Confucius : "The superior man is modest in his speech, but excels in his actions."

Do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire.
- Confucius

f r i e n d . - T i t u s M a c c i u s P l a u t u s

N o t h i n g b u t h e a v e n i t s e l f i s b e t t e r t h a n a f r i e n d w h o i s r e a l l y a

No no

Got a story from Job, talking about when he first started getting um, tested, he had some skin issues. His wife told him to stop holding onto his integrity and curse God and die.........so Job does this.....(NET) Job 2:10 But he replied, "You're talking like one of the godless women would do! Should we receive what is good from God, and not also receive what is evil?" In all this Job did not sin by what he said........

What do we expect in life? Is God any less God because we don't get what we want or something happens to us? Are we less loved because it isn't what we envisioned it would be different? Are we forsaken because of our ideals of what we thought or perhaps we lost faith? My heart says one thing and I want to attribute it to God, but is it so? Or perhaps, getting tired of faith and now I want to see what I believe is an answer? Am I just giving up?......Just some questions ......just to think about.....




(NET) Psalms 119:105 Your word is a lamp to walk by, and a light to illumine my path.

Proverbs 14:22

Do not those who plot evil go astray? But those who plan what is good find love and faithfulness.

If we open a quarrel between past and present, we shall find that we have lost the future.
- Winston Churchill

Some song

Nikleback- if everyone cared



From underneath the trees, we watch the sky
Confusing stars for satellites
I never dreamed that you'd be mine
But here we are, we're here tonight

Singing Amen, I, I'm alive
Singing Amen, I, I'm alive

[Chorus:]
If everyone cared and nobody cried
If everyone loved and nobody lied
If everyone shared and swallowed their pride
Then we'd see the day when nobody died

And I'm singing

Amen I, Amen I, I'm alive
Amen I, Amen I, Amen I, I'm alive

And in the air the fireflies
Our only light in paradise
We'll show the world they were wrong
And teach them all to sing along

Singing Amen, I, I'm alive
Singing Amen, I, I'm alive
(I'm alive)

[Chorus x2]

And as we lie beneath the stars
We realize how small we are
If they could love like you and me
Imagine what the world could be

If everyone cared and nobody cried
If everyone loved and nobody lied
If everyone shared and swallowed their pride
Then we'd see the day when nobody died
When nobody died...

[Chorus]

We'd see the day, we'd see the day
When nobody died
We'd see the day, we'd see the day
When nobody died
We'd see the day when nobody died
-------------------------------------------------------

We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.- Winston Churchill

----------------

Romans 13:9-10
9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not covet, and if there be any other commandment, it is summed up in this word, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. 10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: love therefore is the fulfilment of the law.

Voltaire : "The art of medicine consists of amusing the patient while nature cures the disease."

W e k n o w o u r f r i e n d s b y t h e i r d e f e c t s r a t h e r t h a n b y t h e i r m e r i t s .

A repeat offender with a long criminal record was brought before the judge. Judge asks "Have you ever stole things?" Thief: Oh, now and then I suppose. Judge: And where have you stolen these things? Thief: Oh, here and there. Judge: Right then! Lock him up, officer. Thief: Hey Judge, when do I get out jail? Judge: Oh, sooner or later.


-------------------------------/-/----//////////////

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world - John 16:33

Who is......

1 John 4:16
16 And we know and have believed the love which God hath in us. God is love; ...

1 Corinthians 13:4-8
4 Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not its own, is not provoked, taketh not account of evil; 6 rejoiceth not in unrighteousness, but rejoiceth with the truth; 7 beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
8 Love never faileth: ..........

Who is God?

In all the  years , all the hours of studying, all the commentaries made, no one has "cornered the market" on who is God.......

If one looks at the old testament, He is jealous and angry yet, merciful and forgiving. From Adam and Eve to Malachi......New Testament, says the same, yet the focus is being turned toward 3 things.....
1. God loves us and gave perfection for us when we were blacker than night in our sin. 
2. This is not a game, God is serious, either you are with or against Him.
3. The choice is ours, in good or bad what we do.

So who is God ? He is whoever He says He is...... 
Do I have some cornered market on who He is?  Yup, cause I didn't create the market.....He did. Just like when Moses asked who to say God was when Moses was going back to Egypt to be the vessel God used in freeing the Israelites. 
Exodus 3:1414 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.

That's it. No change since then or before. If God is love then He is.... If he is the avenger, the creator, the one who hands out justice, who hands out rewards, who lets us be tempted, who provides a way out, who gives or takes away, who makes and destroys ..... These be it. Can you accept that you do not understand it all? Who are You, God ? 

Exodus 3:1414 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM:.....

--------------------------------

Well,God, Looks like another day went by. Hm, what good came of it? How was I vessel and not a deterrence? Hm, are You all I want or is this a mask? Can one let go of what one thinks You ought to be...... Or will we try and fit both who You are and what You say into our world of understanding. Is not mans wisdom and righteousness foolishness and impure in Your eyes? Who are You ? As always, please protect her and her family, I always hope, well You know my hope. Protect my those of the family, mom and dad, and siblings. Crud, help this poor vessel be a vessel bringing Your light, not selfs "dark light" . Well, glory and honor and praise always to You. Forgive please my weaknesses. Thank You for listening.

This is a stick-up......I mean setup......

Humility is not about thinking of self - I'm great or other way, I'm trash..... It's about getting rid of oneself in the equation. - not sure the author

"I have convictions, you have opinions....." (making a point)

These are 2 quotes from a study done this past week by one man, thought they were relevant, thought provoking, plus, it's a setup for when I can get the study in order......(scatter brained with note writing)
------------------------

Joseph Addison : "The person who has a firm trust in the Supreme Being is powerful in his power, wise by his wisdom, happy by his happiness."

- where does our happiness base off of ?

"Loving people live in a loving world. Hostile people live in a hostile world. Same world" Wayne Dyer
-what world do you live in? Dang it, tryin to be the former not the latter.

Peace love and blessings.......

Enough

Titus 3:4-7
4 But when the kindness of God our Saviour, and his love toward man, appeared, 5 not by works done in righteousness, which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy he saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 which he poured out upon us richly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7 that, being justified by his grace, we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

— there a way that is born of humility. Away where it's not of giving because we earn or pay our way, yet because we were given. The failure comes when we act as if we deserve this or that. Do I deserve to wake up? Do I deserve to have this or that because I did something good?  2 words, mercy and grace...... Nothing more.......
Mercy- Compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within ones power to punish or harm (dictionary definition)

Grace- (in Christian belief) the free and unmerited favor of God, as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of blessings

Hm, the question is, if I truly believe in the grace and mercy, then what am I living for? To earn something or to give it all in thanks for what I didn't / don't deserve ? If God said, "hey, from now on, no 'good' will happen, everyone will leave you, betray you, you will lose everything in life, but you have grace and mercy." Is that enough?


Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. - Ps. 51:12

Well, God, another day..... Um, so, hmmmm, it was gorgeous ! Thank you for it. I think, I'm seein some stuff, You gave me some open lanes to throw in some witnessing, hopefully I didn't mess it up that much. It felt great to say something, so much now is "believe what you want, don't step on any toes." "I believe this is REALLY what is meant.....God couldn't possibly mean it like its said. I like my way better......"
Not scared as much to step on toes, but also not arguing with my own personal arguments. In fact, um, its kinda, no it IS so unburdening to just say...."God says this, doesn't matter if i like it, it just is." Ok, I go, but protect and help her, her family. Help the church grow, strengthen the heart in laying it all in front of you. Grace and mercy are enough, thank You for your love. 

We have q...... There is the answer

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. - 2 Corinthians 12:9

Jeremiah 29:11-13
11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith Jehovah, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you hope in your latter end. 12 And ye shall call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. 13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

I know now, Lord, why you utter no answer. You are yourself the answer. Before your face questions die away. What other answer would suffice? C. S. Lewis 

Jokes

On some air bases the Air Force is on one side of the field and civilian aircraft use the other side of the field, with the control tower in the middle. One day the tower received a call from an aircraft asking, "What time is it?" The tower responded, "Who is calling?" The aircraft replied, "What difference does it make?" The tower replied, "It makes a lot of difference. If it is an American Airlines flight, it is 3 o'clock. If it is an Air Force plane, it is 1500 hours. If it is a Navy aircraft, it is 6 bells. If it is an Army aircraft, the big hand is on the 12 and the little hand is on the 3. If it is a Marine Corps aircraft, it's Thursday afternoon."




A wise old owl sat on an oak,
The more he saw the less he spoke;
The less he spoke the more he heard;
Why aren't we like that wise old bird?
(Edward H. Richards)


God bless and guide

Oliver Wendell Holmes : "Apology - a desperate habit, and one that is rarely cured."

Valentines day

So Dan, today's valentines day. A day to profess love to a person you care  about. Well, that's not happening today. Get it out of the system now, cry it out. 
The woman you love is gone and and it still breaks your heart, mainly cause you think of her every single day, you wish she would want to talk to you, you hate the mistakes you made, and cause you long for her more than breathing. And that confuses you crazily cause you just don't know what to do or what you should do and stuff. Just let it out.  Gosh dang it Andrea, I love you more than I could ever know. Do you not know I have not gone a day without you in my mind, how I miss your laugh, your smile, hugs, just being in the same place as you? That i cry at least once a week and pray always fora you and your family? Arg, I have no idea what to do, if I'm supposed to do something. Dang it, this is not the point, but it helps to get it out even if it amounts to nothing.

For God so loved the world, He gave his only begotten son; that whoever believed in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save it through him.
- John 3:16-17

Romans 5:8
8 But God commendeth his own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

This is love, this is love as it should be. To love not because we earned it or deserve it, but because the one to give the love wants to. What has God shown that He loves.......the rebirth after the flood, the watching of the trials and mockery of His son and the death, such horrible scene that followed. The daily putting up with our selfishness, giving us what we want at times, allowing us to mess up and choose, but like the father of  the prodigal son, opening arms when we come back. God must be tired from opening the arms for just me, but heck a whole world. The love to um, grieve for those who deny him daily, or see them mess up and the consequences that follow. The love to discipline us and well, take away things because they become a barrier to loving him. Worse, still, love enough to hurt, just hurt, each time we deny him and live for ourselves or by our own mind.

I don't feel God's spirit all the time, I don't want to always listen, i don't always want to do, that when I was overseas and I first got the dreaded d word spoken to me, I cursed Him out, I went berserk on God and lost my mind in anger at Him and just, don't know how to describe it,  and still God loves me, at my worst, he said, "Hey you don't understand, you don't agree, you may even hate me, but i love you." when i studied scripture and looked further than what "the niv says, Kjv says" I learned hard truth that "those who say "Lord lord",  are not always those who mean it. That love is not a feeling, nor just all gushy, but a choice to do rather than to have. He woke me up, hasn't let me die, I have a place to lay my head, food, health, a brain that works,  some imperfect , lil crazy :), but parents who tried their best, who I hate to admit, but never was on my side, rather tried, Dan, maybe failed at times, to be on God's side even if it broke their heart.  
That's God's love. That is love. That is just my part of a story, I wish others would tell, well, their love story by God, from God. Heck send it to my email.....danielelsmore@gmail.com


Well God, that's a tiny summary of your love at least for me.  Please let people read it and affect them somehow. I don't know how else to say this, um, but there has to be love, cause all the mistakes I know at least I have made, you still let me live and live so well in this world.
Anyways, thanks for that...... Pretty shabby, but I don't speak well or have words enough to express it. Oh God, dang it, she is in my mind, oh God you know how much. What is going on? What am I supposed to do? Am I supposed to continue like this, try and reach out, wait, or see if she will ever say something? Am i on the right path, am i still being too stubborn, an i misunderstanding your words? How do you do it? You love everyone and so many say and show  "forget you, I'm leaving, I know what I want, it was fun while it lasted, I will believe it when I see it, I know You said this.....but I want it to mean this." 
How do you do it? Well God, protect her and her family. Protect my mom and dad and family. May Your will be done. May I be an instrument and not try and be the composer(you) in whatever path I'm now on, especially to those classmates I interact with.  Regarding the rest, increase my faith! Thanks for listening. Just thanks for everything, though there a days I wish the opposite. Glory honor and praise to You only. 

1 Corinthians 13: 6-7
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Albert Einstein : "Before God we are all equally wise - and equally foolish."

Joke again

Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson went on a camping trip. After a good meal and a bottle of wine they lay down for the night, and went to sleep. Some hours later, Holmes awoke and nudged his faithful friend awake. "Watson, look up at the sky and tell me what you see." Watson replied, "I see millions and millions of stars." "What does that tell you?" Holmes questioned. Watson pondered for a minute. "Astronomically, it tells me that there are millions of galaxies and potentially billions of planets. Astrologically, I observe that Saturn is in Leo. Horologically, I deduce that the time is approximately a quarter past three. Theologically, I can see that God is all powerful and that we are small and insignificant. Meteorologically, I suspect that we will have a beautiful day tomorrow. What does it tell you?" Holmes was silent for a minute, then spoke. "Watson, you idiot. Someone has stolen our tent."



When somebody tells you nothing is impossible, ask him to dribble a football.  ~Author Unknown

Clean laugh/ or corny

There was 3 men an englishman, a german and a scotishman they were all stuck on a island. One day they found a lamp they rubbed it and a genie came out. He said "you all get one wish". So the englishman said "I wish I lived in a large stone mansion", and off he went. Then the german said "I want to get in a nice hot jacuzzi", and off he went. Then the scotishman said "I'm lonely I wish mee island friends were back", so they came back.......


The future is something which everyone reaches at the rate of sixty minutes an hour, whatever he does, whoever he is. C. S. Lewis 

John Ruskin : "God gives us always strength enough, and sense enough, for everything He wants us to do."

> T h e e s s e n c e o f t r u e f r i e n d s h i p i s t o m a k e a l l o w a n c e f o r a n o t h e r ' s

> l i t t l e l a p s e s . - D a v i d S t o r e y

08feb2012

Psalm 97:10

Let those who love the LORD hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked. 

“There are thoughts which are prayers. There are moments when, whatever the posture of the body, the soul is on its knees.” - Victor Hugo

Mark Twain : "Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear." 

Edmund Burke : "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."

Who are we ?!

"I'm not my position doesn't define me, high , low, bug, small, no better or worse than the next.  It is what I do that defines me." (paraphrase)

Well, Dan, I just heard that from a guy I just met. 2 hrs with this guy and he has expressed more wisdom than some people I have spent years with. The last words that came out of his mouth why he does what he does was this, "people have told me I won't be promoted because I don't kiss butt. I do what I know is right because men don't have a heaven or hell, the one upstairs can judge me. So I f I do or do not get promoted, there are more important things, when I close my eyes I know I did what was right and where I'm going."

Everyday at least for myself, I remember times I have lived the opposite of that. It eats at me.  What's more important? 
What's Paul say....Galatians 1:10
10 For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? or am I striving to please men? if I were still pleasing men, I should not be a servant of Christ.

So I made a promise, to not be silent. No more smile and nod, if I don't agree with something and it's valid..... Speak up. Kinda has gotten me in trouble with some people. Plus, i mess up when i speak up since im not right always. It's not so easy either, I hate the feeling when someone fixes me when I mess up and then later I have to fix them. Really, it's not me fixing them. Nor is it them fixing me or trying to (I don't always Listen or do things or right away.....stupid huh?)
Galatians 2:20
20 I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me.
Galatians 5:24-25
24 And they that are of Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with the passions and the lusts thereof. 25 If we live by the Spirit, by the Spirit let us also walk.

I have respect for this man I met. He didn't do anything more than just tell about himself Nd his experiences. Yet was more powerful than a lot of things. May God guide him in his ways.

----------------------------------

Well God, it's me again. Been a bad day, made buncha mistakes and been upset to you. I got no excuse, I'm an idiot. I just really hate some junk that happens. I'm weak and stubborn, and everyday I think of her. So be with her. I don't know what to say to people, tons of openings to share gospel, but I'm just too dumb it seems. You know what I mean? I have trouble being faithful, so how can I expect others to do the same or even come this way? 
Well, thanx for a beautiful day and thank you for the conversation on duty tonight. Um, please forgive me. I'm sorry for my failure. Help me be more faithful. Help light to shine through the smog of my sin. Thank you for listening. 

Baltasar Gracian : "Sometimes it proves the highest understanding not to understand." - faith and doing

Fail!

Hm,let's see, this is not today this has happened. No I've been putting this off. Dan, what do you do when you look and trip up? Well, hm, apparently it depends on where your focus is.
Lets see, one Friday long long ago (not as long as to forget), after class our group had a small check up on our fitness. We have a physical training test this next week and one of the leaders wanted to check and see how we were doing (we are supposed to work out and such, keep our physical fitness up.... act like adults). We were doing a 1-1-1 diagnostic test. 1 min push ups, 1 min sit ups, 1 mile run. On our real test we do 2-2-2 and we have a certain number of each we need to do for push ups and sit ups to pass and a certain time for our 2miles. Well, myself and one of the guys we were not really looking forward to it, we are confident we can pass and such. So we had this bright idea to do ½ aka, ½ our allotted sit up and push up minimums, and ½ our 2 mile time.  We do it in groups. Well, hm, guess who goes first? Me!!!!!
Well, I did not do push ups for a minute straight....i did a certain number and I stopped. Apparently I had a good amount of time left for a minute and our leader called me out and basically put me down and a jerk in front of the whole group while we are doing it. Hm, that goes over eral well with me (sarcasm). He basically tells me to keep going and well, I literally say (hm, please no one ever do this, this wrong, a bad example, and SINFUL!) “hell no, I did what I needed to do and I'm done, (leader's name).” I snapped, I spoke without control, without thought, acted without control,  I was embarrassed in front of everyone and I used it to be the key to loss of control, I MADE THE CHOICE to SIN.....we had a 2 sec dialogue in front of the group after my retort, and right after  he pulled me aside and we had an um, heated dialogue. Basically he threw some words I didn't say in there and chewed me out and I had a few words about fitness with him and we basically disagreed and were upset (when sin starts, it likes to latch on and keep going)
I'm stopping there. Anger for me has been/is my thorn, been praying for real on it and had counseling and such heck, for over a year and such. I thought I was doing good with it, people were saying how temperate and relaxed I am. Even after, I thought I did better since I stopped talking back and actually could think in it and stop....Know what? To the abyss with what people say. I got cocky and prideful and I messed up. Where was my reliance on God and all this stopping of  “I”?
What does one do from there? Usually, its a little....I'm gonna let time go and it will die down, maybe a “sorry,buddy, haha lets laugh it off.”
Crud, that might work sometimes. Whether I could have done it then, it would have been a cover up. Wow, how I wanted to do that. After praying and basically arguing with myself as to what is right vs what I could get away with, the decision to apologize was made. Hm, I meant to apologize in person at a study hall, but I didn't , no excuses. Instead I went away and I started rationalizing why I didn't need to apologize ( he has an attitude,  and loud and obnoxious at times-teapot calling kettle black?-). Almost just went away and just gave up. Thank God, THANK GOD, that there is more at play then what I think. I basically texted him an apology. Nope, no blame on him, no “haha sorry buddy” crud, a simple and honest apology.
Ha, wow, you know what, Dan, you know what happened after? He apologized, some guy who can be a prideful non-apologetic guy, apologized. He even actually admitted appreciation of me apologizing to him. Heck, I don't expect this to mean we were “cool buddies” or “best friends forever”. No, but really, it only shows that God allows us ways to let lights shine when we fall on our faces. Also, that each day is a day of it's own, heck what we do well one day was good for that day, what did Jesus say...”Each day has enough trouble of it's own” (Matt. 6:34 in worrying section) and Peter speaking with the Spirit says in 1 Peter 5:8 “Be sober and alert. Your enemy the devil, like a roaring lion, is on the prowl looking for someone to devour.”
Well, this was a pressure off my chest, perhaps, since I'm not good at speaking, maybe this writing will somehow, someway, help someone at least to think about things. Or remind them of something they struggle with or have taken for granted.
 
God in heaven, dang it, what a mess we make. When we get proud You make sure we um, “trip” and remind us how to get on our knees, and it hurts at times, and we still refuse to bow down or want to refuse. Thank You though, cause it could be what we deserve rather than a loving discipline. Well, I have talked a lot already, but um, like always, thanks for being there even when, well, I'm a self centered, ungrateful, idiot. Be with Andrea, protect her and her family. I still , my heart hasn't changed that I care for her and would give my life to reconcile with her, even after this time and such, God, what are You trying to say to me? I'm unworthy of You. BE with my family and those I have called as friends. Up and down goes life and our walk with You, but consistent is Your love and mercy and discipline. Thank You for it all. May I long for You more than life, and may that exude form my pores so that it is seen and shared with others even if I don't realize it, like breathing. Through Jesus' name.

Lalalalalala

Hm, well, God, let's see, man, you created a wonderful earth! The trees aregorgeous! The rain is just so cool, especially whined it's sunny and every drop creates a prism, showing a rainbow.....
Thank you so much for allowing that to be seen.

A smile I hope this brings.....

Zoo Job



One day an out of work mime is visiting the zoo and attempts to earn some money as a street performer. As soon as he starts to draw a crowd, a zoo keeper grabs him and drags him into his office. The zoo keeper explains to the mime that the zoo's most popular attraction, a gorilla, has died suddenly and the keeper fears that attendance at the zoo will fall off.

He offers the mime a job to dress up as the gorilla until they can get another one. The mime accepts.

So the next morning the mime puts on the gorilla suit and enters the cage before the crowd comes. He discovers that it's a great job. He can sleep all he wants, play and make fun of people and he draws bigger crowds than he ever did as a mime. However, eventually the crowds tire of him and he tires of just swinging on tires. He begins to notice that the people are paying more attention to the lion in the cage next to his. Not wanting to lose the attention of his audience, he climbs to the top of his cage, crawls across a partition, and dangles from the top to the lion's cage. Of course, this makes the lion furious, but the crowd loves it.

At the end of the day the zoo keeper comes and gives the mime a raise for being such a good attraction. Well, this goes on for some time, the mime keeps taunting the lion, the crowds grow larger, and his salary keeps going up. Then one terrible day when he is dangling over the furious lion he slips and falls. The mime is terrified.

The lion gathers itself and prepares to pounce. The mime is so scared that he begins to run round and round the cage with the lion close behind. Finally, the mime starts screaming and yelling, "Help me, help me!", but the lion is quick and pounces. The mime soon finds himself flat on his back looking up at the angry lion and the lion says, "Shut up you idiot! Do you want to get us both fired?"

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Not my joke, found it . Well, Dan, hope peace, love, smiles come on you and everyone else. Should someone come upon this crazy series of writings........

Colossians 3:17
17 And whatsoever ye do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
 

How could you ?!?! - David Nance

Um, well this is from a little email I get every week, um, I serve Him moment by David Nance. Just a thought for the week kinda like a challenge. The title is this weeks "moment" well, hope it helps someone.....Um, here goes.....

“How could you do that?” or “How could you let this happen?” or “How can a Christian can think or act like your have?”

I occasionally get angry with a Christian friend or family member. I find myself thinking things like these questions.

And then, in my anger or hurt, I want to distance myself from them.

But Jesus had similar hurt feelings toward God as he hung on the cross, saying “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”

And, to tell the truth, I too have been very angry at God at times.

But did Jesus, in his hurt, cut God off? No. He ended the crucifixion saying: “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”

So, when friends and family offend me, I need to follow Jesus’ example of love, rather than my own un-spiritual impulse to cut them off. The spiritual thing for me to do is to stay involved with them, as Jesus did with God.

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I'm glad I'm not the only one who has done this. Aint no lie, ive gotten angry and well, basically stupid in the same way. One feels like an idiot, Dan, when you get out of your selfish "oh my gosh, how can someone do this to me?" or "well, God, I can't believe You would let this happen or do this to me." or even "Wow, they are so wrong they must not be Christians......they are so wrong, I can't do this anymore." 
 No one is perfect, the road to heaven isn't based on me, it's based on a sacrifice I could never fill. Someone else is not the problem and I'm the solution.
I made the problem and God made a solution. Think that he or her or them make one angry so bad? Try looking at oneself and what we do to God.  If you profess being a Christian, running away is wrong. It isn't on the same level as a Christian going away from a non-believer. How the heck are we supposed to help each other is we run away?  Also, who are we to blame God like we are so much smarter? Jesus said to not judge, unless you want to be judge, (Mt.7:1-4) and that we bear with one another, (Rom. 15:1-3, Gal. 6:2&3) 'not cause it feels good, but because it is right. Our anger does not bring righteousness, (James 1:19-20).
Dunno, Dan, that seems the hardest thing to do, especially when people mess up and hurt one over and over. Crud, God have mercy on me and heal those I have hurt. Thank God for His forgiveness, mercy, and love..... All of which I gladly accept, though unworthy of such ..... Praise God!

Smile

The Christian Bear



There was a man who one day didnt feel like going to church so he decided to go hunting instead.

He was out in the bush when he was aproched from behind by a bear. He dropped his gun by accident but didnt bother to pick it up.

He ran for his life. Weaving in and out the trees with the bear on his trail. Curving around a tree he triped over its root.

He looked up and the bear looked down. The bear was about to strike at him. He put his hands together and prayed:

"Dear lord, Please let this bear be a christian."

the bear sat down on its bum and held the mans hands, closed his eyes and said: "Dear Lord, Thank you for the food that i am about to recieve"

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(NET) Matthew 28:20 .....And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
That's what Your son said, so, I gotta believe it. Thank you for protecting her, I have to believe it, I pray Lou continue to and someday may there be reconciliation. Also, thank you for your love in protection to my parents, to those around me and for myself. Unworthy of this am I at the least. I'm grateful for Y ou not listening to me or should I say, not doing what I ask all the time, cause I have. No clue what is perfect. Dang it , my mind is in that chaos where all these thoughts go thru it and it's hard to um, put it in order. Well God, thank you for all lessons, patience and love shown to the world. Get the devil off our backs and remind us that the one no hates you is tryin to bring us down with him. Well, um, thank for listening. Please remove this longing or change it to long for you. Through your son, amen!

HALLELUJAH, PRAISE THE LORD ! :D