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[Amrhrasach]

2Th 2:10  And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.


Rom 7:12  Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
Rom 7:13  Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.
Rom 7:14  For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
Rom 7:15  For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
Rom 7:16  If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
Rom 7:17  Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:18  For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
Rom 7:19  For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
Rom 7:20  Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:21  I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
Rom 7:22  For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
Rom 7:23  But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
Rom 7:24  O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?


Just a point of observation, more or less.   Actually I’m not sure to be honest.   Something has been on my mind of late and these verses are compelling toward that end.    Point:  I am a sinner.  I hate it.  I sin too much.  I hate that as well.  As much as I try not to sin it surely does best me.  Not always but what little successes may be enjoyed they are shallow indeed.  But in my non-trustworthy opinion the sin which I do is more sometimes than I wish to bear, or admit.  But……BUT…..inwardly I feel/sense a love of/for the truth.   And it delights me in the inner recesses of mind and heart that the love of truth is present.   Is that possible?   Looking at the above verses one would surely think so?   Somehow, even though I live in the disgust of my carnal sinning self somewhere deep in me a light glows for the love of the truth and as small a flicker as it sometimes seems a happiness also remains in that light.   

I admire loyalty. It’s a character trait I’ve always attempted to put forth with my friends and family and always wanted to receive in kind.  Blood-letting loyalty if it must be so. (Not literally but just to show the magnitude).  I like to give it and I like to receive it.  Who doesn’t?   But clearly I fail my Lord in this most treasured area.  And that makes me extremely sad and it’s extremely disconcerting.

Am I making sense? Or have I fallen off the deep end?  Delusional?  Trickery?   

How can one have a “love for truth”?......and yet fail so miserably? 

Gary

[aqrinc]

Gary,

Because it is Jesus Christ in us, NOT our beastly nature, that is Truth And The Lover Of GOD'S Truth.

Isa 53:6 (KJV)
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Mat 5:20 (KJV)
For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Right here in Romans Ch:8 is your answer.

Rom 8: 1-27 (KJV)
1  There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
3  For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

4  That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
5  For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
6  For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

7  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
8  So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
9  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

10  And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
11  But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
12  Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

13  For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
14  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
15  For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

16  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
17  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
18  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

19  For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
20  For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
21  Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

22  For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
23  And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
24  For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

25  But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
26  Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
27  And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

Rom 8:28 (CLV)
Now we are aware that God is working all together for the good of those who are loving God, who are called according to the purpose"

george .

[Ninny]

Thanks for this, guys. Can anyone NOT ask this same question, Gary? How can any of us love the truth and still fall prey to our sinful, ugly, inner beast?? If you've fallen off the deep end, buddy, I'm right there with you! Truthfully we are all a bunch of dirt bags!  We've got to keep reading those verses in Romans 8! Thank you, George! Thank you, GOD that somewhere deep inside of us you are there! You are dragging us, drawing us, please, God don't stop picking us up and dusting us off!!
Kathy

[lauriellen]

hey gary,
great topic!  I don't think there is anyone who hasn't felt just like you do....
the verses that you gave are some of the ones that i have read over and over for years and really felt they applied to me ...... and the verses that george gave just give the perfect answer.....
it never ceases to amaze me the knowledge and truth available on this site....
example:  i have been trying to re-learn how to pray according to God's will, and this morning was right in the middle of prayer, asking God to "save" my family......then the thought came into my mind "save them from what?"....so i said "excuse me a minute God".....and ran to my computer to this site and typed in "saved from what?" and right there in one of Rays emails was the answers i was looking for.......after reading a while, i continued my prayer feeling like i was praying according to God's will......
If we are sincerely seeking answers to God's truth, He will provide them and peace & comfort to go along with it........
love,
lauriellen

[Marlene]

I am right in there with the rest of you. My Beast has been getting knocked down in size some this week.

I sure can see how Ray has given us so many articles that touch on what we really do need to have to run in this race. Its all the word of God. Its our Lord Jesus grace we need.

I know, I come up short all the time. Only, this time I have the Lord Jesus to pick me up when I fall. Like Kathy, I pray he just keeps picking me up and dusting me off.

I was at a loss for words last night when I started to pray. But, that was taken care of by the Spirit. The Spirit knows what was on my heart.

I got thinking about it last night, even if I would not be in the first resurrection God has blessed me with the fact, that I know now there is no Hell.
With God everyone comes out as a winner.

But, something inside of me just keeps me wanting to run in this race. That, something is him.  So, i just keep praying that he keeps me in. 

The best advice for us is to keep reading the articles on the website.  Ray has touched on pretty much that is needed to aid us on almost any topic or question we might have. The forum members are great to share with us and we all learn from things they post.

In His Love,
Marlene

[firefly77]

Hi everyone,
Great topic...
I am always wanting to do better and to do it God's way. This morning I was thinking about the fruits of the Spirit and what Love is.
 
1 Cor 13:1If I speak in the tongues[a] of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

 4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

 8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

I am so totally aware that I don't even have a clue what real Love is. Because of my background and having been abandoned by my father and mother, I lack the understanding of a having a loving parent somehow. How can you reconcile your past and look at our Heavenly Father with a healthy understanding of who He really is. I was raised by my grandparents and always felt like I had to earn their love. I am in a constant battle of wanting to be Daddy's (God's) good girl, but failing Him so miserably at the same time. The desire to do the right thing is always there, but every single day I come short. How can I just let God be God and experience His Love more fully and trust/rest in this knowledge?
I hope I am making sense...

Angie

[lauriellen]

Hi Angie,
if you could truely accept this scripture:

Rom 5:8  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were
             sinners, Christ died for us.

Gods love for us is not based on our performance at all.  There is nothing we could ever do to earn it, and on the other hand there is nothing that we could do to kill it!

also:
1John 3:20 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart,
                      and knows all things.

God knows everything about us, good and bad, and He LOVES US ANYWAY! It is truely amazing when you think about it.  His love is so superior to our human love that is based on selfishness.  All we have to do is accept it, and rest in confidence of His love.
hope this helps, with love,
lauriellen

[Amrhrasach]

I apologize for my lagged response.  Thank you all for your input, helpful indeed.

Firefly, I can relate.  My brothers and I were also abandoned in our younger years and also raised (somewhat) by our grandparents.   The "love" element was there but at a distance.  It doesn't take the place of knowing parental love and in some ways if given full head (and it usually does) can mess with your psyche. For me anyway I never, beyond that point, ever trusted ANYONE who said "I love you".  My reaction was usually "yea, right" and then giving them a good long look at my backside while walking away.   As my grandmother would say to my siblings, "he doesn't trust your words, he MIGHT trust your actions".  Sad really.  Simply put, there's some things that only parents can teach a child.  Relating that to the original posting it's  right there, as you've said, perhaps an area that only God himself can truly understand the aches of the human heart of each and every soul and "bridge" that gap with mercy and tenderness unknown on a human scale.

Gary

[meee]

       Gary thank you for this post and George for for saying this:Because it is Jesus Christ in us, NOT our beastly nature, that is Truth And The Lover Of GOD'S Truth.
     If only I could remember this.        So many times we can even start to doubt that we are God's children when we seem to continually fail Him so miserably.  Yes, our childhood has made a big impression on how we think and only God can change our thoughts that don't line up with how He is different as our daddy, than our earthly parents might have been.
        Sooooooo thankful, meee

[firefly77]

For me anyway I never, beyond that point, ever trusted ANYONE who said "I love you".  My reaction was usually "yea, right" and then giving them a good long look at my backside while walking away.   As my grandmother would say to my siblings, "he doesn't trust your words, he MIGHT trust your actions".  Sad really.

Gary,
Very well said! You can tell me all day long that you love me... I would much rather see the action behind those words. I am a German, born and raised in Germany (22 years), before coming to the US. The words "I love you" carry a great commitment towards the person we say it too. I find in this country we say those words to anybody without contemplating the meaning of what we just said. I was literally shocked the first few years I lived here, how indiscriminately people said "I love you" and how it has lost its meaning. It certainly did not help my already crippled understanding and still ruffles my feathers every time I hear it.
Angie

[G. Driggs]

For me anyway I never, beyond that point, ever trusted ANYONE who said "I love you".  My reaction was usually "yea, right" and then giving them a good long look at my backside while walking away.   As my grandmother would say to my siblings, "he doesn't trust your words, he MIGHT trust your actions".  Sad really.

Gary,
Very well said! You can tell me all day long that you love me... I would much rather see the action behind those words. I am a German, born and raised in Germany (22 years), before coming to the US. The words "I love you" carry a great commitment towards the person we say it too. I find in this country we say those words to anybody without contemplating the meaning of what we just said. I was literally shocked the first few years I lived here, how indiscriminately people said "I love you" and how it has lost its meaning. It certainly did not help my already crippled understanding and still ruffles my feathers every time I hear it.
Angie

Hi Angie, I sincerely hope you do not take this the wrong way, or maybe it is I taking this the wrong way. I simply want to try and help.

You say, "You can tell me all day long that you love me... I would much rather see the action behind those words." But how would you know it if you were to see it? Because you also say, "It certainly did not help MY ALREADY CRIPPLED UNDERSTANDING and still ruffles my feathers every time I hear it." Im no hypocrite, because Im only just learning what true love is. I've never had that before I came here. True love is obeying God, and loving your neighbor as yourself. Be willing to do anything good for anyone, especially the brothers and sisters here. All I have to offer you all is praise, prayer and fellowship. These things you cannot see all the time, but I assure you I do it cause I love you and care about you, and most importantly because God commands it, Whom I MUST obey. Make no mistake, I'am not perfect either, I still struggle with hate often, but it is becoming less and less. Someday we will all be perfect, but not while we are in this flesh. It is good that you are here.

Much Love & Peace to you, G.Driggs

Mat 5:46  For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

Luk 6:32  For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.

[firefly77]

Mat 5:46  For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

Luk 6:32  For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.

You are absolutely right... Would I even recognize if it was given to me? How warped is my definition of love? It scares me a bit to think about it. Maybe God is shaking it up for me?! I think Churchianity has not helped a bit in this respect. Teachings of "co-dependency" added more confusion. I am back to square one, just like when I first came here and had to forget everything I was ever taught in Church, i.e. Jesus the savior of a few and hell. I am taking baby steps and it is oh so painful. God is confronting me daily with my "conditional" loving. Getting saved is HARD!

I can add some scriptures to this:
Luke 6:28 Give blessing to those who give you curses, say prayers for those who are cruel to you.

Luke 6:35 Rather, love your enemies, help them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then you will have a great reward. You will be the children of the Most High God. After all, he is kind to unthankful and evil people.

[Amrhrasach]

For me anyway I never, beyond that point, ever trusted ANYONE who said "I love you".  My reaction was usually "yea, right" and then giving them a good long look at my backside while walking away.   As my grandmother would say to my siblings, "he doesn't trust your words, he MIGHT trust your actions".  Sad really.

Gary,
Very well said! You can tell me all day long that you love me... I would much rather see the action behind those words. I am a German, born and raised in Germany (22 years), before coming to the US. The words "I love you" carry a great commitment towards the person we say it too. I find in this country we say those words to anybody without contemplating the meaning of what we just said. I was literally shocked the first few years I lived here, how indiscriminately people said "I love you" and how it has lost its meaning. It certainly did not help my already crippled understanding and still ruffles my feathers every time I hear it.
Angie

Hi Angie, I sincerely hope you do not take this the wrong way, or maybe it is I taking this the wrong way. I simply want to try and help.

You say, "You can tell me all day long that you love me... I would much rather see the action behind those words." But how would you know it if you were to see it?
Much Love & Peace to you, G.Driggs

It wasn't my intention to turn this thread into a testimonial thread, just so everyone knows.   G.Driggs, I know your statement is intended for Firefly and I'm sure she will provide her own answer.  But your question begs a perpendicular view.  That's not a problem.    For those who have never really known "love" from a parental sense as in the case of Firefly and many, many others, KNOWING love when you see it is a challenge AND no prior training ground.  That's a problem.   FEELING love accompanys that very challenge.  Same lack of training, same no training ground.   To me they go hand in hand.  And then we come to the Lord.   He offers his love freely, true.  But until he opens our hearts to understand his love, it's beyond our measure of understanding. In even the smallest sense.  Faith.  Trust.  These things come from him.  Our efforts fail.  Period. Since he grows us according to his will, not ours, perhaps he hasn't opened yet that understanding fully and giving us "baby steps" because that's all we can take for now.

Back to Ray Smith. 

The beauty of Ray's teachings.   He takes matters of Christ and teaches in a manner that understanding begins to sprout.   Love is no doubt one of them.   For some like myself Ray and his teachings are a God-send. 

I hope I'm making sense and not just wandering off.

Gary   

[Ninny]

That makes sense Gary, and sometimes love is just a word that we throw around. God is where the deep abiding love is, none of us can fully appreciate that love until we understand that no human can fill that place in our heart that belongs to God. Human parents can mess up so badly it's almost beyond repair, but then God fills that space left empty by human parents, too! If we could just grasp the love of God we would all "get it".  We leave that to God He is the mender of broken hearts and wounded spirits...
Kathy

[aqrinc]

Here is a bit more about love and love of the truth. Every one has a story about their childhood, either bad or good. What we need to see is that all this is for learning and growing into the stature that GOD And Our Lord Jesus Christ, Have already determined that we will be.

GOD"S Will for us is much Greater and Better than our will for us can ever hope to grasp in this life.

Thus when we Pray, it is that: THY WILL BE DONE O' GOD.

Joh 3: 14-20 (CLV)
14 And, according as Moses exalts the serpent in the wilderness, thus must the Son of Mankind be exalted,
15 that everyone believing on Him should not be perishing, but may be having life eonian."

16 For thus God loves the world, so that He gives His only-begotten Son, that everyone who is believing in Him should not be perishing, but may be having life eonian."

17 For God does not dispatch His Son into the world that He should be judging the world, but that the world may be saved through Him."
18 He who is believing in Him is not being judged; yet he who is not believing has been judged already, for he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God."

19 Now this is the judging: that the light has come into the world, and men love the darkness rather than the light, for their acts were wicked."
20 For everyone who is committing bad things is hating the light and is not coming to the light, lest his acts may be exposed."


Joh 15: 12-16 (CLV)
12 This is My precept, that you be loving one another, according as I love you."
13 Greater love than this has no one, that anyone may be laying down his soul for his friends."

14 You are My friends, if you should be doing whatever I am directing you."
15 No longer am I terming you slaves, for the slave is not aware what his lord is doing. Yet I have declared you friends, for all that I hear from My Father I make known to you."

16 Not you choose Me, but I choose you, and I appoint you, that you may be going away and be bringing forth much fruit, and your fruit may be remaining, that anything whichsoever you should be requesting the Father in My name, He will be giving it to you."


1Jn 4: 15-21 (CLV)
15 Whoever should be avowing that Jesus is the Son of God, God is remaining in him, and he in God."
16 And we know and believe the love which God has in us. God is love, and he who is remaining in love is remaining in God, and God is remaining in him."

17 In this is love perfected with us, that we may have boldness in the day of judging, seeing that, according as He is, so are we also in this world."
18 Fear is not in love, but perfect love is casting out fear, for fear has chastening. Now he who is fearing is not perfected in love."
19 We are loving God, for He first loves us."

20 If anyone should be saying that "I am loving God,and should be hating his brother, he is a liar; for he who is not loving his brother whom he has seen can not be loving God Whom he has not seen."
21 And this precept have we from Him, that he who is loving God may be loving his brother also."

george .

[Beloved]

How do we obtain this love of truth, it is certainly not of self

The parable of the sower gives a clue

It is the good ground (where those are found who understand it”) - that is the heart in which the truth is readily received and set to use.

The four soils represented four types of hearts, notice that Jesus is said to have cried out to those who soil God has prepred
 
Luk 8:8  And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit a hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
.

Php 2:13  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure
Also

(John 7:16 - 19)  Jesus answered them and said, ‘My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. If anyone wants to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority. He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him. Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keeps the law? Why do you seek to kill Me?’”

It is God that is the driving force in us to want to do His will.

Gary and Firefly to add to what George said

Many of us come from dysfunctional families but as we grow we learn more that we are not to focus on ourselves any more ….we are to die to self…  it does not matter that we are not loved

(1Jn 4:18)  Love has in it no element of fear; but perfect love drives away fear, because fear involves pain, and if a man gives way to fear, there is something imperfect in his love.

(1Jn 4:19)  We love because God first loved us.

Knowing that God really loves us, we therefore should not seek or depend on the love of any man/women rather

Php 2 :3: “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.

Php 2:4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.”

(Php 2:5)  b]Let the same disposition be in you which was in Christ Jesus.

Let us all strive to focus more on on Loving rather than being loved


Beloved

[Marlene]

Let us all strive to focus more on on Loving rather than being loved


Beloved

Wow, this week has been a series of trials for me. This is exactly what God has been trying to get me to see this week. It does not matter what someone thinks  of me. It matters what he knows. It does not matter if someone loves us, but if we love them. I should know this because my first love broke my heart and even raped me. But, I could not stop loving him. I am sure that it was God who enabled me to love him. The last words this boy told me when I broke up with him was that he hoped he could learn to love like me someday. Well, I found out after his death that he had been all over the United States helping people who had drug addictions and all kinds of things in there life. I know, he was seven day Adventist but had left over doctrine. I did find out he did not believe in hell. Now, I see I would have been without him and ill. God had a better plan for me and him. But, love never fails.

This week I have been hurt by something . I have been trying to get my Husbands families love for years. Well, they can only love who they want. Well, Beloved you are so right. It does not matter if they love me. It matters if I love them. After, all love never fails. As we can see in my above story.
I am blessed with my Husbands love, but even it is human love. The ultimate love , is when you can love those who hate and despice you. This is one of those wake up moments. We have Gods love and that is faithful and true. We , have it all. We have truths most of the world does not even know. They war and hate others not like them. We have the ultimate , and the world does too!

Thanks Beloved for those scriptures and the message from them. All Glory Be to God! Our Great Father of Love

In His Love,
Marlene

[cjwood]

It is God that is the driving force in us to want to do His will.

(1Jn 4:19)  We love because God first loved us.

Knowing that God really loves us, we therefore should not seek or depend on the love of any man/women rather

(Php 2:5) Let the same disposition be in you which was in Christ Jesus.

Let us all strive to focus more on on Loving rather than being loved

beloved,
the above words from your post reverberated in my ears like a bell in a belltower, ringing out "claudia, these words are for YOU in that this is how you must live your life before your unbelieving spouse." 

thank you beloved carol. and thank God for His Spirit causing you to post those words.

claudia

[firefly77]

Knowing that God really loves us, we therefore should not seek or depend on the love of any man/women rather

(Php 2:5) Let the same disposition be in you which was in Christ Jesus.

Let us all strive to focus more on on Loving rather than being loved

Claudia,
This is not easy... My flesh wants love to be reciprocated. Only God is able to help us to love unconditionally. My prayer is

Ephesians 3:17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

God has to do it in me and through me. He is the source that needs to fill me so I can give it out.

[Marlene]

I just, wanted to add to this. We, are to become overcomers. This, in no way is to make light of the trials that God has given us from Birth on. Many, of us in here went to God with our childhood trials. Then, we may have forgot him. We were so clouded with these struggles as we got older. Everyone, reacts to things in different ways. Some, harden there heart. Some, give there heart and keep looking for love.

All, of these things become a part of us. Some, come out on top and some live in it all there life.

But, if we can see where all this is taking us. We can be overcomers. God has given us vision of where we were and where we are going. Many, hurt people of the world do not go to God . Many begin to hate him.  We have something special here. We, know God Loves All and will Save All. Mostly, we know his Love is so great for each one of us. He led us in here. If, that is not Love then I don't know what Love is.

I think here we need to have compassion. We can share in here and listen to the broken hearted . But, only God is able to help them overcome the memories. This, is a part of our Beast. We don't want to let go of the memory. Kind of like licking our wounds. But, in here I see many people who have overcome there past.  I believe, all the different people with all the different trials can overcome them by Gods Love for them. Also, if we are chosen
we will be able to have compassion on the ones we judge. God wants people who can look at the whole picture. People who can handle any given situation. I believe, God made us with the desire to be loved. That, is a good desire if we seek his Love.

In my church of many years. The Pastor once said, " Don't look up to Man cause he will disapoint you every time" That is one of the most true things I ever heard  in a church.  

Well, I have an 88 year old Mother.  She lives with me now. She to this very day cannot get over the memories of my Father cheating and being abusive to
her. For a large part of my child hood I heard nothing but fighting. I hate to fight. I take things to God or ask for advice. She just won't. It is all up to God to deliver us from these hurts.

But, I can say each day being in here we learn every day that God is all we need.

Now, some learn quickly and others it takes more time. It is going to be that way if we are chosen. Some, will learn quick because there hearts are soft. Some, will learn slow because there hearts are harden. But, God is going to use how we overcome to help others overcome. But, we will have to learn compassion.  I believe, God has my Mother here with me, so I can learn compassion.  

I learnt alot this week from some personal trials. Love, is moving on from the pain. Love is looking at the pain in others life and having compassion on them.

God has my Mom right where he wants her. He has us right where he wants us.

Well, God is teaching me compassion.

My Mother lives in her past. I want to live in my future. My future is where  God is.  God is Love. He is longsuffering. Well, I am learning to be the same. In a way he has me helping my Mother now. If, I can show her I can move on. I will be a light to her. Maybe,before something happens she will be able to get over the pain. If, not she will.

How, can we help others if we cannot rise above our pain. We can't.  When, we take our eyes off God, then we are not able to give love, compassion, or learn mercy or longsuffering.

We share here. We are all in this battle.

In His Love,
Marlene