shall He teach knowledge? And whom shall He make to understand doctrine?... For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line, here a little, and there a little." Isaiah 28:9,10.


We must study broadly, permitting the Bible to define its own terms. This will preserve us from the practice of some, in taking an isolated passage and twisting it to fit or "prove" their own ideas. We should always approach the Bible with an open and honest attitude, willing to lay aside any established beliefs and practices, whenever we find them to be without scriptural foundation.


4. We should ask the Holy Spirit to guide us as we study the Bible. Though written by men, the Bible has been supernaturally inspired. We therefore need the Holy Spirit, the author of all scripture, to guide and instruct us as we study. Prayer for divine instruction and enlightenment should always precede a study of God's word. Without heaven's assistance to render our minds spiritually receptive, it is not possible to properly interpret and appreciate the truths of the Bible, which are often "hidden beneath the surface" and readily missed by the casual, superficial approach.


"(For) no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God...The Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." 1 Corinthians 2:7-14.


5. We must truly want to know the truth before we can know the truth. Our motives for studying the Bible must always be honorable and acceptable to God if we would receive instruction and guidance from the Holy Spirit. If it is our determined purpose to research the Bible in order to find an argument against the truth, God will leave us to our own devices. For example, some people use a few scriptural verses to supposedly prove that God's law was abolished when Jesus Christ died upon the cross. A proper method of research will clearly demonstrate that such is not the case, and the verses used to substantiate this idea are found to be unsupportive when placed in their proper context.


Only those who are willing to love and accept the truth when it is made plain, and do not seek to construct arguments against it, will be preserved from the dangers of self deception. God will not force us to believe anything against our will.
However, His word clearly describes what will happen to those who still choose to believe, contrary to what He has plainly said:

"Because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved...God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie." 2 Thessalonians 2: 10,11.


6. Bible study must become a priority in life. Jesus likened the kingdom of heaven to "A merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it." Matthew 13:45,46. We must earnestly search for truth, recognizing that it is worth more than anything else in life. This quest must be made priority, especially when other things seek to crowd out the time that should be allocated to Bible study.


God's promise to us is that, "You will seek me and find me, when you search for me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:13. Our desire, our relish and our love for the Bible will strengthen and deepen as we discipline ourselves to study it every day.


7. We must live up to all the light we have before God will teach us more. As truth is opened to our understanding, we should determine by God's grace to walk in its light. God has set before us an upward pathway and it is His will that we should walk in His footsteps. As our Savior therefore leads us further along the pathway of advanced truth, we must determine to follow if we would keep in step with Him and remain His disciple. Also, living according to the truth that we already have qualifies us to receive more light and truth from God.


"If you abide in My Word, you are my disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John 8:31,32.

Just last Christmas Eve I had a strange visitor. This is how it happened:

I had just finished the household chores for the night and was preparing to go to bed when I heard a noise in the front of the house. I opened the door of the front room, and to my surprise, I saw Santa Claus himself stepping out from behind the Christmas tree. He placed his fingers over his lips so I wouldn't cry out.

"What are you doing here..." I started to ask, but the words choked up in my throat as I saw that he had tears in his eyes. His usual jolly manner was gone. Gone was the eager, boisterous soul we all know. As I stood there in my robe bewildered, Santa said, "We've done it all wrong. You need to teach the children." My perplexed expression still showed in the near darkness.

Fumbling in his sack, he drew forth a bright shining gold star.

"Teach them the old meaning of Christmas ~ the meanings that Christmas nowadays has forgotten. Teach the children that the star was a heavenly sign of promise long ages ago. God promised a Savior for the world and a sign of the fulfillment of that promise was the great Star of the East. The star now reminds us of God's love for mankind and of God fulfilling His promise. The countless shining stars at night now show the burning hope of all mankind."

Santa gently laid the star upon the fireplace mantle and drew forth from the bag a glittering red Christmas ornament.

"Teach the children, red is the first color of Christmas. It was first used by the faithful people to remind them of the blood which was shed for all people by the Savior. Jesus Christ gave his life and shed his blood that every man might have God's gift to all, eternal life. Red is deep,intense, vivid. It is the greatest color of all. It is the symbol of the gift of God." As Santa was twisting and pulling another object out of his bag, I heard the kitchen clock begin to strike twelve. I wanted to say something, but he went right on.

"Teach the children", he said as the twisting and pulling suddenly dislodged a small Christmas tree from the depths of the toy bag. He placed it before the mantle and gently hung the red ornament on the Christmas tree. The deep green of the fir tree was perfect background for the ornament. Here was the second color of Christmas. "The pure color of the stately fir tree remains green all year round," he said. "This depicts the everlasting hope of mankind, and the everlasting life we can only get through His Son. Green is the youthful, hopeful, abundant color of nature. All the needles point heavenward ~ symbolic of man's need to focus on heaven. The tree itself is a symbol of that other tree, the one that became a cross. The great, green tree has been one of man's best friends. It has sheltered him, warmed him, made beauty for him, formed his furniture."

Santa's eyes were beginning to twinkle now as he stood there. Suddenly I heard a soft tinkling sound. As it grew louder, it seemed like the sound of long ago.

"Teach the children, that as the lost sheep are found by sounds of the bell, so should it ring for men to return to the fold; it means guidance and return to God; it further signifies that all are precious in the eyes of the Lord. He left the 99 and went in search of the one." As the soft sound of the bell faced into the night, Santa drew forth a candle. He placed it on the mantle and the soft glow from its tiny flame cast an eerie glow about the darkened room. Odd shapes in the shadow slowly danced and weaved upon the walls.

"Teach the children," whispered Santa, "that the candle shows man's thanks for the star of long ago. It signifies the Light that shines within all God's people. A light that should never be hidden. It's flame seems very weak, but it chases away the darkness, just as the stars do. It's small light is the mirror of starlight. At first candles were placed on the Christmas Tree ~ they were like many glowing stars shining against the dark green. Safety now has removed the candles from the tree and the colored lights have taken over in remembrance."

Santa turned the small Christmas tree lights on and picked up a gift from under the tree. He pointed to the large bow ribbon and said, "Teach the children. A bow is placed on a present to remind us of the spirit of the brotherhood of man. We should remember that the bow is tied as men should be tied ~ all of us together, with the bonds of good will and love toward each other. Goodwill forever is the message of the bow."

Now I wondered what else Santa had in his bag. Instead of reaching in his bag, he slung it over his shoulder and began to reach up on the Christmas tree. I thought he was hungry as he reached for a candy cane, purposely placed high on the tree. He unfastened it and reached out toward me with it.

"Teach the children that the candy cane represents the shepherds crook. The crook on the staff helps bring back the strayed sheep to the fold. The candy cane represents the helping hand we should show at Christmas time. The candy is the symbol that we are our brother's keeper. The red represents the Blood of Salvation, and the white the Purity that only comes from it's cleansing flow."

Santa then paused. He seemed to realize he should be on his way. Later would be his big day. As he looked about the room, a feeling of satisfaction and relief showed in his face. He reached into his bag and brought forth a large holly wreath. He placed it on the fireplace and said, "Please teach the children that the wreath symbolizes the eternal nature of God's love; it never ceases, stops or ends. It is one continuous round of affection. The wreath does double duty. It is made of many things and in many colors. It reminds us all of the things of Christmas. Please teach the children."

As I gazed at the wreath, he slipped away, his job done....pointing people back to the real meaning behind this celebration.

I pondered and wondered and thrilled with delight,
As I saw and viewed all those symbols that night.
I dozed as I sat in the soft candle light,
And my thoughts were of Jesus and all He made right.
To give and to help, to love and to serve,
Are the best things of life, all men can deserve.
Old Santa Claus that jolly fat little elf,
Is not the best symbol of Christmas itself.
Jesus gave us the gift of love and of life,
The ending of evil, the ceasing of strife.
Santa's message to me on the pre-Christmas night,
Has opened a treasure of deepest insight.
The one thing on earth we all ought to do,
Is the teaching of children the right and the true.

Please forward on to your friends.
Tell them to check us out at

WWW. MYSPACE. COM/BIZWIZ68

It is better to be seated at the right hand of the throne of God.


It is written in the Bible that Jesus Christ was seated at the right hand of the throne of God, when he rose from the grave to save us from our sins. It is also written that we are justified by God's holy sacrifice and not by our own works of righteousness, but by God's grace we are saved.




If we were to symbolize the two seats of the throne of God, the left seat would represent being justified by God's grace. And the right seat would represent being righteous by our faith in God's holy word. Now we have a picture of the Bible being at the right hand of God and Jesus being at the left hand of God.




It is by God's grace alone that we are saved, therefore being justified by the devine sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We are made righteous by our faith and knowledge of God's holy word. Although we could never be saved by our own righteousness alone, because we are not saved by our own works in faith. We are saved by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who atones for our sins. Man-kind can not find atonement for their sins by their own righteousness. But we must first believe that God exists, that the Holy Bible is the living word of God, and Jesus Christ was the son of God, (or God in the flesh on earth) who was sacrificed for our sins. So our belief in these three things atones our righteousness and Jesus Christ atones our salvation by grace. Which is God's devine power and justice.




When it comes down to determining between the law of God or the Law of man-kind. It is better to be seated at the right hand of the throne of God. For God's justice is righteous, concerning ungodly laws of any country or nation. Even God's own followers of the past were unjustly executed for their faith.





http://bible. christianity. com/mybst/Default. aspx?type=bible&translation=kjv&bookcode=ge%20%20&bookname=Genesis&chapterid=1&verseid=1

Revelation 20

4.And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image , neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.


5.But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished . This is the first resurrection.


6.Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.




11.And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away ; and there was found no place for them.


12.And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened : and another book was opened , which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.


13.And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.


14.And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.


15.And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.




Revelation 21

1.And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away ; and there was no more sea.

2.And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

3.And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying , Behold , the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

4.And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away .

5.And he that sat upon the throne said , Behold , I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write : for these words are true and faithful.

6.And he said unto me, It is done . I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

7. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

8.But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable , and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.






On the right hand of the throne of God is righteousness.



http://www. merriam-webster. com/dictionary/righteousness

righ·teous
Pronunciation: ..ˈrī-chəs..
Function: adjective
Etymology: alteration of earlier rightuous, alteration of Middle English rightwise, rightwos, from Old English rihtwīs, from riht, noun, right + wīs wise
Date: 1530
1: acting in accord with divine or moral law : free from guilt or sin
2 a: morally right or justifiable b: arising from an outraged sense of justice or morality ..
3slang : genuine , excellent
synonyms see moral
- righ·teous·ly adverb
- righ·teous·ness noun



On the left hand of the throne of God is Justice.



http://www. merriam-webster. com/dictionary/justice

Main Entry: jus·tice
Pronunciation: .. ˈjəs-təs..
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French justise, from Latin justitia, from justus
Date: 12th century
1 a: the maintenance or administration of what is just especially by the impartial adjustment of conflicting claims or the assignment of merited rewards or punishments b: judge c: the administration of law ; especially : the establishment or determination of rights according to the rules of law or equity
2 a: the quality of being just, impartial, or fair b (1): the principle or ideal of just dealing or right action (2): conformity to this principle or ideal : righteousness c: the quality of conforming to law
3: conformity to truth, fact, or reason : correctness



Jesus, our atonement.



http://www. merriam-webster. com/dictionary/atonement

Main Entry: atone·ment
Pronunciation: .. ə-ˈtōn-mənt..
Function: noun
Date: 1513
1obsolete : reconciliation
2: the reconciliation of God and humankind through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ
3: reparation for an offense or injury : satisfaction
4Christian Science : the exemplifying of human oneness with God





http://bible. christianity. com/mybst/Default. aspx?type=bible&translation=kjv&bookcode=ge%20%20&bookname=Genesis&chapterid=1&verseid=1


Revelation 5
1. And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.


2.

And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?
3. And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.


4. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.


5. And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold , the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.


6. And I beheld , and, lo , in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain , having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.


7. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.


8. And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.


9.

And they sung a new song, saying , Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain , and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
10. And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.


11.

And I beheld , and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;
12. Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.


13. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying , Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.


14. And the four beasts said , Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.

A Christian Revolution?

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

The literal meaning of revolution is to revolve, to go around e.g. engine speeds are typically measured in revolutions per minute. Human history has had many revolutions that, in historical fact, eventually degenerate to that mechanical definition, to revolve (without intending a pun, most revolutionaries carry revolvers, or their modern-day improvements, semi-automatic pistols), to go around. The old saying that "history repeats itself" is true nearly all the time because carnal human nature is the same, whether today, or a century ago, or a hundred centuries ago. The best, and the worst, that humans can do is to repeat what someone else has already done. History is prophetic. That's why wise King Solomon, before he lost his wisdom because he was corrupted by the great Satanic power that his followers allowed him to have over them, correctly said "^1:9 The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun" (Ecclesiates 1:9 KJV).

A Christian Revolution?

The apostles were no different than people today. Before the Holy Spirit enabled them to see and understand what the Christ had been teaching them, they viewed Jesus of Nazareth as just another human revolutionary leader, a man who would bring about a military victory over the foreigners (i.e. the Romans) who had invaded and occupied their country. Peter sought the restoration of the human kingdom of Judah in a world of other kingdoms; that's why Peter fought to prevent Jesus' arrest (see Malchus).

"^8:31 And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests [see Why Can't 'The Chosen People' See?], and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. ^8:32 And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him. ^8:33 But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men." (Mark 8:31-33 KJV)

Even after His resurrection, the apostles still did not understand that Christ was not merely another "human messiah" (most nations have had their False Christs who promised to deliver their people from all of their self-inflicted troubles) because they still were carnal-minded. The Holy Spirit had not yet opened their eyes to the reality of Christianity.

"^1:6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? ^1:7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. ^1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that The Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth" (Acts 1:6-8 KJV)

Christ is a King who will restore the kingdom to Israel [see The Messiah], but not merely as a nation among other nations. Christ is going to establish spiritual Israel, the Kingdom of God, on earth for all people who choose to become citizens of Paradise. Christ is not going to lead a "revolution," a mere repetition of what carnal humans have created for themselves since the beginning, human kingdoms that have always declined and fell, but a Kingdom that is never going to end because it will not be created and led by carnal-minded humans. Christ isn't bringing a revolution against the kingdoms of this world, He is bringing the annihilation of the kingdoms of this world, all of them (see the Fact Finder question below).

"^2:44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever." (Daniel 2:44 KJV)

Fact Finder: How is Christ going to rule His world?
See The Coming World Dictator

______________________________________________________

( My Statement ) From : Kevin

I had to repost this as a blog. I can't help but to think just how true this is. Not only as children of God  are we solidiers of Christ, but revolutionaries of God's word who bring people to Christ as our loving savior. The fact that everything in this world revolves is truth. For us though everything we do revolves around God.

It may be hard for some to believe that everything in our past repeats itself, but it is true. Because the enemy remembers all of the past battles, victories and losses. Just as we learn from our past mistakes so the enemy learns how we have been able to avoid those mistakes. So it is an everlasting struggle to find a new way of prevention and avoidance. Not just prevention but the fact that our whole world is growing more and more every year. Spawning new soldiers for God's Army and Satans. The only true way to save our world from total caos is to keep our loving arms waiting for those who need us.

It is my belief that LOVE is the only answer to anything. When you look at your brother, whose angry eyes want to slay you in a seconds action to his next blow. Just drop your sword open up your arms wide and give him a big hug. That is how you win battles, thats how you win wars. Even if in a moments notice he slays you, it would not have been done in vain. Just look into his eyes and tell him that it was worth it, that you should die so that he may live. What greater love is there than this, than to lay down your life for your brother. How much more would your father in Heaven do for you.

God never told us to give up our lives to every person, who would ask it. But that it is better to war with love and compassion in our hearts than to bitterly bring our lives to an end knowing only hatred.

Greater is He that is in Heaven, than he that dwells in earth or under the earth. 

Do you believe in God? Why or why not.
I got this idea from a newly aquired friend"s blog. Her name is Kimberly or A Newborn Soulja for Christ.





There are certain miracles that may occur in a persons life. These are not things that can be explained my logic or science ( hence the word miracle). To me the very fact that a life can suffer from inflicted injuries or life treatening diseases, none of which I believe are things that any one would purposefully inflict upon themselves. But miraculously they survived.

When I think of a child or adult that has suffered from severe burns resulting from a house fire or someone maliciously or mortally wounded from a car accident. With the determined motivation to perservire and the Godly ability to heal from these injuries. Which is one of the few supernatural abilities given to us by our maker, it is easy to see how we have been blessed beyond our imagining. These gifts did not come from man-kind alone, they were bestowed upon us by a higher more devine power.

You can look at scientist today and see that none of them can give you any kind of supernatural powers, like the power of regeneration. Or atleast not in the full form of a living human being or creature without the help of something that was already there. Or the mind boggeling strength of someone lifting a car to recue their friend in the time of need. Which comes from a pure heart of love and devotion.

It isn't any wonder where all of these gifts truely come from, they come from the almighty Himself, GOD.



Ref.
: (A past testamony)

God has been good to me. He has delivered me from living in a car for six month's with no money and no insurance. I had a head full of infection and no way of getting rid of the infection and pain. I was slowly dying in that car and I did not care to see tomorrow. The pain was so great that I was begging to be put out of my misery. Though, because of my fear of God and His commandments I dared not commit suicide, tempting as it did seem at the time.

I simply had no way of being able to help myself what-so-ever. MY life was in the hands of God.

Since then I have been given the oppertunity to go back to school and get a better education. I have taken this oppertunity to spend the last ten years loving myself and giving God thanks for the time He has given me.

We sometimes forget just how precious and fragile life really is. But it is when our lives become totally out of our control, that we truely learn that God is in control. And He alone determines when we shall leave this world to join Him in heaven.

God is my pilot, I am the co-pilot.


( This testamony is from my newly created group, Jesus Christ's Army.)

Mirror Image
I am merly a mirror image of all the gifts, blessings, and friends that God has saw fit to bless me with. I do believe in my heart that, everything that has taken place in my experience on myspace, God has constructed, instructed, and formed it to be so. I am not my own person but another link in the chain that helps to strengthen the glory that belongs to God. When you go to the group Jesus Christs Army, you will find that I have composed it of all the good things that my friends have to offer. I have been blessed with some of the best of people God has to offer, to join in Christs Army. Remeber this group is not about me, but more-so of the testamonies of Gods love for us. It is a very dark world out there, even in this country, where we have the gift of Gods light. So it sure helps to have a friend to call on when we are in need. The evils of man-kind and the obcession with the carnal nature is enough to draw a very dark cloud over anyones world. So may God continue to give me every oppertunity to continue to reflect the goodness of His children. And hopefully become closer to reflecting the true image of God as a humble servant, much like Christ.


Philippians 2 :
1. If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,
2.Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded , having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind .

3.Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

4.Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

5.
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6.
Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7.
But made himself of no reputation , and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8.And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

9.
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10.
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow , of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11.And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

12.Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed , not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

13.For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

14. Do all things without murmurings and disputings:
15.
That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
16.Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

17.Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy , and rejoice with you all.

18.For the same cause also do ye joy , and rejoice with me.

LIL about me. I had a pet rottweiler that died a few years back at the age of 5. She had a cyst in the pancreous organ caused by bacteria. I still miss her terribly, though I have moved on. My rott. was my little girl, I have never been married or had children, she was my life. I have always believed that there are no bad dogs only bad trainers and owners. And I do not belive in raising outside pets. If you have a true pet they are just as much a part of your family as anyone else. If you treat a pet as family, they will become family. If you treat them as an animal, they will be an animal and nothing more. Don't trust your children with animals, especially small children. Pets aren't always trustworthy and animals definiately are not trustworthy. Do you have a pet or an animal that you take care of?

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Oct 27, 2008 8:39 PM

A PET'S TEN COMMANDMENTS.........

Remember that they can't do a lot of things for themselves and that they depend on you to make their life a quality life!

A PET'S TEN COMMANDMENTS.........

1. My life is likely to last 10-15 years. Any separation from you is likely to be painful.



2. Give me time to understand what you want of me.



3. Place your trust in me. It is crucial for my well-being.



4. Don't be angry with me for long and don't lock me up as punishment. You have your work, your friends, your entertainment, but I have only you.



5. Talk to me. Even if I don't understand your words, I do understand your voice when speaking to me...

6. Be aware that however you treat me, I will never forget it.



7. Before you hit me, before you strike me, remember that I could hurt you, and yet, I choose not to bite you.



8. Before you scold me for being lazy or uncooperative, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps I'm not getting the right food, I have been in the sun too long, or my heart might be getting old or weak.



9. Please take care of me when I grow old. You too, will grow old.



10. On the ultimate difficult journey, go with me please. Never say you can't bear to watch. Don't make me face this alone. Everything is easier for me if you are there, because I love you so.



~Take a moment today to thank God for your pets. Enjoy and take good care of them.



Life would be a much duller, less joyful experience without God's critters

We do not have to wait for Heaven, to be surrounded by hope, love, and joyfulness.

It is here on earth and has four legs!

Cat Behavior Tip Sheets | The Humane Society of the United States

http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/our_pets_for_lif...

Dog Behavior Tip Sheets | The Humane Society of the United States

http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/our_pets_for_lif...

To:
tammy
myspace. com/sugerfoot57
Date:
Oct 11, 2008 10:40 PM Subject:
RE: christians
Body:
The past is a testamony of that individuals personality. It is highly doubted that that person has changed much. But forgiveness is a gift that we all owe to all of our friends and foes. Because of the one that forgave us for all our sins. It may be recommended that the person in question be allowed to reconcile themselves to you. As long as you don't have to leave yourself vounerable to the wiles of wolves. Trust is something that is earned, though the first step is freely given with a leap of faith.

No one can change the past. Confession, repentance, and reconciliation are all needed in order to truely become redeemed in anothers eyes. So a hand shake is not hardly enough to be reconciled.

So you have to ask yourself,'What has or is this person willing to do to set things right, without your asking or saying so.' Thats how you know who your friends are. Their actions will speak louder than their weak words.

Action, reaction that is how the world turns. But they made the effort to address you so, telling them how you truely feel about them will help to get the process of redeemption going. And forgive those who are worth forgiving, forget those who are worth forgetting. Not everybody was meant to be a part of your life, just associates.


----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: tammy
Date: Oct 11, 2008 9:42 PM


I've got a question for you.
Do you think you should forget the past with somebody who address's you that you have not seen for a long time with a hand shake? Not knowing what or where this person has been or doing with his/her life now?Or should you ignore or not acknowlege this person?WWJD?

The four steps to being redeemed and sanctified, so that you can enter into the kingdom of God on judgement day. 1) Confession  2) Repentance  3) Sanctification  4) Redeemption

In order to truely be redeemed or sactified in the eyes of God, so that you can be saved. Is someting that cannot simply be done in private or only before God. Because most don't truely mean anything they repent of. While they continue to hurt people over and over again. While God will always forgive you, other people don't have to stick around and listen to your lies.

 1) The very first step is confession. Not just to your self and God, but to those who were involved. That is if the confession is one of an offense that you commited against another person/ persons. You see its hard to be forgiven or redeemed if the person/ persons you've offended doesn't know about your confession. Or whether you are truely sorry about what you did wrong. So once you've confessed before the person/ persons you've wronged, then you know that you have also confessed before God.

 2) The next step is to repent from your sins, before God and the person/ persons offended. Promising that you will never make the same mistake again, or if you do, you will simply do your best to appoligize and make atonement for your sins.

 3) When you feel in your heart that you have been forgiven for your sins. And have proven that you are doing your best not to make the same mistake, before God and the person/ persons offended. Then you know in your heart that you have been sanctified.

 4) Finally, when all has been said and done. If the person/ persons that forgave you, has the confidence in you to trust you again, in that very same situation. Then, you know, that you have been redeemed before the eyes of God.

 You see every person you know and see on earth, will have the opertunity to make a full report of your character. Before Jesus and God on judgement day. And if their is any witness that has a bad report of your character. That could be the difference of whether or not you make it into Heaven or Hell. Even the most unlikely of people will have the oppertunity to hold you in judgement.

Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.

Romans 3:19-20 NIV

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this is interesting....I always had a different spin on it, though. I thought that you confess to others and asked for forgiveness/ gave forgiveness BECAUSE God forgives us....and the account given on judgement day is directly TO God, because He is our only judge....I didnt think others opinions or judgements mattered. Thank you, very interesting!

Posted by Sumer on Dec 16, 2007 4:34 PM

God, or as the Bible says Jesus will judge all the earth, when we leave this earth and enter into Heaven. And no human opinions matter. You can do your best to get forgiveness from someone and never get it, because their hearts are hard and subborn. But ultimately if you don't ever try to get someone to forgive you for wrongs you have done against them. How can you expect God or Jesus to do the same. The bible also says something to the effect that, how can you love Him (God) whom you have not seen. If you can not love your brother or sister whom you have seen. Some real scriptures are, 1 corinth. 6: 1-10 (Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to Law before the unjust, and not before the saints?) See also, Romans 14: 7-12 (So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.) (As I live, saith The Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.)

I'm glad Sumer responded to this, so that I can have the opertunity to correct myself and fine tune this message. And here I thought no one really read any of these blogs I put on here. Love you Sumer.

Posted by Kevin on Dec 16, 2007 6:29 PM

Somewhere it reads that only pure, sincere hearts that diligently seek out forgiveness will be forgiven and enter into the kingdom of Heaven. It is these people who are called the children of God. That truely walk in all of God's ways. This means to be present before God or anyone else. However, you don't owe any appoligies for your past, to a person in your future. Because you have not wronged them, only God or someone else. And of course we all know God will forgive you, for sins that are seven times seven or seventy times seven. Though I don't think there really is any limit to how many times God will forgive you. But can we do the same?

Posted by Kevin on Dec 17, 2007 8:50 PM

God turns away from people who are folly in repentance and confession. Because of their hardened hearts there remains a void of compassion.

Posted by Kevin on Jul 10, 2008 2:59 PM

Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.

Romans 3:19-20 NIV

Posted by Kevin on Jul 22, 2008 7:47 PM

Psalm 31: 9-12       Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly. For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth because of mine inequity, and my bones are consumed. I was a reproach among all mine enemies, but especially amoung my neighbors, and a fear to mine acquaintance: they that did see me, without, fled from me.I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel.

Psalm 23: 4        Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Psalm 24:1        The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell terein.

Psalm 27:1        The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be affraid?

Psalm 26: 1-3        Judge me, O Lord; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the Lord; therefore I shall not slide. Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my reins and my heart. For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth.

Psalm 25: 21        Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee.

Psalm 32: 1-2        Blessed is he whose transgression is frogiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto who the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.

Psalm 36: 1        The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before His eyes.

 Yea, right. See

Psalm 43, 62, 63, 100, Proverbs 16