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Over-personalizing a Harvest Festival?

Mart De Haan Posted by Mart DeHaan
November 23rd, 2015
184 Comments » 

P1000870 (1)Down through history, and all over the world, thanksgiving festivals have given communities a chance to thank the God or gods who gave them another harvest.

Such celebrations have been more than expressions of gratefulness for personal health, wealth, marriage, children, and happiness. They have been opportunities for neighbors to celebrate together their shared good fortune.

What I’ve been wondering is whether there is a danger in over personalizing an event that is meant to express the joy of all rather than the blessing of some? Does the practice of asking individuals to express what they are personally thankful for actually work against the spirit of shared joy?

In other words, could our “comparative” and “contrastive” expression of “blessing” be one reason a Thanksgiving Holiday tends to surface so many mixed feelings and anti-social thoughts?


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Filed in Attitudes, Emotions, Unity, World Religions

184 Responses to “Over-personalizing a Harvest Festival?”

  1. SFDBWV says:
    November 23, 2015 at 6:55 am

    Mart I am “thankful” to see you are still with us.

    I have read this morning’s subject several times in an attempt to make certain I understand the thought.

    In truth I have never seen the holiday of Thanksgiving as anti-social. To the contrary our local churches have a Thanksgiving meal served after church the Sunday before the traditional holiday and “soup kitchens” all over America serve up the traditional meal to countless homeless.

    In our home my mother always invited someone who may not have the opportunity to have thanksgiving to share ours and I have always continued the practice.

    Thanksgiving was a shared event at its inception and one meant to give thanks to God for His provision throughout the year.

    In fact in contrast one can say that in acknowledging we are blessed reminds us of those who seem not to be and while being thankful for what we have awaken in us the desire to aid those who are not.

    Curious to see where this may go.

    Steve

  2. bubbles says:
    November 23, 2015 at 7:33 am

    Sometimes I think we focus more on what God does and gives us rather than who and what He is.

    Often when I think of things, it leaves me feeling guilt for those who live in other places who don’t have. Why should I have and they don’t?

    It’s a lovely morning here. . 22F with a skiff of snow on rooftops and cars. The coffee is hot and the house is warm. For that, I’m thankful.

  3. remarutho says:
    November 23, 2015 at 8:20 am

    Good Morning Mart & Friends —

    There are a couple of ways to meet the dawn of Nov. 26th, 2015, it seems to me. We can participate in cooking and serving a feast in someone’s home — or we share the day with neighbors who do not “have” all the advantages of material comfort. There are many ways to go out and act on the thanksgiving we feel in inside ourselves:

    Purchase meals for others, serve meals to others, facilitate hot showers and a change of clothes for others — arrange for a bed for the night for somebody else. Provide hygiene items in the form of a “kit”…

    In our time it is super-simple to give away the grace that has been heaped upon our lives. On line, you can give money to ministries that serve neighbors who are without shelter, covering, food or medical care. In town somewhere is an organization that serves meals, provides cots for the night and breakfast in the morning…cannot list all the possibilities because there are so many. Supply your own imagination here, Mart.

    If staying home produces those icky “anti-social” feelings, remember it is possible to motivate in the next three days, so you find yourself in the midst of the street community on Thursday. We are all the same — we need the basics of life.

    Sharing the joys of the harvest is not “personalizing” in my humble opinion. Rather, touching one or more neighbors who are not able to cook and share a meal indoors is a social act. Could it be we are at our best when we express our thanksgiving 363 days a year? Just asking.

    Joy at Harvest,
    Maru

    29F and clear here this morning. Frosty!

  4. remarutho says:
    November 23, 2015 at 8:22 am

    How about 365 days a year? Slip of the keyboard. Maru

  5. oneg2dblu says:
    November 23, 2015 at 8:33 am

    bubbles… your use of words sent me to my dictionary.

    I row a skiff, which I made of wood originally, and now several hulls later, of other materials.

    I never thought of any other reason for that word usage, other than a boat.

    Now, I see it is used as portraying a lightness, (as a light dusting of snow) if you will.

    Thanks for sharing that eye opening application of the word.

    You’ve painted another wonderful picture in my mind with it.
    Gary

  6. oneg2dblu says:
    November 23, 2015 at 8:46 am

    Mart… I get your point.
    The dreaded holidays, approaching like an unwanted army, coming our way again, just to trample us down, to show us the ugly head of a family broken, a dream unmet, a pain of separation of hearts, of forces gathering only for themselves, instead of truly sharing, in all that God has given us.
    For many, even Christians, the holidays can bring something other than joy!

    For those who will again feel its emptiness, I can pray!

    We live in an ever darkening world where our faith, our resolve, and our will, is tested daily.

    “May we daily empty ourselves upon the Lord, knowing He is willing to heal all our wounds, strengthen all our weaknesses, and bless us beyond our knowing.”
    Be Blessed,
    Gary

  7. oneg2dblu says:
    November 23, 2015 at 8:57 am

    Steve.. I get your point as well.
    Another chance for family to come together, and share the blessings we have been given, to even invite a stranger to the table, as my father also had done in many holidays of the past.
    The past has past, when we were a family, when we were living together as family, worshiping as a family, and praying to God daily as a family gathered together.

    May knowing your family is gathering be a blessing to us all.
    Gary

  8. SFDBWV says:
    November 23, 2015 at 9:16 am

    Gary if you lived here in the Appalachian Mountains there are probably a great many colloquial words you would soon have to learn in order to speak our brand of English.

    On the topic of Thanksgiving one word that comes to mind that may be confusing to “flatlanders” is how one had “wretch” across the table in order to reach the warm rolls…My smile for the morning.

    Steve

  9. poohpity says:
    November 23, 2015 at 9:45 am

    Mart, you are right many associate blessings with a good harvest, warm homes, enough money to eat, having leftovers, having transportation, living in a safe country but to contrast that with the blessing found in tears, pain, suffering, sorrows, grief, need, illnesses, weaknesses many may not consider those blessings but God says they are. Actually He said the last ones were actually more of a blessing than the first ones. Now I understand the contrast. Finding joy in the midst of any circumstance is something to be very thankful for personally, as a believer and corporately, as a member of the body of believers.

  10. SFDBWV says:
    November 23, 2015 at 10:31 am

    One more quick visit before I turn the computer over to Matthew for the day (he is on his break).

    Since Thanksgiving is Thursday and accompanied by a long weekend off for schools here in West Virginia, for the most part (not all) since today is the first day of rifle deer season and boys and some male teachers just don’t attend school in favor of deer hunting,so this week is a vacation from school altogether.

    Just a matter of priorities.

    Hoping all of you are blessed today, I will see you tomorrow morning, God willing.

    Steve

  11. poohpity says:
    November 23, 2015 at 10:36 am

    We pray for blessings, we pray for peace
    Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
    We pray for healing, for prosperity
    We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering

    All the while You hear each spoken need
    Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

    ‘Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
    What if Your healing comes through tears?
    What if a thousand sleepless nights
    Are what it takes to know You’re near?

    What if trials of this life
    Are Your mercies in disguise?

    We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear
    We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
    We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
    As if every promise from Your Word is not enough

    And all the while You hear each desperate plea
    And long that we’d have faith to believe

    ‘Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
    What if Your healing comes through tears?
    And what if a thousand sleepless nights

    Are what it takes to know You’re near?

    And what if trials of this life
    Are Your mercies in disguise?

    When friends betray us, when darkness seems to win
    We know that pain reminds this heart
    That this is not, this is not our home
    It’s not our home

    ‘Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
    What if Your healing comes through tears?
    And what if a thousand sleepless nights
    Are what it takes to know You’re near?

    What if my greatest disappointments
    Or the aching of this life
    Is the revealing of a greater thirst
    This world can’t satisfy?

    And what if trials of this life
    The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
    Are Your mercies in disguise?

  12. joycemb says:
    November 23, 2015 at 12:49 pm

    Mart I agree that sometimes personal blessings can overshadow the joy of the holiday. Yesterday in church- yes folks I have returned to church after a 4 year hiatus – people were asked to share what they were thankful for. Things ranged from a little boy thankful for his dog to a confessed alcoholic thankful that his wife of 55 years stuck with him even in his darkest days. At our pot-blessing afterward a woman shared how she met Jesus while living homeless and selling herself for many years and now thanks Him by washing the feet of other homeless in our homeless program and telling them about Jesus. All of these got different applause levels from the congregation; some none, some little and some loud. I was thinking how I used to feel as I would compare myself to others’ testimonies of the grace given to me. I used to feel little or unimportant or worse before conversion than most. But I’ve finally understood it’s not about us (me) it’s about the great God we serve in using our various gifts knowing that nobody has the whole picture but by coming together we get a glimpse of just how good God is. And that He is enough!

  13. joycemb says:
    November 23, 2015 at 1:37 pm

    Mart has your Thanksgiving been overshadowed by personal pain? Sometimes it’s best to find the joy in the pain, as you well know and am sure finding reason to rejoice in spite of it. God bless you in mysterious ways, friend.

  14. bubbles says:
    November 23, 2015 at 5:26 pm

    Hello, Gary

    “Skiff,” I believe, comes from a Scottish word. . it’s a hillbilly term here. I didn’t think about it being a word not widely used or I would’ve used “a light dusting.” Many people from this area are of Scotch/Irish descent and the words they brought over on the boat with them have remained in our vernacular. Take care on your rowing ventures.

  15. rokdude5 says:
    November 23, 2015 at 8:14 pm

    Hello and Happy Thanksgivings to all…
    One year when my daughter was about 4 or 5 years old, we took turns offering personal prayers of thanksgiving. When it was her turn, she thanked God for Mommy, Daddy, her brother, her toys and for the refrigerator!

    Though we do have lots of blessings, sometimes I have to stop myself and thank God for every beat of my heart and every breath I take. I thank Him for His Grace and Mercy even though I can be such a knucklehead. I thank Him especially for the sacrifice of His Son without which I couldnt lift up a single word of prayer. I would like to think this is the very essence of the Day of Thanksgiving.

  16. Mart DeHaan says:
    November 24, 2015 at 4:59 am

    I may have misled our conversation by using the word “anti-social”. That’s probably not the right word to get across what I had in mind. The thought behind my post is that, in the best case, healthy personal gratefulness for material and spiritual provisions can be a way of life for 365 days a year. Yet how we express our personal thanks to God in the presence of others— even on those days, but especially on a community harvest festival like Thanksgiving, can have an unintended effect on those whose experience is not like our own.

  17. SFDBWV says:
    November 24, 2015 at 6:20 am

    Mart my friend if I have learned anything in my short 68 years it is that no one has the same life experience. Even when similar the persons own persona effects how every experience is seen and perhaps even remembered.

    Look at how the world now looks at Christmas and Thanksgiving.

    Christmas is replaced by Santa Claus and Thanksgiving by a huge meal with football to follow.

    Because we give honor to Jesus in celebrating His birth it offends all other religions, because we celebrate God’s provision we offend those who do not believe in anything except themselves.

    Their bitterness wants to overshadow our celebrations.

    Both occasions should be an opportunity for us to “showcase” our Lord.

    Almost everyone here in this conversation is living with pain of some kind and all of us wonder why God won’t remove it, but even in the midst of our own personal suffering we recognize God’s care for us in our own unique situations.

    And for that we can celebrate a fall harvest feast with gladness in our hearts.

    I for one refuse to face the realities of this world with anything less than hope and am reminded of the story Jesus tells of only one person out of many he healed returning to thank Him. I will thank Him every day several times a day and I do, and I will fix a big turkey Thursday with all the trimmings as a way of showing it “Thursday”. Friday the spotlight will be off of the holiday but I will still be grateful for what that day gives and the future may hold.

    Steve

  18. saled says:
    November 24, 2015 at 6:27 am

    Mart, your topic has had me thinking that in my area, our Blueberry festival is the kind of Thanksgiving celebration that all can take joy in. Our entire area is blessed by the blueberry harvest, and no feels like they have missed out by comparing their home or lives to everyone else. I think we do need to be careful in expressing what we are thankful for publicly. I remember a staff meeting in which we were asked to say something we were thankful for. The co-worker who had a new house did not mention that, but instead said how thankful she was for hot and cold running water. A year in the Peace Corp spent in Africa had taught her what a blessing that is, and everyone sitting in the group that day shared the same blessing.

  19. bubbles says:
    November 24, 2015 at 6:56 am

    On the dining room wall I have “For the Lord is good, his love endures forever. “. Another version has “mercy” instead of love. We can all be thankful for the mercy of God every day. It is humbling to know God is merciful, and we, in turn should reflect Him and show mercy towards others. Who are we to withhold mercy when God gives it to us every day. I am thankful for a Heavenly Father who loves with a love that cannot be understood.

  20. poohpity says:
    November 24, 2015 at 8:40 am

    A lot of the things we do or say have unintended consequences when we do not give any thought to others but consider our rights, freedoms and possessions above theirs.

    When the first harvest thanksgiving was practiced they brought the first fruits into the house of the Lord to show Him their gratefulness which also fed those who did the Lord’s duties but God had also taught them to leave the edges of the fields so those who were passing through or foreigners would have plenty to eat. God thought of everyone.

  21. poohpity says:
    November 24, 2015 at 8:45 am

    I was wondering if sometimes people may use what they have to boast by thinking they have been given a special blessing from God when it seems in reality God gives extra to those He wants to use to bless those who have not?

  22. poohpity says:
    November 24, 2015 at 8:56 am

    But on the other hand should we not give thanks to God for what we are truly thankful for because when it comes down to it our heart is focused on God. Different people will respond in different ways to all kinds of things so not thanking God from a heart of true gratefulness wouldn’t that be a lie and hiding the truth?

  23. oneg2dblu says:
    November 24, 2015 at 9:29 am

    I’m sure we all have some sort of local speak from where we live and must communicate with locals using their terms/words.
    We bring our own home grown words with us, and we adapt to new ones as we need to.
    Kind of like learning to be a Church person, we use church speak, which may be quite different then when we speak to the rest of the world.
    there, we must be tolerant, understanding, compassionate, willing to learn new terms, but, we still do not have to accept their terms in doing so, if it does not honor our walk with the Lord.
    Here’s one usage I had to swallow one day, and hold my tongue in doing so, just to not offend the other person who used it most fluently for another newer speak.
    The word change or term was LP, which for me growing up with records as the main source for recording and selling music to the world I knew, meant only one thing, Long Playing.
    Today, unfortunately, we are told we need to play to a different tune, More Inclusive, if you will, and we are told that LP now stands for a Life Partner, as the Gay Agenda now provides us with its new terms for our politically correct, currently acceptable speak.
    So, we are being hijacked everyday by not only removing Christ from Christmas, and Thanksgiving to God on Thanksgiving Day, we are being shaped daily to walk as the world walks, think as the world thinks, and speak as the world speaks, but, for whom do we do such?
    For Peace in our homes?
    For Tolerance in our workplaces?
    For our giving in to the rest of the World?
    For their latest whim?
    For me, living in my seventh decade, using the old words seems just fine, and if they offend others, then, let others know where those old words came from.
    Bubbles, thanks for the update on skiff, and for retaining its origins.
    Now, if the Word of God, the unchanging and everlasting word, could be spoken honestly and freely, and in keeping its origins without harming others, we would already be in Paradise!
    But, we are not yet there…
    Come Jesus!
    Gary

  24. remarutho says:
    November 24, 2015 at 9:49 am

    Good Morning All —

    Grateful for the clarification, Mart! Triumphant prayers of thanks anywhere, anytime, do not lift up those who hear them, it seems to me.

    Perhaps those who have extravagant material blessing might, like Saled’s friend who has a new home, avoid reciting a list of material blessings when giving thanks aloud.

    Also, have noticed the expression of deep unshakable faith can be torture for those who live with doubts. This is ironic, since the expression of faith should be a strong witness of God’s faithful character. Perhaps ways of acting, rather than words, give evidence of deep faith — and produce more hope for those who struggle with trust and believe.

    Just thinking on the original post without the “anti-social” connotation. Stories — personal, Bible, parable — seem to bear the message of Good News in a form that is more digestible than any claims of great personal blessings.

    Thanks, Steve, for the thumbnail on what our culture has done to Thanksgiving and Christmas — “overeating, sports on TV and some jolly old elf dressed in red”! True! Painful!

    Humanity needs the hope of deliverance and genuine, eternal life in Jesus.

    Blessings all day,
    Maru

    37F with light rain — probably trending to snow or sleet later today, as the temperature drops.

  25. jeff1 says:
    November 24, 2015 at 10:02 am

    Personally I believe I make too many assumptions as to why other people do things differently and if it offends God at all or if it is my perception that it does.

    I know here that Santa Claus is seen as something for the children but he has not replaced Christ as the reason we celebrate Christmas.

    As long as we have the freedom to celebrate ourselves then let others do as they wish for God would not want people to be forced into celebrating for He does not force His will on anyone so do not look at what others do but enjoy and praise God in your way and God will be pleased that you have celebrated Him showing that you think of Him and take the time to show Him so.

  26. joycemb says:
    November 24, 2015 at 1:04 pm

    Yes Mart unintended consequences for those with different experiences than our own often comes down to perception – our very human perceptions of what grace looks like I believe. Thank God for the written word that continuously guides into the truth. I read every day and listen to others and need to be refreshed over and over again as I am forgetting so much as I age.

    I think also as we grow and mature our message becomes more about God and less about us, as it should. Holy holy holy is The Lord God almighty, maker of heaven and earth. The whole world is full of His glory!

  27. Loomis says:
    November 24, 2015 at 3:10 pm

    My favorite holiday, why just to give thanks. Regardless what others do, I can thank God for the blessings and the provisions given to live another years as a pilgrim of faith. Thanks is both worship and a testimony. Praise for all the good traditions that are part of it.

  28. oneg2dblu says:
    November 24, 2015 at 3:42 pm

    What if you had to choose one word to express what you are most thankful for, using your faith position, your prayer language, and knowing well your word will be written into your legacy.

    Like the child in Sunday school once said, “I know the answer is always “Jesus.”

    But, what if the question says, What animal climbs trees, eats nuts, has a long fury tail?

    What if your pain is deep, your nights are way to long, and your next meal is not there when you finally manage to get out of bed?

    I would say, Thank you Lord, for creating all creatures and for giving them life. Thank you Lord, for the trees that only you can make, the fruit they bear, and the ones that profit from that fruit.
    Thank you Lord that I can still feel anything, even pain, and that I had a bed to toss and turn on all night.
    Thank you Lord, for giving me another day to be hungry for you, and for an appetite.
    Why would we not see you at work in all things?
    Speaking of work, thank you Lord for my job and the ability to know it too is from you.
    You see, I just can’t stop myself…
    My one word could be Jesus, but, I already know all good things come from above, so I’ll give you, in my own speak, my one legacy word, “His.”
    Gary

  31. jeff1 says:
    November 25, 2015 at 7:43 am

    A song for all times by Burt Bacharach

    What the world needs now is love, sweet love
    It’s the only thing there is just too little of
    What the world needs now is love, sweet love
    No not just for some but for everyone
    Lord, we don’t need another mountain,
    There are mountains and hillsides enough to climb
    There are oceans and rivers enough to cross,
    Enough to last till the end of time.
    What the world needs now is love, sweet love
    It’s the only thing that there is just too little of
    What the love needs now is love, sweet love,
    No, not just for some but for everyone.
    Lord, we don’t need another meadow
    There are cornfields and wheat fields enough to grow
    There are sunbeams and moonbeams enough to shine
    Oh listen, Lord, if you want to know.
    What the world needs now is love, sweet love
    It’s the only thing that there is just too little of
    What the world needs now is love, sweet love,
    No, not just for some but for everyone
    No, not just for some, Oh but just for everyone.

  32. phpatato says:
    November 25, 2015 at 8:33 am

    Forgiveness

  33. poohpity says:
    November 25, 2015 at 9:39 am

    Knowledge

  34. oneg2dblu says:
    November 25, 2015 at 10:21 am

    Agape, Hope, Forgiveness, those are truly all great words…

    jeff1… sounds like your one word, though you have not said it yet, is found perhaps somewhere in the expression of that song.

    Or, is it only implied, and to you, need not be spoken?

    Like when you are holding another’s hand, or just being with a loved one, remaining silent, being there but not speaking.

    Perhaps a word can not express for you what you want to say,
    as you cite many words written by others, that really speak to you, and for you, and for many others.

    Am thinking…

    How about Mary’s one word of shear delight, after her finding the answer to why the tomb was empty, “Rabboni!”

    The intimacy found in that one word she clearly had uttered, which surely came only through her actual close following the Lord’s Words, was to me her greatest personal expression.

    Yet, to the others she said, “I have seen the Lord.”

    One can only await of what great words, we who know and love Him, shall then utter.

    Gary

  35. oneg2dblu says:
    November 25, 2015 at 10:23 am

    Yes, Knowledge.

  36. poohpity says:
    November 25, 2015 at 10:41 am

    Gary what is your ONE word? You asked us for ours yet the column is spattered with many, many from you. Viv’s was “love” done with song. What do all your words mean?

  37. poohpity says:
    November 25, 2015 at 10:51 am

    Then tied our mouths from saying the ONE word that makes it all possible “JESUS”.

  38. joycemb says:
    November 25, 2015 at 1:27 pm

    Mercy

  39. joycemb says:
    November 25, 2015 at 1:31 pm

    I believe Gary said his one word is: His

  40. oneg2dblu says:
    November 25, 2015 at 1:56 pm

    pooh asks…”Gary what is your ONE word?”

    I am so pleased that Viv didn’t spatter her words all over, or tie our mouths, like you so lovingly claim I have.

    You sound dis-pleased with all my words.

    Part of my, (“many, many words”) post, was simply humorous, and the other a little more, informative, and challenging, and lastly…
    revealing.
    I guess you missed the revealing ending.
    Gary

  41. oneg2dblu says:
    November 25, 2015 at 1:59 pm

    Joycemb… you captured a great word there.
    I was singing it in my Soul, with outward tears in my eyes,as I was posting replies to others.

  42. poohpity says:
    November 25, 2015 at 2:14 pm

    Oh Gary, I was being humorous too. You asked us to use one word but yet did not do it yourself and that I thought was funny. You know the old adage that most parents use with their children, “Do as I say not as I do”. Then picked on Viv about it. So I found it all humorous. Thank you very much for making me smile. :-)

  43. oneg2dblu says:
    November 25, 2015 at 2:23 pm

    The song by Matt Redman, Mercy
    “May I never lose the wonder, Oh the wonder of your mercy, May I sing your hallelujah, Hallelujah, Amen!”

    Great Word!

  44. oneg2dblu says:
    November 25, 2015 at 2:28 pm

    Your fig leaves are sometimes fashioned just as the ones in the Garden, just a little to late!
    “Who told you you were naked?”
    HIS

  45. tedmgossard says:
    November 25, 2015 at 4:32 pm

    I think this is an excellent point, Mart. Been chewing on it, a bit. I think the older I get the less I care about my own personal blessing, and the more I see my blessing as shared. Not that God doesn’t care for and bless us individually and as individuals. But our heart is to be in terms of God being “our Father,” not just “my Father.” And this blessing is meant for the world, of course.

  46. oneg2dblu says:
    November 25, 2015 at 6:45 pm

    If you have 12 minutes, and you want to be blessed like I just was, then, go to youtube Forever (LIVE) Kari Jobe, and you will a great song and hear a testimony about words that will bless you abundantly.
    Be Blessed, Gary

  47. cbrown says:
    November 25, 2015 at 9:24 pm

    Thank you Gary. The message at the end was powerful.

  48. street says:
    November 25, 2015 at 11:34 pm

    mart said,”What I’ve been wondering is whether there is a danger in over personalizing an event that is meant to express the joy of all rather than the blessing of some? Does the practice of asking individuals to express what they are personally thankful for actually work against the spirit of shared joy?”

    thinking a persons joy and thanks is proportionate to the depth and understanding. same as feeling sorrow. it is not right to rejoice in the punishment of evil and i think it goes the same as one who is not happy for one who is thankful.

    sometimes i think we should be more thankful for God’s care and tender mercy in our adversity as opposed to prosperity as James mentions.

    thinking if God is Dad He is going to “raise” perfect kids.

  49. cbrown says:
    November 26, 2015 at 12:22 am

    Street, it should not be an intellectual discussion. God instructs us from His Word.

  50. SFDBWV says:
    November 26, 2015 at 6:30 am

    Good morning BTA friends and I pray for you all to have a happy Thanksgiving Day.

    I know all too well that some of us will be in many levels of distress or unpleasantness or even some dealing with the issues of life and death and the holiday just another date on the calendar, for such I pray they are comforted and given the peace that only Jesus can provide.

    It is what I think Mart had in mind with this subject, that we don’t forget how others suffer on a day we set aside to give thanks.

    As for the traditional turkey meal, I have my turkey ready to go into the oven and will as the morning allows prepare the rest of our meal for consumption this afternoon.

    In truth I make this meal 3 or four times a year and now tradition for me is to have it on the Sunday before Memorial Day as well.

    Whereas I give personal thanks to our Lord many times a day every day, today is special because it provides for some to think about what they have to be thankful for.

    I have a lot to be thankful for, some of which is this blog and the friends I have met and made here.

    Thank you Mart.

    23 degrees under a bright full moon and a clear crisp star studded sky.

    Steve

  51. foreverblessed says:
    November 26, 2015 at 8:05 am

    To everybody in the US, happy Thanksgiving!

    We in Europe do not celebrate this day, we have at the end of October somewhere a thank day for the harvest. That is on a Sunday in church, but not with meals in the home.

    I liked the Thanksgiving that Kari Jobe did in the video Gary gave us. That is great Thanksgiving.
    The greatest thanks we can give: For Our Savior Jesus.

    The song Jeff gave last week comes back again, a song of thankfulness:
    Blessed assurance: Jesus in mine

    Which gave me some the think: We are His,
    but…. this song says:
    Jesus is mine??!!

  52. bubbles says:
    November 26, 2015 at 9:01 am

    The full moon has been especially lovely this time around. The sky has been clear every night this week. Two nights ago the moon illuminated several jet streams making them and wispy clouds glow. I’m thankful God made the moon; even though it has a purpose, it’s also beautiful. It’s amazing how God joined function and beauty together.

    Last night I sat beside a body of water and watched the sun set. It was peaceful, and it made me thank God for eyesight.

  53. phpatato says:
    November 26, 2015 at 9:31 am

    Good morning All

    A. W. Tozer once said, “Gratitude is an offering precious in the sight of God, and it is one that the poorest of us can make and be not poorer but richer for having made it.”

    Gratitude turns what we have into enough.

    I wish you all enough!

    Happy Thanksgiving to each of you, my American friends.

    Pat

  54. remarutho says:
    November 26, 2015 at 9:47 am

    Good Morning BTA Friends —

    Thinking about how many hot meals will be served to folks who are in no position to obtain food — cook it — and sit down to eat together as a family. A figure that comes to mind is 11 million people currently on the road or seeking shelter in a nation not their own.

    Our troops deployed all over the world — our allies’ soldiers as well — and just as importantly — our military enemies — need to eat today. The harvest has been gathered in the temperate zone. As you point out, Mart, celebration of the harvest is part of all times and cultures and ethnic groups everywhere.

    This morning, a full moon is the glorious splendor of a clear, cold sky here. 27F and frosty. According to EarthSky, “those in North America often call this full moon the Beaver Moon or Frosty Moon. In the Southern Hemisphere, where it’s now spring, the November full moon could be called the Flower Moon.”

    Will be joining family and friends away from home for a holiday meal. May all who sit down to eat today give thanks to the Creator God, the Lord of the Harvest, for the food before us!

    Happy Thanksgiving,
    Maru

  55. oneg2dblu says:
    November 26, 2015 at 10:02 am

    Yes, Happy Thanksgiving!
    For those who do not have it as their National Holiday, we always have a reason to give thanks to the Lord every day.
    I really like that quote that “Gratitude is Enough,.”
    I love even more, that His Grace is Enough, and more, because it not only expresses what we have as enough, but, what has been freely given us as well.

    Forever… I’m glad you had the time to listen, and receive that blessing of words in that song and that testimony.

    Thanking the Lord for so many things already today.

    While out on my morning row, I was thankful that the Manatees which I disturbed, twice I might add, did not fill my boat with water as they certainly can when they are startled.
    Today they just moved the surface around a little to let me know they were there, or rather, that I was in there space.

    Yes, we all can give “Thanks to Mart,” for letting us all into his space.

    I hope I have not over-personalized things this morning,
    but, how can we truly express what lies within us, without giving it a personal touch.

    Be Blessed, Gary

  56. joycemb says:
    November 26, 2015 at 11:09 am

    Street also thankful that when we are “raised” in tne sense that I think you mean we will see Him perfectly and without all the troubles that plague us now. Good reminder, thanks and have a blessed day.

  57. joycemb says:
    November 26, 2015 at 11:14 am

    Happy Thanksgiving to all here and abroad as giving thanks is a 24/7 thing we all can do. Time to let- go of our insignificant and significant disturbances as we turn our eyes to our Creator in loving gratitude for all He has done.

  58. street says:
    November 26, 2015 at 12:15 pm

    pat thanks for the post on tozer.
    made my day better.

  59. refump says:
    November 26, 2015 at 12:22 pm

    Just wanted to share something a friend on Facebook posted that speaks to this topic I believe:
    The free thanksgiving meal offered in Mandan each year is packed with people. Volunteering there leaves me feeling broken hearted. Elderly people who can hardly walk, vets who have fought for our freedom, mom’s with 2 or 3 kids, bundled in rags to stay warm. I learned quickly not to ask them if they are excited for Christmas. The blank look in their eyes reminded me that they hadn’t been excited for a Christmas in a long time. I told them that was Jesus birthday so they should remember to sing happy birthday to him that day. I walked away wondering where they would be on Christmas, what would they eat. They were just children. There would be no gifts under the tree, there was no tree.

    My goal in life is to help these people, not just by volunteering or buying a sandwich. I want to be able to do something big, and I pray God will make that possible someday. Until then I can offer my time and my prayers.

    It is not that I don’t care about the refugees, it is not that I don’t fear for their safety, or pray for those poor children daily. It is just that I am very compassionate for the homeless in this country, many of which are children. How can we offer homes, clothing, food, and jobs to 10,000 refugees but we can’t help our own. My family is only one or two major financial crisis away from being in the same boat. We live paycheck to paycheck, with vehicles that are barely making it anymore. When we pray at our meals, we genuinely mean how thankful we are for it. Our hearts should be with everyone in need, but I feel whatever we can do should be done for our own first. This whole situation is very difficult. But I have talked to the homeless, I have heard their heartbreaking stories, and I’ve looked into their sad eyes. We are failing. We cannot turn our backs to our homeless people. It would feel like a slap in the face if I were living on the streets while my country offers homes and food to people from another country.

  60. oneg2dblu says:
    November 26, 2015 at 12:30 pm

    refump… Prayers for others are a huge encounter with an Almighty God who hears our prayers, knows all our needs and the needs of those we pray for. We must find our peace in knowing that God is in control of all things, and all things come together for the good of those who love Him.
    Know that your every thought for others comes only through a Heart for the Lord.
    He is Willing…
    Be Blessed, Gary

  61. jeff1 says:
    November 26, 2015 at 12:38 pm

    A quote from Melody Beattie

    Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.

    God bless you all this Thanksgiving.

  62. joycemb says:
    November 26, 2015 at 1:42 pm

    Viv I have always enjoyed what Melody Beattie has to say also, thanks.

  63. joycemb says:
    November 26, 2015 at 1:46 pm

    Also thankful for the things I think I need that don’t come. God has His reasons. His way is perfect.

  64. SFDBWV says:
    November 27, 2015 at 6:40 am

    What I have discovered in being as social as I can is that there are some things that never change as one generation over takes the older one.

    When you are nice, polite and gentle with people it is always appreciated, not necessarily reciprocated, but appreciated.

    When the Normans won against the Saxons in England several hundred years ago it became improper to use Saxon language and in their growing society the use of many Saxony words were looked down upon as being low class and even vulgar.

    Proper etiquette dictated what to say.

    I find myself troubled by a new socially correct society that once again restricts what it is I can say because they find it offensive.

    For me much of the new “politically correct” language we are allowed to use and not is seen as inane, but the proponents of it use such terms as being sensitive to the feelings of another in why we should become more “politically correct”. Because according to them if we don’t we just aren’t sensitive and are uncaring to the feelings of another.

    Here we have a subject that is very akin to this same line of thinking.

    If publicly I give thanks to my blessings, someone in the crowd may not feel as blessed as I do and so I should just say nothing so as not to offend that one person.

    That is how I understand Mart’s message.

    I am reminded of another comment from Jesus who said if we publicly proclaim Him to men He will publicly proclaim us to His heavenly Father.

    Thanksgiving in the USA was established nationally as a holiday for giving thanks to God for His provision. For us to reflect on what we have to be thankful for and to whom it is we are to be thankful to.

    Let’s leave it that way.

    25 degrees full moon setting with some high altitude fog moving in.

    Steve

  65. pegramsdell says:
    November 27, 2015 at 7:09 am

    Good morning and Happy Thanksgiving Mart, Pooh, Steve, Bubbles and all…. I’m enjoying all your posts. So thankful for my God and my family and friends. My job and my life really. Things could be better but they can be worse also. Gary, I think my word is: Peace!

  66. jeff1 says:
    November 27, 2015 at 8:20 am

    That is so true Joyce, I find as I progress through this world that a lot of things my parents used to say that at the time I was too young to understand now come to light.

    My parents knew what rationing was as did all those who were brought up in wartime. It made them I would not say miserable with their provisions for they where not that but more careful with the distribution of them.

    I was brought up in a time of plenty and wanted for nothing and in some ways that made me careless with mine.

    My children are seeing a time of want, want, want because in the western world there is an abundance of material things.

    If you ask me which generation of people would I say where the most grateful I would say those brought up in wartime.

    I hear the older people scolding today about the demands of the younger and the truth is when I was young I was just like the younger generation of today because I did not know what it was like to be rationed.

    God meets our needs and not our demands for I can be just as greedy as the next person yet something deep inside me hates greed because I believe that it makes me into a not very nice person.

    Profit is the name of the game today and as companies expand they want their profit margins to get bigger. Their workers are told how much more they will benefit the harder they work and so many buy into the hard work brings big rewards.

    It takes an older head to know that the only people who get rich are the boys at the top and not the workers.
    I am not just talking financially for I see men and women working all hours God sends to earn a good living so they can be generous to their family.

    The problem is they are working so hard they have not time to spend with them and gradually those children get into all sorts of trouble looking for the attention of their parents that is not there.

    It is always the working man who gets the brunt in the war of greed for those who want to make profit are very good at brainwashing those who desire to have a better life for their family that working hard brings its rewards.

    I see many of those men today whose health suffered as well as their families for having listened to greedy managers tell them how good their lives would be but it is the bosses who are sitting in their fancy houses, with big cars and big lifestyles who benefited from their hard work.

    I am glad that God meets my needs and not my greed for how does one live with oneself living in such grandeur while those they used as pawns suffer from their hard working lives while they reap in the rewards.

    Of all the sins, I look for atonement from God for today it is my greed which I think of as need. When my son who served in Afghanistan came back and I ask him about it. His reaction was ‘how little they have’. He could not believe that they did not even have a school.

    My son no longer believes in God for he does not understand a God whom gives so much to one and not to another.

    I do not wonder why there is a falling away from belief in God today for I can see why. The truth is there are as many greedy people as there is needy people.

    I give to charities and to world disasters but it does not stop me being greedy, from wanting a nice house, a nice car and material things and to my way of thinking that makes me just as greedy as the bosses I hate.

    I struggle with God because I have convinced myself I am entitled to have what others are not entitled to have and how I deceive myself!

    I give to charities and work for them as an atonement for knowing that it is greed and not need that drives me for when I turn on the television I see how poor other parts of the world are and realize just how much I take for granted and how thankless I can be for all God’s provisions!

    I am thankful that God enlightens me to my sins of omission so I can see clearly that whatever He does in my life it is to change me into the person He wants me to be for I want to be that person also!

    God has His reasons. His way is perfect. God make me never doubt that!

  67. poohpity says:
    November 27, 2015 at 8:32 am

    Yesterday(11-26-2015) listening to DTW Bill Crowder made a statement that really gave me reason to think and I do not know if I can quote it exactly but here goes. He calls it “The Principle of closeness”= “The closer I am to Christ in my walk with Him, the more conscience of my failings and shortcomings. The further away I am the more conscience I am of the failures and shortcomings of everybody else.”

  68. oneg2dblu says:
    November 27, 2015 at 10:17 am

    That premise says to me, that if had no relationship with the Lord, totally separated, no closeness at all, the more conscience I would be of others failings and shortcomings?

    I do not see it that way.

    That is a polar opposite of what I experienced in my life’s walk, for when I was away from God, no relationship, I focused on “none other” than my little old self.

    However, when I turned from my own self-serving life, turned toward God’s Help, then, my perspective included others, far more than myself.

    But, that is just me, and your walk may have gone another way.

    Who was closer to God then Christ?

    Yes, Christ, who always looked at the very needs/problems of others, and was always willing to help them, even if He called them names to wake them out of their complacency, arouse there lack of awareness.

    In fact, if you can’t see others as well as your own needs and problems, how can you then be as willing as Christ?

    I think the walk in us, is most effective when we stay close to God first, and then, also open our eyes to the rest of the needy, troubled, world.

    Even in His last prayer, “Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do.”

    Shows us all quite clearly, that Christ always put God first, and the plight of others a very close second.

    Gary

  69. oneg2dblu says:
    November 27, 2015 at 10:21 am

    pegramsdell… Yes, another great word, “Peace.”

  70. oneg2dblu says:
    November 27, 2015 at 10:31 am

    To me, if I didn’t have the Lord in my life, I would not give a flip about others.
    There would be no need for me to pray for others, no need to give to others, but to receive something in return.
    I guess you could say, I was first born in the natural, as a self-serving sinner, and when by the Grace of God, born again spiritually, into a new life of serving for something greater than my self.
    But, that’s just me.
    How did it go for you all?
    Gary

  71. poohpity says:
    November 27, 2015 at 11:30 am

    That statement is not saying in anyway to not be mindful of the needs of others or to not care about them. Bill was saying that as a reflection of what Jesus taught, “Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? “Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye?…” The closer one gets to God the more they can recognize how much grace has been to shown to them and therefore will not look for the areas that others fall short. Gary, maybe if you will listen to the Discover the Word for yesterday you might understand since I fail so often in conveying the message so that it is understandable.

    As Paul also said, “Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business….” in another letter goes on to say except for showing love in action which is not picking people apart but doing good and that never get tired of. Those close to Christ live out the love they have experienced which includes mercy, peace, grace and forgiveness. Living out the harvest.

  72. poohpity says:
    November 27, 2015 at 11:39 am

    Gary, I guess a shorter version would be live your life as one who has accepted what Christ has done for you that will be the action that shows how grateful you are.

  73. Regina says:
    November 27, 2015 at 12:26 pm

    Good Morning, All

    Happy (belated) Thanksgiving, BTA Friends! :-) Was distracted by the holiday festivities yesterday, but I’m enjoying some quiet time today. It was a very rainy Thanksgiving Holiday in my neck of the woods. I hope you enjoyed your time of fellowship, reflection and fun with your friends and family on our day of Thanksgiving!

    48 degrees, clouds and a little (intermittent) rain right now…

    Love to all,
    Regina

  74. joycemb says:
    November 27, 2015 at 3:43 pm

    Pooh and Gary after reading your thoughts this comes to mind ; there can be no change without repentance no matter how hard we try to make ourselves look like Christ. Our actions will eventually prove who we really are; His or our fake selves. Paul wrote to his protege in 2 Timothy 4:2-4 how to respond to other believers. If they don’t hear or respond after many warnings I believe it’s best to as he says to “be patient”, and do what you have to do to be at peace with them. Sometimes getting away is the only way to keep peace until there is genuine repentance that brings the needed change. Staying involved with those who distort or change the gospel to fit their own agenda is dangerous and could lead the sheep away from the safety of the sheepfold. Hence the warnings to Timothy.

    That will be 2 cents please…

  75. oneg2dblu says:
    November 27, 2015 at 3:45 pm

    “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.”

    According to scripture all are blind to their own sin.

    First, (for me,) and not to discredit Bill Crowder’s message (the part pooh may have missed,) there is no walk with Jesus Christ as Lord for any of us, unless we are first called.

    Second, as the Holy Spirit comes alongside of us, He convicts us, He shows us our sin, and our need for a Savior. He takes off our blinders.

    Then, with new sight, and upon our own “confession of faith,” or believing, our asking Christ to come inside us as Lord of our life, do we receive the Holy Spirit’s Indwelling.

    I don’t know how anyone can see “at all” with a log in their eye. Even a speck (to me), is alarming enough, that all my focus is on first getting the speck out my own eye!

    Been there, done that.

    Yes, I get the allegory, all are guilty.

    After all pooh, you do cite the log all the time, and along with the finger pointing thing, I believe it is one of your favorites, as it takes the blame away from yourself, and places in the face of others.

    But doing only that though, it somehow solves nothing…

    “The closer one gets to God the more they can recognize how much grace has been to shown to them and therefore will not look for the areas that others fall short.”

    Again,for me, according to my getting closer to God through learning His Word, I have found the scripture clearly says, “All have fallen short of the Glory of God.”

    It also says, in my own words…

    The fields are white to harvest, call upon the Lord of the Harvest to send out his workers, (US).

    But, “If we are closer to God, then, don’t let them see when a brother or sister has fallen short, or is failing?

    Funny, but to me, you can’t send out the blind to grope through the fields, they must be able to at least “see” the field, to be able to harvest.

    Just Thinking…

  76. joycemb says:
    November 27, 2015 at 3:50 pm

    2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head

  77. joycemb says:
    November 27, 2015 at 3:54 pm

    For Itching ears today the buzzword is grace. Do what you want grace will save you.

  78. joycemb says:
    November 27, 2015 at 3:55 pm

    And frost it with another lie.

  79. oneg2dblu says:
    November 27, 2015 at 4:02 pm

    joycemb… that is great advice, and as you may or may not know, I have personally practiced that very example here for the peace of others, as you say, “Sometimes getting away just to keep the peace.”

    Been there, Done that, Several times.

    I liken it to a seeking of a higher place…

    “No Jesus, no peace, Know Jesus, Know Peace.

    Gary

  80. poohpity says:
    November 27, 2015 at 4:46 pm

    Gary, Did you listen to Discover the Word for yesterday? If you disagree with what Bill or Jesus said take that up with them. Their teaching is reliable for me and worthy of listening to and learning from. Sad you find things to be contentious with.

  81. poohpity says:
    November 27, 2015 at 5:53 pm

    Gary, just another little FYI when I mentioned Bill’s quote @8:32 am, I was thinking about it and was applying it to myself no one else. In fact that is just what I said.

  82. jeff1 says:
    November 27, 2015 at 6:08 pm

    I had a conversation with a man of a different religion to myself and we were discussing Jesus. He said to me how time does not change much for if Jesus returned today many would not believe who He was!

    If there are many counterfeits of Jesus in the end times then it will take the indwelling spirit of Christ to recognize Jesus Himself.

    The one thing I believe is that I will not fool Jesus if I am harboring hatred or bad feelings towards anyone then Jesus will know that spirit is within me.

    When I think of how sure Peter was that He would not let Jesus down and Jesus told Him ‘He would deny Him 3 times’ then I do not make promises that I cannot keep! The spirit may be willing but the flesh is weak!

  83. oneg2dblu says:
    November 27, 2015 at 7:31 pm

    pooh… I too was talking about my own experience.
    I was not trying to “dis,” anybody.

    Only sharing some thoughts…

    No, I did not listen to DTW.

    I just read your comment, and I made mine (Period)

    Nothing more need be said by me, I have stated my position.

  84. street says:
    November 27, 2015 at 7:40 pm

    thinking about the board in the eye. the later part of the context says to get the board out of your own eye first then you will be able to remove the small speck. this would be more in keeping with a Kingdom of Priest. thankful for His Word and His Spirit.

  85. oneg2dblu says:
    November 27, 2015 at 7:43 pm

    jeff1… I know that there are many many more followers of Christ, both living, and awaiting today, then when He walked on this earth.

    So, that is “one thing,” that will be very different.

    As for the blindness to whom He really is when He returns, that I leave in God’s Hands, for the word says, because of that blindness which God imparted, we Gentiles have been grafted in, where the others, the disobedient and the unbelievers, have been cut off.
    Romans 11 tells us much about this whole process.
    But for a remnant…
    Gary

  86. oneg2dblu says:
    November 27, 2015 at 7:51 pm

    street… Yes, yes. It is having a relationship with God, through His Son, that removes the board in one’s eye, and not anything of man’s own ability.
    So, First, get right with God, then, you really can see, and help others to see as well.
    Gary

  87. oneg2dblu says:
    November 27, 2015 at 7:59 pm

    street… I say you, meaning not you personally , but all those who are currently blind, the current misled, and the unbelievers in this current world.
    To me, Those are the ones who have the board in their eye.
    Gary

  88. poohpity says:
    November 27, 2015 at 8:53 pm

    The ones who have boards in their eyes are the ones who think they have the right to call another a sinner and point out their sin while failing to see their own condition standing before God. It is very simply put and easy to understand just as it is written. He said not to judge or criticize others and if you do, that is exactly how it will be done to you.

    It also says we are never to judge a non-believer that is for God to do (for those who trust in God) that is found in 1 Cor 5. So maybe more concentration on what the Lord teaches and less dependence on “To me”. Because after all who are you anyway?

  89. joycemb says:
    November 27, 2015 at 9:38 pm

    Jesus was talking to unbelieving Jews when he warned against judging using the board/speck analogy.

    Paul says not to judge unbelievers, yet told Timothy to “correct, rebuke, and encourage” the believers.

    Those who do not want to hear correction are losing out, sadly.

  90. poohpity says:
    November 27, 2015 at 10:29 pm

    It seems He was talking to His disciples when Jesus gave that warning(Matt 7:1-3; Luke 6:41; Romans 2:1). If you are speaking about correcting, rebuking in Tim that is how the word works within our own hearts (2 Tim 3:16-17) “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; “so that the man of God” may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” not to use it against others. It is really not wise when reading scripture to apply it to anyone else but to the person reading it.

  91. joycemb says:
    November 27, 2015 at 10:48 pm

    Twisting scripture to fit your agenda doesn’t change the truth or make it any less valuable for those who are rightly dividing the word of truth. The problem with cults is they share the same reasoning making them untouchable within the Body of Christ. They put themselves up as living to a higher standard than others. One only they can know or teach because it originates from their own disordered way of thinking. Narcissism at its best. Best to steer clear before one is taken in by such false teachers.

  92. saled says:
    November 28, 2015 at 7:28 am

    Something about refump’s November 26 post in which he shared the facebook post of a friend bothered me. It took me awhile to put my finger on it, but think this might be it: The facebook writer is not practicing what he preaches. What is he doing volunteering his time while his own family is just a calamity or two away from being on the streets themselves? Isn’t he putting his family at risk to take care of the needs of strangers? It seems to me that this writer obviously has a heart for people and is willing to take risk himself to help them, so I don’t understand why he thinks helping refugees is not a good idea.

    Now Jeff1 November 27 post about need and greed seems to put the real problem into words that we all can understand. Homelessness is a complex problem, but if the tax structure in the US was what it used to be in the mid-twentieth century, not so long ago, there would be plenty of money to help our own and refugees from other countries. The problem is that we are keeping too much for ourselves. How much is enough? Is one home enough? Notice in the facebook post that the writer has vehicleS that are in bad shape, not one, but more than one.

    Yes, Jeff1, you are right when you say that thoee with greed are very good at brainwashing those with need, those who want to provide for their families.

  93. cbrown says:
    November 28, 2015 at 8:45 am

    I assume that what you really meant was that those who propose to trust God are not following as He teaches and giving to God’s work.If they did there would be enough for the homeless and God would be glorified.

  94. poohpity says:
    November 28, 2015 at 10:07 am

    Joyce, who twisted scripture? Gary and you with that I can agree wholeheartedly but that only comes with unfamiliarity and there is a very easy remedy for that available to everyone. So it does not mean one is any better than another just maybe one has put more time into it but then again anyone can do that as well. Same book, same Holy Spirit, some with a desire others without the desire still does not mean anyone is any better than another.

    Some people are smarter than others, some are better cooks, some better mechanics, some more simple than others, some better gardeners, some are better drivers, some can read better, some can listen better but the One thing about Christianity is no one is any better than anyone else. For those who believe we are all sinners saved by the grace of God, He is the best.

  95. poohpity says:
    November 28, 2015 at 10:44 am

    Rather than being at odds with each other let’s be at odds or in battle against our real enemy. Satan with the evil and darkness of this world. Satan is the one who distracts us from reading God’s word, then twists what we do know so that we live a defeated life, in depression and defeat rather than filled with joy and thanksgiving. With God’s help and sticking together we can overcome the real enemy.

  96. remarutho says:
    November 28, 2015 at 11:11 am

    Blessed Advent-Eve to my BTA Friends!

    Time has a way of rolling over me, it seems. About the time one gets used to a set of circumstances — the circumstances change.

    Tomorrow is the First Sunday in Advent — the season we begin to watch and wait for Jesus to enter human life. The Apostle Peter has a word for me, and I hope for someone here. It is not a personal word:

    “If with heart and soul you’re doing good, do you think you can be stopped? Even if you suffer for it, you’re still better off. Don’t give the opposition a second thought.

    Through thick and thin, keep your hearts at attention, in adoration before Christ, your Master. Be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you’re living the way you are, and always with the utmost courtesy. Keep a clear conscience before God so that when people throw mud at you, none of it will stick.”

    29F and sunny here in the valley.

    Yours,
    Maru

  98. jeff1 says:
    November 28, 2015 at 12:19 pm

    I think the problem for believers is that not all of them focus on Christ’s teaching. I have been fortunate that I was brought up in a Church that did so no matter how often I wandered I had a secure foundation in Christ. If I look anywhere other than at Jesus’s teachings then I will get confused and that is the very reason that God points us to His son so that we do not become confused but just like the disciples did not always listen to Jesus many are not listening today and confusion is happening.

    Just like the disciples argued about who would be at Jesus’s side believers are busy arguing rather than focusing on what Jesus taught them. Its the ego’s again getting in the way and playing right into Satan’s hands.

    We have to swallow our pride, put our differences aside and get on with behaving like Jesus followers otherwise non believers will see no difference in us and we will not be advancing God’s Kingdom but hindering it more likely.

  99. oneg2dblu says:
    November 28, 2015 at 3:16 pm

    joycemb… thanks for giving the word what it deserves, the truth.
    Because, Christ was actually teaching to “the crowds,” when He taught about the beam in one’s eye, unless the end of that chapter 7 in Matthew ,someone else also got it wrong, for it says…
    in verse 28, “It came about that when Jesus had finished these sayings, (the crowds) were amazed at His teaching, for He taught (them) as an authority and not like their scribes.”
    That is from my little pocket addition Gideon’s.

    But, I may be wrong, so like you say, So lets just put our differences aside and get on with behaving like Jesus followers, otherwise the crowds, (oops,) the non believers will see no difference in us, and we will not be advancing God’s Kingdom, but hindering it more likely.

    I do trust that the truth revealed will not hinder.
    Be Blessed, Gary

  100. poohpity says:
    November 28, 2015 at 3:52 pm

    Gary for one who is always so pressed on obedience but yet when Jesus says not to judge there seems to be an argument about who He is referring to. When it is more than obvious He is speaking to those who wish to follow Him. So only be obedient if it has to do with the Ten Commandments(living by the flesh) but none of His other teaching, which are only possible through His Spirit??

    Jesus said, ““Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.” He said that in chapter seven too. ;-)

  101. joycemb says:
    November 28, 2015 at 4:58 pm

    Rebukes considered.

    Thankful today for calm weather as I loaded and unloaded my old SUV twice moving my belongings from one end of town to the other. Thankful also for strength and stamina needed to do it!! Also that nothing rusty fell off again as far as I can tell. Tuesday should be my day to move in to my apt. (Keeping tylenol handy helps also).

    Pooh you make a very good point, that we are all equal in Gods eyes. Oh to be free from the flesh, huh?

  102. foreverblessed says:
    November 28, 2015 at 5:33 pm

    I had just read all of the comments on this blog, and then looked at My Utmost for His Highest,
    there was a picture of a present given, nicely wrapped in paper
    with the text
    …being justified freely by His grace
    Romans 3:24

    Thankfulness? Then suddenly I saw this picture of me accepting this grace, every day again and again, and give thanks.

    That is a very very personal thanksgiving, but it is one that is valid for everybody. Nobody has to feel jealous because this gift is offered to everybody who has repented, or has become spiritual destitute, as Oswald Chambers puts it:

    “We have to realize that we cannot earn or win anything from God; we must either receive it as a gift or do without it. The greatest blessing spiritually is the knowledge that we are destitute; until we get there Our Lord is powerless. He can do nothing for us if we think we are sufficient of ourselves; we have to enter into His Kingdom through the door of destitution. As long as we are rich, possessed of anything in the way of pride or independence, God cannot do anything for us. It is only when we get hungry spiritually that we receive the Holy Spirit. The gift of the essential nature of God is made effectual in us by the Holy Spirit”

    So there may be those who use it as cheap grace, but we have to accept it anyways, open our hearts to that message of the Gospel, saved through he Cross, and say Thank You Lord!
    As many have said here, not just one day a year but,
    all day long: Thanking my Savior

  103. joycemb says:
    November 28, 2015 at 5:37 pm

    Failures, shortcomings…. Won’t find those words in scripture I don’t think. Why is the word ” sin” so hard to say now days?

  104. foreverblessed says:
    November 28, 2015 at 5:43 pm

    Titus 3
    because there is no more a link to the bible website, here it is written out:

    Saved in Order to Do Good

    3 Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, 2 to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone.

    3 At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. 8 This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.

    (9 But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless. 10 Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them.)

  105. foreverblessed says:
    November 28, 2015 at 5:46 pm

    Introduction to the Sermon on the Mount
    Matthew 5:
    1 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them.

  106. joycemb says:
    November 28, 2015 at 6:02 pm

    Am I a devisive person here? Are we supposed to all agree with one another and only talk about positive uplifting things so no one is offended? I may have stuck around too long I guess. I’ve seen a lot of misquoting of scripture along with misinterpreting to make a personal point which incenses me to no end. I must be burnt out. Need a peace break I guess.

  107. foreverblessed says:
    November 28, 2015 at 6:34 pm

    OH, No ! Joyce, please, sorry. It was not my intention to say that you are divisive, or anybody here.
    I put verse 9 and 10 in brackets, (…)
    I wanted to give Titus 3:1-8,
    the positive message, but then there was the warning in verse 10, 11 and even further 12, I left out 12, because it was too harsh for me,
    But…because Gary tells us, we should not only say the positive things but also the warnings, so I gave the warning in brackets, that’s all….

    See, what happens when, you give warnings, people are hurt.
    So, I am sorry that I gave the warnings with the positive verses.

    I wanted to say, when you have accepted the gift of grace, devote your life in doing good, and how is that life of doing good: the Sermon on the Mount Jesus gave!
    And we can only do that in loving One-ness with our Lord and Savior, He not only gave us grace, He gives us His Life to live in us, His Spirit, to live a holy and good life here.

  108. jeff1 says:
    November 28, 2015 at 6:51 pm

    We are saved by trusting. And trusting means looking forward to getting something we don’t yet have – for a man who already has something doesn’t need to hope and trust that he will get it. But if we must keep trusting God for something that hasn’t happened yet, it teaches us to wait patiently and confidently. Romans 8:24-25

    Don’t worry about anything; instead pray about everything; tell God your needs, and don’t forget to thank Him for His answers. If you do this your will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ. Philippians 4: 6-7

    I have found that by applying trust in God as the above verses of scripture say; I have become more patient, feel more at ease both in myself and with others and have more confidence in God.

    For me personally who was having much mental anguish and had been very unwell I have found stability in trusting God alone and not on my own understanding or any others for that matter.

    It is true for me anyway that when I trust God with my difficulties in life I find wonderful peace of mind that surpasses my human understanding.

    I used to let others steal my joy by arguing with them and I only upset myself and the peace of mind I had with God so I no longer allow such distress in my life and avoid getting involved with people who try to push their way of thinking on me.

    Sometimes as individuals we have to do what is right for ourselves if it is upsetting our peace with our Lord; for I found that if my personal relationship with God was not right then none of my other relationships where right either.

    It seems for me that when I am at peace with God I automatically find peace with others. Thanks be to God.

  109. oneg2dblu says:
    November 28, 2015 at 8:50 pm

    foreverblessed… “But…because Gary tells us,”

    That is a cheap shot, a poke in the eye, an unhealthy sort of reasoning for you, but, if it works for you…

    Don’t get me wrong, I am not hurt, just astounded by such a remark.

    To me, People are not hurt by the warnings in God’s Word, as much as they are hurt by ignoring them, because they are there for a reason, and to make one purposely hurt, is not one of them.

    In my opinion.
    Gary

  110. oneg2dblu says:
    November 28, 2015 at 9:22 pm

    Yes, forever…. I read that same intro to chapter 5 this evening.

    Does it mean to you, that the word “them”, means He was only teaching only Disciples?

    Or would it include the extended crowd?

    Because, the ending of chapter four clearly says… “Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and the region across the Jordan followed him.

    Then, chapter five opens with, “Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on the mountain and sat down…

    I am told that, that portrayal, which appears to be the beginning of the Beatitudes may have been also a compilation of many teaching at different times and places, thinking that Matthew possibly took a single sermon and expanded it with other relevant teachings of Jesus.

    For some of those same teachings expressed there, were part of the Sermon on the Plain in other books of the bible.

    So, historically, or factually, by minds greater than ours, it is also, not a settled absolute.

    Certainly not worth arguing about, or belittling another’s ability to comprehend exactly which is true, and is probably more wasted words, then actual findings of the exact composition of those listening to those teachings.

    What we do know from what is written there, is that all who followed, were not also disciples.

    Gary

  111. oneg2dblu says:
    November 28, 2015 at 9:29 pm

    pooh… please move on. Your wasting words on me.
    Thank you, Gary

  112. joycemb says:
    November 28, 2015 at 9:49 pm

    Forever the “warning” verses are just as important as any other. I was not hurt, I take all of Gods word very seriously. The warnings are meant to keep the Body healthy. It’s always good practice to examine ourselves in light of scripture to see where me may be troubling, wandering, or in danger of heresay even. I am devoted to God, which means I accept the Holy paddle when I need it :-).

  113. cbrown says:
    November 28, 2015 at 10:31 pm

    Joyce,my impression is that Foreverblessed was saying that she is sensitive.Gary not so much.I often agree with you Gary but not your delivery. However, the crowds seemed to be following Jesus to see miracles.

  114. joycemb says:
    November 28, 2015 at 11:14 pm

    Yes Chris the crowds, being all Jews, were being taught the difference between the Law which gave them the right to criticize and judge others, and the new “law” if you will of the Messiah who would make the then current Law obsolete. However, becoming obsolete and being under grace does not mean we don’t listen to the scriptures and do what it says. Listening to teachers of the Word just as the Jews and Jesus did Himself before He was known and called ” Rabboni” or teacher. Timothy was also such a teacher and was instructed as to how to do that. He and we also do not preach law but grace, giving instruction on how to live in the world as aliens and strangers and with fellow believers. It’s not judging it’s exhorting, admonishing, correction and speaking the truth in love for the purpose of being united in one mind; the mind of Christ.

    As for being sensitive, I am unnaturally sensitive myself but I know I can trust God and His word; that whatever it says that may make me uncomfortable God always has our good in mind, because He is a good God, as Jesus Himself said. It does take humility to accept all of Gods word along with trust. He will help us with that, all we have to do is ask.

  115. poohpity says:
    November 29, 2015 at 12:20 am

    Jesus simply said that the ones who listen to His words and follow them are wise no matter who the listeners are or were at that time. If Jesus said not to judge then He meant for us not to judge for those who follow Him, if you do not follow Him then it does not matter. That is/was for everyone who heard it when He said it and for anyone who reads it now no matter how anyone chooses to obfuscate it. The results are one will be judged in the same manner. Jesus said, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings.” Those who do not hold to Jesus’ teaching are just not His disciples it is all so simple no need to defend oneself or explain, God already knows those who have given Him their hearts no one has prove it to anyone else. It is after all very obvious anyway one looks at it.

  116. foreverblessed says:
    November 29, 2015 at 3:33 am

    O dear, Gary, or: dear Gary, then I chose the wrong wording: I should have written “Gary pointed out to us”.
    Is that better? I did not mean to hurt you at all.
    I thought I was saying the truth, because you have pointed out to us time and again, that only the positive verses, that is part of Gods Word, the warnings are there as well.

    Chris, I do think that Gary is very very sensitive. I just have stabbed him in the eye by a wrong wording. Because he has pointed out to us, that only the positive is part of Gods Word the warnings are there as well.

    Last week we had a sermon on the sermon on the mount, and the preacher said, Jesus was teaching his disciples, and the crowds could overhear Him, as He sat on a mountain.
    He had been in Israel, and the tour guide was reading the sermon out loud, and saying, you better listen carefully, the sermon on the mount is the Constitution of christians.
    And that made me think…

  117. foreverblessed says:
    November 29, 2015 at 3:35 am

    Oops, should have done some correction before posting.
    And to all, I am not wanting to hurt anybody, I just want to be encouraging, and uplifing,
    anyaway, I have got to go to church. must hurry. And that I do not like either, I would like to have lots of time, enjoying, and be happy.
    Love you all!

  118. foreverblessed says:
    November 29, 2015 at 8:09 am

    AM back form church, nobody commented.
    But I was thinking, you can put down warnings here, as I did, even in brackets, but if people are not absolutely sure that they are beloved children of God, if they do not have that blessed assurance that Jesus is their Savior, and they are the Lord’s, they feel condemned by the warnings.

    where is your blessed assurance that you are a blessed daughter or son of God?
    You have asked Jesus as Lord of you heart, you believe in Jesus as your Savior, why would you be so unsettled when somebody writes a warning?

    That is also a question I have to ask myself.
    But as long as many are being unsettled by warnings isn’t it better to write encouragements?

    And by encouragment, I mean an insistence of wordings< telling who you are IN CHRIST.

    Are you sure who you are in Christ.
    And if you are not, why not?
    Do you have a sin that you just do not give up? No, if you don't, and if you have asked Jesus as Lord in your life- if you have said that you want to follow Jesus, so help me Holy Spirit,
    THEN…
    these thoughts of condemnations come from the dark side, the kingdom of darkness, that wants to unsettle us into doubt and fear.

    So get these thoughts out, and say out loud:

    Blessed Assurance Jesus is mine.
    Or rather, sing it out loud:

    vs.1
    Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
    O what a foretaste of glory divine!
    Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
    Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

    Refrain:
    This is my story, this is my song,
    praising my Savior all the day long;
    this is my story, this is my song,
    praising my Savior all the day long.

    vs.2
    Perfect submission, perfect delight!
    Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
    Angels descending bring from above
    Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

    (Refrain)

    vs.3
    Perfect submission, all is at rest!
    I in my Savior am happy and blest,
    Watching and waiting, looking above,
    Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.
    (Refrain)

  119. foreverblessed says:
    November 29, 2015 at 8:11 am

    Sooo, one more encouragement from Hebrews 10
    Meditate on it, and let it sink deep into your heart, and I in mine, I will do the same today:

    19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.

  120. remarutho says:
    November 29, 2015 at 8:35 am

    Good Morning BTA Friends!

    The Season of Advent begins today! From now until Christmas Eve, we live out, teach, preach and bear witness of our HOPE in the only Son of God. How humbly the King of kings entered our lives — a helpless, vulnerable baby born in a stable.

    The outcome of this miraculous move of God has cosmic implications, because He will bring the ultimate judgment. God’s moving also has personal implications for each one who believes in this Jesus the Messiah.

    Praying He is being born in many hearts this Advent 2015! He will bring in the great Harvest of souls very soon. :o)

    Joy all day,
    Maru

  121. joycemb says:
    November 29, 2015 at 9:35 am

    Good morning all!

    Thank you Maru for the encouraging message today. Yes we keep looking to Jesus who never leaves us or forsakes us. A lot of growth going on in this blog, praise God!

    The things that make us wince and groan are tools of God for good, and not evil. They keep us humble because we must take them to God and when we say, Lord, change me, He does!

  122. joycemb says:
    November 29, 2015 at 10:32 am

    (So thankful we don’t have to cut off body parts even though Jesus said to.)

  123. poohpity says:
    November 29, 2015 at 11:10 am

    Gary, the Lord’s Word is never wasted maybe not heeded but not wasted.

  124. oneg2dblu says:
    November 29, 2015 at 11:12 am

    cbrown, yes, many were there to see the miracles, and some to seek those miracles for themselves, and many brought their sick, lame, and blind with them for healing.
    We can rest in this, Jesus was willing then, and is still willing today, to feed us all, exactly what they each need.
    Be Blessed,
    Gary

  125. joycemb says:
    November 29, 2015 at 11:14 am

    Sorry, let my flesh have one last word. (I do need to cut off my fingers sometimes though)

    God says we are to esteem others as better than ourselves, even if we know more. Ouch, that humility gets me every time. How clever the enemy is at blinding us to our own faults. Judging, criticizing, defending ourselves is NOT what Jesus taught. Pharisee me found out, again.

    My apologies to all and especially to my Lord Jesus Christ.

  126. oneg2dblu says:
    November 29, 2015 at 11:16 am

    To all… sorry for my having to re-post this…

    “pooh… please move on. Your wasting words on me.
    Thank you, Gary”

  127. oneg2dblu says:
    November 29, 2015 at 11:24 am

    joycemb… Yes, yes, yes, when we do not like the warnings given, there needs to be a warning that says, Why?

    Of course, “They are there for a reason.”

    For they are surely are not wasted on those who adhere to them.

    God uses them all for our good, not for producing hurt, but for helping us to avoid it.

    I equally pursue the blessings and the warnings as being given in the fullness of Hid Truth, found in the Word.

    Embrace them all…
    Gary

  128. oneg2dblu says:
    November 29, 2015 at 11:25 am

    His Truth…

  129. oneg2dblu says:
    November 29, 2015 at 11:27 am

    The flesh always wants the last word.
    Oops, I probably should have held that back! :)

  130. refump says:
    November 29, 2015 at 4:55 pm

    As a sports official I love competition because there is a winner and a loser. That is one of the reasons I enjoy this blog. I want to read who is going to win, Gary or Pooh! It goes back and forth in this closely & hotly contested debate! I still not sure who the winner is but I know who the losers are…!! I was reading a marriage devotional & one of the statements that convicted me in my relationship with my wife was ” do I discuss our differences with a desire to win or a desire to resolve? Sadly I had to answer, most of the time it is winning! With God’s grace I am going to try & be more mindful of this going forward…..

  131. oneg2dblu says:
    November 29, 2015 at 7:04 pm

    refump…sorry to say this blog is not about entertaining you with any competition here, or as you say, “the battle between Gary and Pooh,” expressing yourself saying it is one part which you seem to enjoy.

    Pretty Sad, but probably true.

    Unless you have not noticed my friend, the battle still goes on here, with or without me on the field…

    I trust that speaks to you.

  132. street says:
    November 29, 2015 at 7:43 pm

    Over-personalizing a Harvest Festival?

    thinking about the guy who wanted to build bigger barns.
    if i remember the story right, the new barns, were not built.

  133. poohpity says:
    November 29, 2015 at 9:01 pm

    refump, I do not know what has happened to you over the years to cause such hardness of heart or maybe just did not know you so well in the first place. But you sure seemed to have changed. Not every referee or umpire gets every call right. :-( I have no ill will towards Gary at all and never have had just confusion about the chicken little warnings all the time hardly ever mentioning any of the wonderful things about knowing the Lord and having a relationship with Him.

  134. cbrown says:
    November 29, 2015 at 9:44 pm

    Dear Pooh and Gary, I consider both of you friends but sometimes you are so frustrating.

  135. poohpity says:
    November 29, 2015 at 10:45 pm

    Chris, could you clue me in and give me an example of something I have said that frustrates you. It seems like I am the cause of many hard feelings on here and for that I truly want to apologize and ask for y’alls forgiveness. It is probably in the best interest of all that I need to bid everyone farewell because frankly I just do not fit in here anymore. God’s speed and blessings to y’all in your walk with the Lord. You do not need to clue me in or give an example it is not really needed or wanted. I am so glad I have given you guys someone to continually look at so you do not have to look at yourselves or your own faults brothers and sisters.

    God’s grace and peace be with you this Christ-mas season. Bye

  136. cbrown says:
    November 29, 2015 at 11:15 pm

    Dear Pooh,I was hoping you would say, i consider you a friend too.

  137. lovely says:
    November 30, 2015 at 4:07 am

    The truth that God has revealed to us is so precious.To stand on the truth sometimes is a cost we need to count as disciples. Jesus paid for that at the cross.When Jesus came & preach to the Pharisees ,they were willing to stone him even drove him out, yet that didn’t stop Him from fulfilling Gods purpose, continuing The ministry even dying for those who stoned Him.jhn.3.17.For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.Because Jesus came not to judge the world but to save it,we are to imitate Christ not to judge but kindly encourage and bring our brothers sister back to the truth .so I agree with what is said we need to have close relationship with God so His truth can flow through us to others before we can take the log out of our brothers eye .there is more to this scripture then it seems. Just my thoughts

  138. jeff1 says:
    November 30, 2015 at 6:57 am

    I must trust God in my personal relationship as well as my collective one. When I wander from Jesus teachings I become confused and fearful.

    When I focus on His teachings I become not only confident in God but no longer fear facing a world which has become alien to me.

    It is when I lack faith in God that I am vulnerable to Satan who inflicts my mind with doubts and fears about what pain he can bring to my life.

    When I wander from God’s presence I cause myself pain that God never intended for me but God does not leave me in my misery but reminds me that He is faithful to me and to those like me who have wandered from His protection.

    Jesus came to save the lost as well as the righteous but as Pooh said in one of her posts you have to have wandered far to know that it is God who is faithful to the lost and not the other way around.

    When my relationship is right with God then my relationship with others will be right too but you cannot put the cart before the horse so to speak for Gary is right when I disobey the one who not only has my best interests but all our best interests then you are not serving God but Satan.

    As someone who suffers mental anguish I have discovered that when I am at peace with God I am at peace with men but for anyone who suffers mental instability they

    will know it is stabilizing my peace with God in a world that cries out for war that I struggle with.

    Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall know peace but for someone whose father has fought in the war, who has seen war herself and whose son as fought in the war what I need to know is does God see me as a peacemaker or a warrior for that is the battle in my mind today whether being on God’s side requires me to be a peacemaker or a warrior for it seem to be in my genes to be the latter.

  139. SFDBWV says:
    November 30, 2015 at 7:27 am

    Viv you are not alone in feeling the struggle between being peacemaker and warrior, in fact it is God who has planted both abilities within us for His purpose and time.

    I wish Mart still had the little Bible aid that shown us the full Scripture of the verses we put up, but I am sure you are aware of Ecclesiastes 3:8 where God tells us “A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.”

    I think sometimes we are like a closet or cupboard or locker filled with whatever necessities God needs from us to use when called upon Him to be what it is He needs from us.

    It is for us to be ready and allow Him to choose the time and be able to know the difference.

    33 degrees Fahrenheit with fog and light drizzle, I pray the weather is better where ever any of you are today.

    Steve

  140. foreverblessed says:
    November 30, 2015 at 7:58 am

    Dear Pooh, may you be forever and ever and ever blessed!

  141. foreverblessed says:
    November 30, 2015 at 8:14 am

    BUt… I must add, I will miss you very very much,
    and all your comments about Jesus your Savior, and our Savior, all your comments about undeserved grace, nothing because of anything we earn, but freely given as a gift from God. Yes, I will miss that.

  142. joycemb says:
    November 30, 2015 at 10:17 am

    Good morning all!
    After yesterday’s events on the blog I believe as we all come from different faith traditions argueing about scriptural interpretation is non productive. We are not going to convince another that our faith tradition is better than theirs which is why there ARE so many different churches. Agreeing to disagree as the saying goes is the way of peace.

    Praying that bruised egos and misunderstandings will find peace in the Prince of peace, Who is our peace. That all will go to Him for healing. Our ever-present savior.

  143. joycemb says:
    November 30, 2015 at 10:44 am

    Proverbs 11:14
    Where there is no guidance the people fall, But in abundance of counselors there is victory.

  144. joycemb says:
    November 30, 2015 at 12:41 pm

    As Mart said, “In other words, could our “comparative” and “contrastive” expression of “blessing” be one reason a Thanksgiving Holiday tends to surface so many mixed feelings and anti-social thoughts?

    Now insert the words ‘theological discourse’ for “blessing ” and ‘blog family’ for “Thanksgiving Holiday” .

  145. oneg2dblu says:
    November 30, 2015 at 3:38 pm

    joycemb… a well done, worthy effort, to paraphrase our over-personalizing discourse of theology perhaps, but if our theology is not just as personal as our relationship with the Lord, then, I think we risk becoming lukewarm.

    I do not believe that theology, which we must get directly from the Word of God, is first relevant to our be being politically correct, or surrendered for modern mans acceptance.

    We don’t get to change God’s Word to fit our thinking, or to protect the ears of the masses that itch for their own way, finding God’s Ways impossible for them, but, only if they do not want to change theirs.

    God first changes our view, awakens us, so we can then change our ever darkening world.

    There must be change in us, or we would stay the same, or stay like the “old man” we were before receiving the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit, the Counselor, which convicts us daily, to change us into another more godly inspired/directed and gifted being.

    Our as my pastor says, “God changes our want-er.”

    Be Blessed, Gary

  146. joycemb says:
    November 30, 2015 at 5:24 pm

    Gary what comes to mind is the old expression; we may be surprised when we get to heaven who is there and who isn’t. Change is hard to judge in others I think, because some change rather dramatically at first yet to someone who didn’t know the person ‘before Christ’ so to speak it may not seem to be enough for some.

    As Pooh has said many times,” you don’t know what’s in my heart”. So true. And I hate myself for how I tend to judge the walk of others, especially those with difficult backgrounds. I’m still haunted by memories of my extremely difficult past and sometimes things from my past leak out. I’ve learned that being pleasant goes a long way though and as I like and need friends so choose to try and be friendly, mostly.

    Sorry I’m wandering- but you get my drift—

  147. foreverblessed says:
    November 30, 2015 at 5:50 pm

    So true, we do not know what is in another’s heart.
    We do not even know what is in our own heart,
    But God knows, and that is enough, if we have surrendered to Him

    But that message: there must be change in you…
    How well would that go it you would have told that to, say, Brennan Manning, while he had his third fall back into alcoholism…?

    Is that a helpful message?

  148. joycemb says:
    November 30, 2015 at 6:31 pm

    I think the change has to do more with who we lean on rather than with any outward changes. By that I mean we can’t change ourselves without the Holy Spirit’s help. The scriptures show us what the expected outcome is and as we humble ourselves before Christ He gives us new motivation, though I myself fail often even with motivation to do good. Thank God I don’t struggle against alcoholism, but have had my own personal addiction I have only recently overcome. God is patient. I would not want to be the time keeper when measuring others’ besetting sins. Paul encourages us to fight against our besetting sin. Encouraged not shamed, blamed and criticized. I need to remember that more. Encouraged to keep fighting rather than criticize. Slow but steady learner here. But not home yet.

  149. jeff1 says:
    November 30, 2015 at 7:11 pm

    Yes, Joyce I agree we are to ensure that we are right with God rather than judging others but it is very easy to become critical unless I look at my own weaknesses and when I do this God strengthens me so that I can resist the temptation of criticizing others weaknesses and supporting them instead.
    What you said Joyce about not wanting to be the time keeper when measuring others besetting sin is so true for having struggled and still struggling with my own we all need time to heal and God gives us the time while others get impatient with us but God is faithful to the end.

  150. oneg2dblu says:
    November 30, 2015 at 7:11 pm

    I would bet that you can not find a true born again Christian who has remained completely unchanged, in fact, the bible says, that your heart of stone has been changed.
    I also think it says something about, what comes out of the mouth, shows what is in the heart.
    But, I may be wrong…
    I know my some of my speech changed, some of my tastes changed, my some of my habits changed as well.
    I think Paul might be the supreme example of change after an encounter with the Lord.
    Perhaps, I can only really speak for myself, maybe your walk has remained unchanged, but mine certainly has forever been altered.
    Yes, we can change ourselves, we can change our lifestyles, and many others areas, but, not all change comes by human effort, some need much prayer, and some need the Holy Spirit’a Help.

  151. joycemb says:
    November 30, 2015 at 7:34 pm

    Agree Gary, I am a completely different person now than before, yet still with miles of road to walk and many sins to face, confront, and ask God for His help to overcome.

    I just read recently that the devil is a master at manipulating our hearts. We can’t misjudge him either for he wants us to fail and become discouraged. We are in a tough battle with the world, the flesh, and the devil. But in every weakness we know He becomes strength for us.

    As you said Viv, we need to be patient with all. I am not as patient as God is that’s for sure.

  152. oneg2dblu says:
    November 30, 2015 at 8:36 pm

    Yes, the serpent is a crafty one, cunningly and powerful in his own right, but, powerless when confronted by the Holy Spirit, which is living inside every believer.

    So…
    1 Corinthians 10:13
    “No temptation has seized you except what is common to all man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But, when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”

    God can not lie!

    James 1:12-18
    “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
    When tempted, no one could say, God is tempting me. For God can not be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then after desire has conceived, it give birth to sin; and sin, when it is full grown, gives birth to death.
    Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of all he created.”

    None of us are sinless, there was only one, and that was Christ.

    But,, after pour encounter with Christ, the Living God, we had better be sinning less then when we were first saved or born again, and that change, to me, is outwardly noticeable.

    I can not speak to others experiences, but, I can read and fully understand this, we who have the Holy Spirit living in us, are no longer compelled to have to sin.

    I will acknowledge there are certain chemical imbalances that would alter ones progress, and those having addictions certainly are a close second, and habits are challenging things to break. Lifestyles too are most difficult for they involve many facets, but God is Faithful.

    So, we do not lose hope…

    2 Corinthians 4:7,8,9
    “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show us that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair, persecuted, but not abandoned; stuck down, but not destroyed.”

    Be Blessed, Gary

  153. jeff1 says:
    December 1, 2015 at 5:55 am

    What makes it difficult to tell a believer of Christ from a non believer is that many who do not believe in God today do lead righteous lives.

    Non believers do charity work, give to good causes and I know believers who do not!

    I as an on looker do not know the heart behind those who do believe or those who do not believe for I am looking at their works and judging their actions or non action as the case may be.

    Thankfully it is God who knows the heart of another for I find that people have many facets to them and I do not trust on my own understanding when it comes to looking at others motives for what they do or do not do.

    If I am honest about my choice for doing what I do it is out of a guilty heart and knowing how much I owe to God rather than out of a good spirited one.

    I wish I could say it comes from a pure heart but I must be honest before God and admit my weaknesses. If it were not for what I owe God I would probably find a reason not to support and doubt these causes where genuine causes.

    I am what I am but any good at all in me comes from a heart wanting to please God rather than wanting to help others.

    It comes from a heart wanting to atone for wrong doing rather than one that understands God or the world for that matter.

    It comes from a heart which has been guilty of sin before God and has no right to judge anyone!

    It comes from a heart that knows GOD IS A LIVING, GIVING, LOVING, MERCIFUL GOD and everything that hers is not and she is speechless before Him.

  154. oneg2dblu says:
    December 1, 2015 at 8:50 am

    jeff1… you have just given witness to my saying, something “must change,” starting with the heart.

    You and all others here who are born again, have had our hearts, “our wanting,” forever changed, for wanting to be more like Him.

    If that makes no difference in our walk, then, what is it that imperfection, that besetting sin, we refuse to change in ourselves?

    I would say that there are no properly God fearing, Christ honoring, Word Obedient, Child Molesters, Rapists, Wife Beaters, Liars, and the like, for the Word of God clearly says, they will not enter the Kingdom of God.

    To me, only those who will obey, who will serve, who will honor, and will change for the better, shall ever have access to the Kingdom of God or Heaven, where no evil thing shall ever, prosper, or enter.

    We all know “the list” of those who will not enter, and if your current behaviors are on that list, and you refuse to change anything, then to you must deceptively think, they are no more than, “chicken little warnings?”

    Gary

  155. oneg2dblu says:
    December 1, 2015 at 9:10 am

    Yes, there are outwardly wonderful people everywhere on this earth, but, God who knows the heart of every one of them.

    He also knows they need a Savior, which is found only in Jesus Christ, and their hearts are hardened according to His Word , until He calls them to himself, comes in, and changes their hard hearts, or, the Word of God is not very true.

    We do not know why outwardly good people suffer bad things, and we do not know why bad things still exist in outwardly good people.

    God alone sees the heart, and so far as I know, He alone still chooses to change hearts.

    I’ll just let His Word be the ultimate truth.

    There is enough words or helps in the Word, to give us all hope, that we who know we are still pursuing evil, that there is a work to be done, still change needed, but, according to the word, a day is coming when no more work can be done.

    I think the working process is called, “Repent, and turn toward God.”

    Gary

  156. oneg2dblu says:
    December 1, 2015 at 9:20 am

    Whether one feels that process is a “one time event,” (as in Once Done, Always Done,) or a more active, ongoing, daily work, or pursuit, which just may make all the difference, in both our little world, and the rest of this ever darkening one.
    Be Blessed

  157. SFDBWV says:
    December 1, 2015 at 10:10 am

    Whereas I am sure Mart will be changing the subject soon, I am almost hesitant to broach the subject of a twist on being thankful.

    Among the many believers are some who like some unbelievers feel as though they have little or nothing to be thankful for.

    Is it because they just don’t recognize what they may be thankful for or because the circumstances of their life is so overwhelming that the darkness they are currently immersed in all they can see?

    When some are in the “valley” trying to see beyond it can be very difficult.

    Strangely if we look to Scripture for guidance we see one story of a man’s suffering and how his friends were of little help. In fact though he is credited with standing firm with his friends about his innocence, he finally said he would rather be dead then in the circumstances he found himself.

    At that point in Job’s life I would imagine he had very little he felt thankful for.

    Things only changed when God showed up.

    In another story of Scripture we see the death of a beloved friend and brother to his sisters. Four days after his burial I would assume both sisters felt nothing but heartache, not thanksgiving.

    Things only changed when God showed up.

    When Jesus called His friend and the sister’s brother forth from his tomb the time for thanksgiving had come.

    Worldly people also recognize there are things in their lives to be thankful for, they just don’t thank God.
    At the same time when we thank God for all the good things in our lives do we then feel abandoned by Him when things are not good?

    I think with believers there are many who feel confused when trouble comes and peace only comes when God shows up.

    36 degrees and rain.

    Steve

  158. lovely says:
    December 1, 2015 at 10:20 am

    Dear brothers & sister.I am really thankful for your words & scriptures you gave that changed me on the verse Matt 7.we are not to judge others but probably encourage them through received of God.The word of God is useless if we just know it, but only when we Do the word of God, it change our lives at least it changed mine.Like doing eph.4.15.but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ.When I speak in love then I won’t be judging .But of course I have to admit this is hard when speaking to unlovable people.Because we’re all still in the flesh there are many hurting people out there who will hurt us even when we speak in love..as the saying goes hurting people hurt others.But here s what God taught me..my prob. was that I try to change them fix every prob but that’s God s job..I am just His mouth piece .Like salvation…we just preach the gospel God do the saving.We don’t do the saving, changing of heart, etc.hence from my previous post i still have to speak the truth in love even when I am hated for it. If I am I just pray for my enemies like what received says cause we can’t save them

  159. lovely says:
    December 1, 2015 at 10:21 am

    Jesus is the one who saved them psa.49.7-8. None of them can by any means redeem his brother, Nor give to God a ransom for him— For the redemption of their souls is costly, And it shall cease forever—

  160. lovely says:
    December 1, 2015 at 10:22 am

    Correction like what the word says

  161. lovely says:
    December 1, 2015 at 10:47 am

    Jeff 1 in response to your post I just need to share this .In Romans 8:1 state there is now no condemnation for us in Christ. In Hebrew 4:16. We need to approach God the way He teach us “boldly”.what I am trying to say is, The devil is very cunning,he uses guilt & condemnation so you won’t come to God.Yes we are to repent immediately when we sin ..no doubt but must believe after we repented, we re forgiven.Because by staying in guilt we will not grow up in Christ it stop us from receiving His love.If Moses had stayed in Guilt he would mot have led the Israelites out, if Peter had, he would not have move so mightily as well as Paul.., We cannot atoned for our sins. As for good work.. we re not justified base on what we do but what we believe Speaking from Galatians 3..Abraham was declare righteous because of what he believe not by his deeds

  162. joycemb says:
    December 1, 2015 at 10:52 am

    Thank you Lovely that was very good thoughts you had. May a God continue to bless you abundantly!

    About Job I think it was he who said, Though He slay me yet will I serve Him. I’ve said that a few times when bleakness overpowered the goodness in my life. Yet He was always faithful. There are times in depressive episodes when I have to thank God for blessings such as mobility, hearing, seeing etc. The very simplest of things also like air to breathe, sun-moon-stars; for blessings He gives without me even thinking about or having to look for them and leave the missing things to Him to work out. By missing I mean: relationships. money for pleasures, and pain free days. Yet through it all God is good and we can always be thankful for that no matter what is going on in our lives. Thanks Steve!

    Gary are you still working at school? How is that going ?

  163. foreverblessed says:
    December 1, 2015 at 10:58 am

    Thank you Lovely,
    It is so hard to get that into my heart: I cannot save, only God can, And I must grow in trust to know that He really will save.

    And with that commandment, not to judge!
    So hard to do, and we talk ourselves out of it, with human reasoning.

    But in God at eventide, on November 16, I found some admonishment about not judging (admonishing is not the same as judging, but it is encouraging)….

  164. foreverblessed says:
    December 1, 2015 at 11:01 am

    November 16 ALL ARE WORTHY

    Treat all as those about whom I care.

    You would visit the poor, the sick or those in prison, knowing full well I would see it as done unto Me.

    I want you now to go still further along the way of my Kingdom. You contact many who are not poor, not sick, not in prison.

    They may be opposed to you. They may disregard much that you consider of value, they may not seem to need your help. Can you treat these, too, as you would wish to treat Me? They may be in need greater than the others you long to aid.

    To you their aims may seem unworthy, their self-seeking may antagonize you. When I said, “Judge not,” was I not including them too?

    Can you limit My words to suit your own inclinations?

    This is not an easy task I set you, but your way is the Way of Obedience. I did not suggest to My followers one they could take or not as they willed. My “Judge not” was imperative, and a new commandment I gave unto them that they should love.

    For those who do not yet name Me Lord, Love is the only magnet that will draw them to Me.

    Be true, be strong, be loving.

    —
    So far the God at eventide,
    and it is to God to reinforce that this message is for you personally. Otherwise it is better to come to Jesus, and stay with Him, till you are at Rest in Him, and absolutely safe, and growing stronger.
    And besides, after we have come to Rest in Him, we should stay at rest in Him. We should do the little commandments He gives to us, visiting people He puts in our hearts, etc, and then come back to Him, and find the Rest again.
    Only in Rest with Jesus can He work effectively through us.

  165. joycemb says:
    December 1, 2015 at 1:40 pm

    Oswald Chamber’s My Utmost for today, Dec 1st, artfully explains how sin can be dealt with properly. I hear him echoed in various posts here. We all seem to have part of the picture but he ties them all together well I think.

  166. oneg2dblu says:
    December 1, 2015 at 4:55 pm

    True forgiveness which only comes from God, removes only the guilt, not the memory or the resulting damage, which sin can produce.
    Lets say you murdered your neighbor’s dog for pooping on your lawn.
    It surely is a sin to kill that innocent animal.
    Then, when conviction comes, you realize you have done wrong, and with a repentant heart you confess your sin, and God forgives you.
    God can only remove the guilt you feel from that sin, the sin has still taken place, and still claims its victims, and nothing will wipe out that trespass upon your neighbor and his dog, in your memory or your neighbor’s memory.
    Even if your neighbor may forgive you, and no punishment ever comes about, you still have sinned and others still have suffered as a result.
    So, was the sin ever really removed, or taken away, covered up, or do the results of sin’s damage always remain?
    Just because the guilt of that past sin was removed, do you then go on with a new guilt free attitude about sinning, saying to yourself, I’ve repented, and now, all my sins, past, present and future are already forgiven?

    Just thinking you had better call Fido in right now,if you are living next to one of those already forgiven Christians, they can be dead wrong, and still feel they are forgiven.

    To me, when you are in Christ, you are not also to be taking aim at your neighbor, or your neighbor’s wife, dog, car, house, or children, no matter what your particular doctrine says about forgiveness.

    Gary

  167. oneg2dblu says:
    December 2, 2015 at 8:55 am

    joycemb… Yes, I’m still working at the school, still feeding the future’s leaders.

    I do that whether at work, or at life, as we all model our lives for Christ in how we live, or whatever we do.

    To me, you can not be a very effective, “Light of the World,” if you are still doing dark things.

    Actions speak louder than words, so to live a life which closely utters this learned quote, We are to preach or share the gospel message daily, and use words if you have to.

    That to me, means someone, (the world,) is both watching us, and listening to us, as we do, what we do.

    Who we do it for, makes all the difference in why we do it.

    Gary

  168. cbrown says:
    December 2, 2015 at 8:55 am

    Matthew 6:9-13New International Version (NIV)

    9 “This, then, is how you should pray:

    “‘Our Father in heaven,
    hallowed be your name,
    10 your kingdom come,
    your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.
    11 Give us today our daily bread.
    12 And forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
    13 And lead us not into temptation,[a]
    but deliver us from the evil one.[b]’

  169. oneg2dblu says:
    December 2, 2015 at 8:58 am

    cbrown… Yes, and I also like the words
    “Forgive us our trespasses,
    as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

  170. SFDBWV says:
    December 2, 2015 at 9:49 am

    Rarely do we see the division of good and evil shown as clearly as we are allowed today as well as what it is Jesus offer the world that the world rejects in favor of “law”.

    This morning I read a troubling story on the news about the execution of two suspected homosexual men in Syria by ISIS.

    When ask what they thought of their sentence one said he preferred to be shot in the head, the other begged for his life promising to never have sexual relations with another man.

    Both were blindfolded their hands tied behind their backs and thrown off the roof a tall building to their deaths on the pavement below.

    Their sentence and cruel deaths ordered by an Islamic judge.

    If it were not for the fact I believe we live in the final age and God Himself is allowing such evil to rise in the world, I would be confounded beyond thought that the rest of the world has not banded together and erased from the earth an evil almost unequaled in recent history.

    However here we see the stark difference between living under law and living under grace.

    Which world do you want to live in?

    As harsh as the Law of Moses is, there is an allowance of a “Scape Goat” of mercy.

    The embodiment of the Mosaic Law is Jesus of Nazareth, what do any of you think He would have done with the two men I mentioned earlier?

    Which God do you want to follow?

    As for me and my household while we serve the Lord in any way He uses us we are very thankful for His grace and mercy, and eternal protection.

    49 thick fog and rain.

    Steve

  171. oneg2dblu says:
    December 2, 2015 at 3:53 pm

    Steve… I know we Christians are living Under Grace today, but, the consequences of wrong living, immorality, and stupidity, still have there consequences on us, and the world around us.

    So, faith and belief alone don’t always cover all the bases,

    Whether you believe in gravity or not, and if you have faith that you can fly or not, have absolutely no impact on all the negative effects of the reality you will encounter when falling from a building.

    Perhaps impact was a cruel, but all to real word.

    So, as we serve the God of the bible, and we know how He provides for us in ways that are absolutely incredible, like providing manna, but, we still have our part to do, we still have to do the work of going out and picking it up, and preparing it for our consumption.

    If fact most of our walk with the Lord, involves us also doing our part.

  172. oneg2dblu says:
    December 2, 2015 at 4:11 pm

    Sorry, I posted that inadvertently, I touched to wrong button.
    Getting back to your story… I wonder if those who were sentenced to die according to the Judge, or the Koran?

    Would they have been also eternally damned, according to the Koran?

    I lack any real knowledge about how immoral earthly living impacts their thoughts of eternity, other than the 72 virgins for being martyred.

    Just thinking…

  173. oneg2dblu says:
    December 2, 2015 at 4:25 pm

    According to the word, Christ would have acted according to the word.
    We can all pretty much know that the Judge was not acting as Christ would have acted, or according to the bible.

    Was he acting according to the word of the Koran?

    Was Sharia Law implemented?

  174. cbrown says:
    December 2, 2015 at 6:22 pm

    For your benefit Gary. Matthew 6:14 King James Version (KJV)
    14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:

  175. joycemb says:
    December 2, 2015 at 7:51 pm

    George Muller prayed in faith and God provided meals for his orphanage when needed. My desire is to walk in that kind of faith where trusting God (whether I’m doing anything or not) becomes my way of life.

    I moved 4 weeks ago and had to leave several things behind. Last week He miraculously replaced 2 large items I need. I didn’t have to work for them only trusted Him to supply. The apt is nicer than I expected also! He’s so good to me!

  176. oneg2dblu says:
    December 2, 2015 at 8:39 pm

    cbrown… now there’s confirmation.

    If we all can agree that Grace is not conditional upon us doing anything, then, I wonder why is this forgiveness in Matthew 6:14 so conditional?

    And if it is so conditional, then what happens to this forgiveness, if we forgive not?

    Matthew 10:33 NIV
    “But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.”

    Does whoever really mean whoever?

    Like whoever believes in Christ will have eternal life?

    Or, are those things really conditional as well?

    Just thinking…

  177. cbrown says:
    December 2, 2015 at 10:27 pm

    1 John 1King James Version (KJV)

    1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;

    2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)

    3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

    4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

    5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

    6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:

    7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

    8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

    9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

    10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

    King James Version (KJV)

  178. SFDBWV says:
    December 3, 2015 at 6:31 am

    Gary if you think that your salvation is dependent on your being able to maintain it you have missed the point that it is a free gift of God and unattainable by any action of our own.

    Once we receive Jesus into our hearts it is He who maintains our salvation, by His very presence.

    We all will struggle the remainder of our lives between the Holy Spirit’s urgings and our own, but the struggle in us assures us that He is still with us.

    In a subject assigned to “Thanksgiving” I am thankful that it is up to God to hold me and my salvation in His keeping, if it were up to me I would lose it daily.

    Please Gary go on believing as you need to but please quit trying to convince those of us who have Christ that we don’t, by your standards.

    29 degrees and snow.

    Steve

  179. oneg2dblu says:
    December 3, 2015 at 8:48 am

    Steve… Bless you my brother in Christ.

    I do not have standards of my own making,
    I only embrace what the standards in the Word of God
    presented to us,

    As per cbrown’s last post clearly says, and in your favorite standard version I might add…

    1 John 6,7.

    6 (If) we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not _____ the truth:

    7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

    So, to me, the standard seems quite clear here Steve,, we must walk in the light, if not, then, we are walking in darkness.

    That’s my standard as I interpret God’s truth.

    Your truth may ring differently for you, just as your standards may be different as well.

    Our walk, which is clearly made through “our own” choices, unless we claim we no longer have any freewill, is not the Lord’s walk, but our’s, whether with Him, or without Him, is defined by our walk.

    You may read something else written there, other than what it says, but, it clearly says, (If).

    So, there is a “choice for us” to make.

    For you, you may feel your choices are already made, and your sins are already forgiven you, but, for me, I walk another interpretive road than you do.

    You may walk over those “If” words saying they have no use for you, but, they mean everything to me.

    They are to me, the warnings that there does also exist, an if not.

    I was talking about Grace being unconditional, and you have swapped in Salvation in its place, saying in effect, that Salvation is Unconditional.

    That my friend will always present a problem in the church of man, because the word clearly says, there are conditions that must take place.

    Enjoy your blessed walk this day,
    Gary

  180. oneg2dblu says:
    December 3, 2015 at 9:01 am

    I’m not presenting the church of Gary here.
    So, let’s not continue to try to make this about “ME.”

    It is all about Him, and His Father’s Word.
    We either embrace our version, or His.

    Hopefully we are both being so much divisive because of our human nature, but more open or submissive to each other because of Him, as we each define our walk.

    Gary

  181. oneg2dblu says:
    December 3, 2015 at 9:06 am

    “Hopefully we are both “not” being so divisive…”

  182. joycemb says:
    December 3, 2015 at 11:37 am

    Gary 1 John is talking about fellowshipping amongst believers, not eternal salvation. That those who do not have fellowship are walking in darkness as the light is found amongst the body, as a Jesus says, “where 2 or more are gathered there will I be also”. Is that what you are talking about? I may have misunderstood you. Joyce

  183. jeff1 says:
    December 3, 2015 at 3:25 pm

    I have been brought up with what I call the Gospel which to me means truth and that truth cannot change though man has tried throughout time to change it to suit their beliefs or religions.

    When you accept Jesus as having shed His blood for your sins then you have accepted His gift of Salvation. For many like myself this gives me a peace that surpasses my understanding and I want to make choices that please God for His gift.

    As someone who lives in a fallen world where there are many different beliefs and religions it becomes difficult to walk with God without distractions from worldly temptations.

    While I personally have had ungodly thoughts I have always taken them to God and left them with Him rather than act out on them and I have peace of mind that I am forgiven for them because of Christ’s Crucifixion and Resurrection.

    My understanding is, that God, knowing how difficult our walk would get in the end times wanted us to know our eternity is safe in His hands and Christ is the evidence of that promise.

    I keep it simple and it works for me but I do not believe that a person can walk another’s walk and God treats us as individuals as well as in gatherings. We should not be judgmental to each other but accept that each have different experiences and journeys and build each other up rather than be divisive.

  184. oneg2dblu says:
    December 3, 2015 at 3:39 pm

    Me too!
    I guess that makes me a follower.
    We actually named our cat, Me too, because every time we called our dog, the cat would come running to make sure she din’t miss out on anything!

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