> Testimonies / Prayer Requests / Fellowship
Forum Blues
hillsbororiver:
--- Quote from: gmik on July 14, 2009, 01:34:09 PM ---Hi all! What a wonderful thread! I am so blessed reading everyones' posts. Thank you.
I used to post all the time and love all the cyber-family I have "met" thru this forum. I don't post as much and as new ones come on it is OK for me to not feel I have to post. I come on almost every day and try to keep up w what is going on. I love the fellowship here. But it never fails to amaze me, after all these years, when people post excerpts from Ray, that I realize why we are all here. It is the truths that we learn from Ray. That is what bonds me to all of you.
The mods have been wonderful. I, like Nelson and Joe, remember the old days. trust us folks, the forum "rules and regulations" are to help us not hinder us. Pray for the moderators and for each other. Lift Ray up. Rejoice in what God has done and Will do.
Love,
gena
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Hi Gena,
Earlier in this thread I was kidding when I said I would respond to every post even if it takes me until the November Mobile Conference to do it, now it is starting to look like I just might need all of that time to fulfill that statement.
Although I still post frequently compared to some I don't comment nearly as much as I once did as I am now content more often than not to observe and meditate on what others are presently experiencing. There is (and really never was) a reason for me to toss in my 2 cents every time a new topic is presented.
Yes, there does seem to be a special connection with many of our brothers and sisters here, often I have been struck by the feeling of "meeting an old friend for the first time" when I have had the opportunity and pleasure of visiting with members in person either on our own time in our own cities or at one of the Conferences. I guess that is a major reason I am surprised and perhaps a bit saddened when people I have had this contact with suddenly, without any explanation stop communicating. But as with every other mystery I am quite sure there will come a day when we will understand.
Peace,
Joe
hillsbororiver:
--- Quote from: prarrydog on July 14, 2009, 02:00:09 PM ---Speaking for myself only, I continue to read several times a day however I have not felt like posting for quite some time. I didn't grow up in a religious family. I have almost no background in religion. About four years ago (32 at the time), I happened to see a seventh day adventist show on TV that really struck a cord with me. The next Saturday I found myself sitting in a SDA church, quietly singing songs and praying. It did not take me long to get fired up and I would literally spend every free moment (many times until 5 or 6 in the morning) reading and researching everything to do with God, the bible, SDA etc. etc. I gained a huge amount of knowledge in a short period of time. Lots of knowledge (but as Joe said) no wisdom.
It was around this time that I discovered Ray's site and subsequently this forum. Anyway, to make a short story long, I used to post my opinions,quote scriptures, discuss and offer advice to friends and family, pray with my kids and was proud to be enlightened, until one day I realized that I wasn't nearly as "enlightened" as I thought I was. I suddenly became quite embarrassed (and remain so) about my whole phony christian life. So here I sit, a closet believer, afraid to discuss or even offer an opinion on anything Godly (can't even pray with my kids anymore). I am in a bit of a dark place right now, as I am sure many of you have been, but am sure that one day I will snap out of it. I don't know if I have ever asked for prayer before (if I did it was fake) but I do ask in earnest right now.
Anyway, I am not even sure why I decided to write this or if it even adds anything to this thread but I just felt like I needed to say this.
Scott
--- End quote ---
Hi Scott,
Sorry it took so long to respond to your post, but sometimes I am only capable of reading as there are periods when way too many things are running through my head to put down a paragraph that would make any sense.
I too spent some time with the 7th Day Adventists, it was a long time ago and it was really only for a couple years but coming from a Catholic background where religion was merely going through some rituals on Sundays for 30 to 60 minutes the Adventists seemed to present a religion that was robust, alive and rooted in the bible. I fell away, rather dramatically actually and dove head first back into a pleasure seeking carnal lifestyle that almost killed me a few times and could have left me serving a long prison term if God had not protected me from myself.
But going back to my time with the Adventists I spent many days when I read my bible for hours upon hours as well as the other "church" literature, more than a few people (my parents included) thought I had gone off the deep end with all that bible thumping, perhaps poor Joe had ingested one too many tabs of acid or some other hallucinogen and was now wandering about in never never land.....
Anyway, that period of study time really had paid dividends decades later when I "stumbled upon" or was "dragged to" Bible Truths, although I am not capable of quoting chapter and verse very often I did retain more bible memory that I realized, but this time when reading the articles the verses actually came alive!
I went through that period after learning the real Good News of wanting to share it with anyone and everyone within earshot, I became a clanging cymbal, an out of tune trumpet....
I also experience those darker, wilderness periods you speak of, they are not especially pleasant but when we recognize it for what it is, an opportunity to lean on and grow closer to our Lord it should provide an oasis of comfort in a hostile environment. He is the One who is our truest best friend wherever we are whatever circumstances we face, we can be thankful that He has chosen to correct us in the here and now perhaps preparing us for a great glorious work that is yet to come!
Peace to you Brother,
Joe
hillsbororiver:
--- Quote from: Roy Martin on July 14, 2009, 02:21:21 PM ---Scott, I am touched by your post, and say with confidence that I know why you decided to write what you did. Its the choice that God wanted you to make, and God wants us to pray for you. Its not at all complicated as you may think it is. God has you where He wants you. We are no different than you. You are where you are for us, and us for you, and God for all of us and them.
Scott, its when we get into that dark place as you say you are that God is working a wonderful work; about to bring in some light into your life. God just brought me out of the closet. It may have been a different closet, but it was a closet non the less.
Sounds like God just let a little light into your closet, otherwise you wouldn't have made a post, and asked for prayer. I'm excited for you and will pray for you right now and give thanks to Father God that His will is being done in your life.
Peace
Roy
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Hello Roy,
This post of yours is a beautiful testimony of empathy, drawn from personal trials, I know of really no other way to gain this trait other than experience. This earthly journey, the paths our Father in heaven has deemed necessary for His Sons and Daughters to walk and stumble on does produce a character that could not be attained by a life of leisure and pleasure.
We read of Jesus who was perfect in spirit also needed time alone with His (our) Father, sometimes in the wilderness, other times on a mountain where He could spend One on One time conversing with the only One who really knew Him, His plan and His purpose.
He is our example so we should not be surprised or discouraged when we need this too.
Peace,
Joe
cjwood:
Dear joe,
i pray that there is a november bible conference this year for many, many reasons. one of which is i look forward to an opportunity to see you again and give you a big ole' brotherly/sisterly hug. you have been such an inspiration to all of us at this forum, and to me inparticular. in your reply to scott you mentioned that your family members thought you had ingested one too many tabs of acid or some other hallucinogen and that you had gone off the deep end and was wandering in never, never land. i just got home from visiting with my own momma for 5 days, at my childhood home. my momma and i were sitting at the dinner table eating lunch. we had been talking about the upcoming 5 yr. anniversary of my dad's unexpected death. my momma asked me "claudia, what do you think your daddy is doing right now?" i said, "i will tell you if you truly want to know." she then said, "well, tell me if you think you know so much." i told her, "it's not that i know so much, it's that i have cried out to God our Father to explain some of the questions i had and He has been opening my eyes to His Truths." i said, "daddy isn't doing anything momma, he is dead." i gave her scripture to back up this Truth. she just sat there looking off into space as if trying to understand what i was saying, but, i have spoken to her (and other family members) before about some of these Truths, but they fell on deaf ears. being the "black sheep" in my family all of my life, walking through those deserts of drugs, and more drugs, sex before marriage, etc. etc. it is like anything i have to say regarding what i have been shown by God are discounted because of those days when my mind and actions were clouded in a drugged haze and a lost wandering (but our Father knew i was wandering by His drawing me to Him). like, why would God Almighty show me anything He has not shown them (especially since they go to church and i do not). anyway, got a little off topic joe, but i just wanted to say that i too have experienced prejudice from family members and friends because of the times i was so far away from His Truths (but all the while right where He wanted me to be). and, to tell you how you have been such a blessing to me.
claudia
mharrell08:
--- Quote from: cjwood on July 30, 2009, 06:24:41 PM ---i have spoken to her (and other family members) before about some of these Truths, but they fell on deaf ears. being the "black sheep" in my family all of my life, walking through those deserts of drugs, and more drugs, sex before marriage, etc. etc. it is like anything i have to say regarding what i have been shown by God are discounted because of those days when my mind and actions were clouded in a drugged haze and a lost wandering (but our Father knew i was wandering by His drawing me to Him). like, why would God Almighty show me anything He has not shown them (especially since they go to church and i do not).
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Just some scriptures I thought of when reading your comments...your words testify and agree to what the scriptures tell us of our lot in life. Following an example, indeed...
Pet 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
Matt 13:54-58 And when He [Jesus] was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?
And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house. And He did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.
Mark 6:2-4 ...when the sabbath day was come, He [Jesus] began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.
But Jesus, said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but [Gk. 'except'] in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.
Luke 4:24 ...He [Jesus] said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country
John 15:17-19 These things I command you, that ye love one another. If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
Marques
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