Fellow Church People

[Ziffel]

Ha ha MrsPepper: Ziffel Master! And yeah I was referring to the main general tenets like salvation.

And that's wonderful Ilikemuppets. And how blessed we are that He loves us unconditionally. You know a couple of things I've learned more and more about in my walk with Him in recent years? First, the concept of letting Christ live His life through us. Just as He saved us from the PENALTY of our sins, He also now delivers us from the POWER of our sins. Often we make the mistake of trying to obey God in our own strength and then the devil capitalizes on it when we fail and tries to discourage us. But we need to let The Holy Spirit fill us and empower us and guide us and then we can bear His fruit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control - Galatians 2:20). Only one has ever really lived the Christian life - Jesus Christ. Paul didn't live it. Christ lived through him (Galatians 2:20) and consequently Paul said "I can do all things THROUGH CHRIST who strengthens me" - Philippians 4:13.
Second, the importance of RELATIONSHIP with God. Just as an earthly parent doesn't want their children to robotically obey them, our Heavenly Father desires to have an intimate, close personal relationship with us. Not to just sing hymns for the sake of singing them, praying to God just to say grace at dinner, etc. but to love Him, talk (not just formal prayers but like we would to other humans) to Him, spend time alone with Him. Even hug Him. I know you can't feel Him physically but it's still a beauitful thing to do, I find.
That's wonderful you've read the whole Bible through. I have too and each year I go through it by reading a few chapters a day (the Our Daily Bread daily devotional gives a selection to read each day that takes you through the entire Bible in one year).

 

[CensoredAlso]

Second, the importance of RELATIONSHIP with God. Just as an earthly parent doesn't want their children to robotically obey them, our Heavenly Father desires to have an intimate, close personal relationship with us. Not to just sing hymns for the sake of singing them, praying to God just to say grace at dinner, etc. but to love Him, talk (not just formal prayers but like we would to other humans) to Him, spend time alone with Him. Even hug Him. I know you can't feel Him physically but it's still a beauitful thing to do, I find.

It's great that you've found something meaningful in your life that makes you happy!

I agree, it is very important to develop an intimate relationship with God in your own way, so he's real in your mind, not just some abstract figure. It can be so hard. I get frustrated sometimes with formal prayers because you get into the habit of just saying them with no meaning. Did anyone see the movie, Ladyhawk with Matthew Broderick (good movie)? His character spoke to God like he was always with him. I try to do that sometimes.

I don't think we are incapable of doing good things by our own power. I just think God did create us with innate dignity and goodness as a human being. God doesn't create junk. Everything he creates is good. We mess up a lot, but we're not perfect. The important thing is that we try. Though, I do agree, it's easy to get arrogant and think we know everything.

I think God also became human through Jesus to show it was a good thing to be human. He could have easily come to Earth as some big, imposing, all powerful figure. Instead, he chose to be born and live, experience joy and suffering and die, just like we do. That was a radical concept at the time, that God would want to be like us.

He came as a regular person, to show we do have dignity. Plus, he came as a poor person, to show the people of time that everyone was important.

 

[Ilikemuppets]

Jesus came in in all power in total weakness. He did cone with all power and athority over everthing. He controle the water, he raised the dead he sprouted the trees, he kept his eye on a sparrow and to many things for the bible to even fill or tell. he did this to show that he was in charge of it all. He spoke like he was the athority and is in cnarge. He said "I am". Weather he's real in some one's mide or they choose weather not to believe in him, that not going to changs the fact that is is real and we wouldn't be here with out him.

God never said we were junk, but there a reason why wrer sinners and he's perfect. It's not about good or bad becaus nither one is going to really save us. It's about haveing a savior to go to who want's to be there for us even despite the fact that we're sinners.

I don't know about have an intiment relation in the way you choose to becaus you better whach how you talk to and treat the one in athority. Jesus did not wan't to die, because he didn't deserve it, but he did it for us becaus he loved us and he didn't just choose to, he did it because it was the will of the father. It's not about some radical concept, it about Jesus Christ undying love for us and Jesus suffred so we would have to, not to experience joy but to give us his joy.

The think about us doing good by out own power. I wish I knew what verse it is, but it says Not by power, not by might, but by my spirite says the Lord." Those people didn't take Jesus life. Jusus is the one in charge if life and death. He is God and said "Father, I commit my life into your hand's" He dide when he said so. Ordinarialy, A human Being would die befor you finished doing half thr things that did to Jesus, But It says he spoke out in a loud voice after all that. So Jesus took his onw life and then gave himself his one life back. Trully, he was not some human, but the lord God almighty.

 

[CensoredAlso]

It's interesting, we've discussed the 10 Commandments a lot so far on this thread. Nothing wrong with that, but has anyone discussed the Sermon on the Mount yet?

My favorite part was always:

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.

Blessed are the merciful,
For they shall obtain mercy."

 

[MartyMuppets]

Hi. Sorry I've been absent from my own thread for so long but I've spent a week in Brisbane City visiting my mother who is in hospital undergoing her radium. She's responding very well praise God. She'll be back home God-willing in the next week.

I agree with Fozzie and Ziffel. Let's keep our debates friendly.
Thank you Ziffel and Ilikemuppets for your words of insight. I find them enlightening.
I've been studying the New Testament chapter by chapter with my special Catholic study Bible. I've come through Matthew and Mark and now I'm up to chapter 7 of Luke tomorrow. It's helping me cope with all my problems that some of you may well be aware of from other threads started by me in Friends and Family.
Please continue to pray for me and my mother and God bless you all.

 

[Ziffel]

Praise God indeed brother Martin! And thanks for your nice words. The same can be said for you. And your love and respect for God and His word, as well as your fruit you show to others is beautiful.
And glad you are getting so blessed and comforted and helped by the powerful gospel accounts (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John). Isn't is so amazing that His word is SO powerful that often with just one single verse it speaks so pertinently to our circumstances of the moment and gives us the powerful help we need to be comforted, be at peace, be strengthened, be enlightened, whatever the need may be. God is GREAT!

 

[Ilikemuppets]

Ha ha MrsPepper: Ziffel Master! And yeah I was referring to the main general tenets like salvation.

And that's wonderful Ilikemuppets. And how blessed we are that He loves us unconditionally. You know a couple of things I've learned more and more about in my walk with Him in recent years? First, the concept of letting Christ live His life through us. Just as He saved us from the PENALTY of our sins, He also now delivers us from the POWER of our sins. Often we make the mistake of trying to obey God in our own strength and then the devil capitalizes on it when we fail and tries to discourage us. But we need to let The Holy Spirit fill us and empower us and guide us and then we can bear His fruit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control - Galatians 2:20). Only one has ever really lived the Christian life - Jesus Christ. Paul didn't live it. Christ lived through him (Galatians 2:20) and consequently Paul said "I can do all things THROUGH CHRIST who strengthens me" - Philippians 4:13.
Second, the importance of RELATIONSHIP with God. Just as an earthly parent doesn't want their children to robotically obey them, our Heavenly Father desires to have an intimate, close personal relationship with us. Not to just sing hymns for the sake of singing them, praying to God just to say grace at dinner, etc. but to love Him, talk (not just formal prayers but like we would to other humans) to Him, spend time alone with Him. Even hug Him. I know you can't feel Him physically but it's still a beauitful thing to do, I find.
That's wonderful you've read the whole Bible through. I have too and each year I go through it by reading a few chapters a day (the Our Daily Bread daily devotional gives a selection to read each day that takes you through the entire Bible in one year).

We are so bless just because were his children and belong to him. Where less just becaus he loves us and he lives. I think what I learnd with my walk with Jesus through out my life is how much I depend on him more everyday, all the time more and more. THe long I live the more I relise I ned the lord and how much I can't do without him. There nothing he can't do and theres no problem he can't get you out of.Also I really relise how much he can, never has,and never will fail me. Not onec has the lord ever failed me and I know he never will. I think with the older I get, personally, The more I learn to have faith, and put all my faith in the Lord. How fortunatate are we to live in a realm of faith where the is no limit or restrictions to and a full abundance of what we need everyday when we live to serve him.

You know, My grandfather would get on his knees and pray the the Lodr when he needed something, and out of know where, right then and there at that very moment, not ever fully undre standing how it even happend or came to be, the lode made a way. It 's all because of his faith in him and becauds he loves and serves the Lord and simply because of the gift of God's love. SO often, we get so used to depending on so many other things and forget to depend on the one who gave them to us in the forst place.

We cartantly cannot obay God in out own stranght. "Not what thy hands have down, but what the lode have done for me." I forget the verse. That's right, Were not just folling some religion or some set of rules, but Christianity is really about having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. You know when they say going to church will save you well the church and going to it wont save you, but it's Jesus that saves you. There are people who go to church, play church, and then live a whole other lifestyle the rest of the week. It's not just church and I'm not saying going is wrong, but you need to praise the Lord every day, not just on sunday. You should be a living, walking example for Christ all week long whereever you are, at work, the store, where ever you might happen to be. There are people who come to church and go through the motions and go home and whach football after ward. I'm not putting down Football, but that's not completly living a live worthy of serving the Lord either.Anyway, I just wanted to share me thought's with you. God bless you brother and may the pecae of the Lord be with you.

 

[MartyMuppets]

I've already mentioned that I'm studying the New Testament in close detail through traditional order, but I went to the Rite of Christian Initiation for adults tonight and we discussed something that really hits home with me of how important Scripture study is.
I already went through the process incidentally back when I converted to the Catholic Church, but I stayed on as a team member guiding other potential new Catholics through their spiritual journey.
But back to what was said. In our discussion it was pointed out that we should always be prepared for our inevitable death at any time. We don't know when or how we shall depart from this life though we know that as long as we are faithfully serving Jesus we will not have to pay the penalty for all our sins and faults committed against God's Holy Law. But we have to keep ready for it while we carry on living for Christ in the example of the way we live our lives.
As my friend Ian drove me home I told him I had to finish off my home study of Luke's Gospel Chapter 19 and my daily study seems to me to be one of the best ways I can be ready for death. And he agreed. After all to read God's Inspired Word reverently with a desire to obey His guideline regulations for daily life is one way we can grow in strength of faith. And we are reminded just how much we need Jesus to redeem us because nobody can perfectly follow the principles of God's Commands at all.
The more I keep regular daily bible study up, the happier and less stressed out I am, for God's peace passes all human levels of understanding. But its joy is truly remarkable and exhilarating. Praise the Name of Jesus Christ

 

[Lucy]

I was christened a Methodist, but re-christened a Catholic when I was seven years old. I've had my first holy communion but haven't been confirmed yet.

 

[Barry Lee]

I do go to church, almost every sunday, sometimes we have to skip for working reasons, but I try to go to church. I'm starting (its hard) to really get to know God. He is very powerful, and very inspirational, and I am trying to learn to be closer as a methodist and christian in general. It'll take time, especially since I need to stop my habbit of cussing (which is hard to break because I come from a family of cussers) but hopefully I will get there.