Just a little one but a good reminder . . . :)
Jude 22
Show mercy to those who doubt.
Sometimes it's easy to get upset and start to lecture someone, when maybe all they really need is for someone to be merciful . . . hopefully we all remember what that is.
The pastor of my church died from pancreatic cancer at the age of 49 last year in November. His parents in New York still send money to the church despite this and with their tithe/donation was a little letter and at the end they had this passage:
Philippians 4:6-8
Don't worry about anything. Instead, tell God about everything. Ask and pray. Give thanks to him. Then God's peace will watch over your hearts and your minds because you belong to Christ Jesus. God's peace can never be completely understood. Finally, my brothers and sisters, always think about what is true. Think about what is noble, right and pure. Think about what is lovely and worthy of respect. If anything is excellent or worthy of praise, think about those kinds of things.
I am continually awed by believers such as this. It is not for lack of care that they can quote a passage which says not to worry about anything, I know, I watched them, hugged them, spoke with them during his fight with cancer and . . . I can assure you that their love is genuine and it is because they know where this love comes from, because they know it is from God and know all the ways they are blessed that they can quote such a passage. Not only is it evidence of their faith but offered as an encouraging reminder to other believers, something often mentioned in the Bible. I can only hope and pray that I will be such a believer some day, giving, forgiving, and loving. (Encouragement is why I share all and not just the passage :) )
eziekiel 37. "The Valley of Dry Bones"
The Valley of Dry Bones
1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. 3 He asked me, "Son of man, can these bones live?"
I said, "O Sovereign LORD, you alone know."
4 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, 'Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! 5 This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath [a] enter you, and you will come to life. 6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.' "
7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.
9 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.' " 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.
11 Then he said to me: "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, 'Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.' 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. 14 I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.' "
:D i like it a LOT. in fact i LOVE ITTTTT.:)
Titus 3:1-11
Do What Is Good
Remind God's people to obey rulers and authorities. Remind them to be ready to do what is good. Tell them not to speak evil things against anyone. Remind them to live in peace. They must consider the needs of others. They must be kind and gentle toward all people.
At one time we too acted like fools. We didn't obey God. We were tricked. We were controlled by all kinds of longings and pleasures. We were full of evil. We wanted what belongs to others People hated us, and we hated one another.
But the kindness and love of God our Saviour appeared. He saved us. It wasn't because of the good things we had done. It was because of his mercy, He saved us by washing away our sins. We were born again. The Holy Spirit gave us new life.
God poured out the Spirit on us freely because of what Jesus Christ our Saviour has done. His grace made us right with God. So now we have received the hope of eternal life as God's children.
You can trust that saying. Those things are important. Treat them that way. Then those who have trusted in God will be careful to commit themselves to doing what is good. Those things are excellent. They are for the good of everyone.
But keep away from foolish disagreements. Don't argue about family histories. Don't make trouble. Don't fight about what the law teaches. Don't argue about things like that. It doesn't do any good. It doesn't help anyone.
Warn people who try to get believers to take sides and seperate into their own little groups. Warn them more than once. After that, have nothing to do with them. You can be sure that people like that are twisted and sinful. Their own actions judge them.
I Thessalonians 5:16-18
Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Give thanks in all circumstances for it is God's will for your life in Jesus Christ.
This passage (as well as 2Tim 1:7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline) both hold so much of what God and christianity is to me (or at least ought to be).
It reminds me that it's not about what I do or don't have. Will or won't have. Can and can't do. It reminds me not to worry in that it says 'always be joyful'. It doesn't say be joyful when you win the lottery or when you finish paying off your mortgage or when you finally get your book published or find your mate for life, it says ALWAYS be joyful. It doesn't mean be happy when you lose your job, or find out your mate is cheating, or someone dies . . . it means it is possible to be happy even though these things are happening or have happened. So find that joy, when you look for it, truly look for it, you'll find it in Him. It also says 'never stop praying'. Once again, it isn't just when your world collapses and you want it fixed to bring it to Him, it means always and everything. And when your life is 'perfect' (so to speak), look around you b/c there is most likely someone else whose world is in pieces and really needs your support. And being thankful, I believe with every fibre of my being, that no matter how bad things get there is always, ALWAYS something to be thankful for and this passage cements that belief. If there were times where you COULDN'T be thankful, God would never have told us to be thankful in all circumstances.
And the ability to be this way (or at least try) comes straight from the one who tells us to be this way, God. For he gave us a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GimmyDiamond
Great passage - one that makes it clear that Christianity is not some sort of "comfort blanket" that "weak minded" people need as a sort of "crutch" with which to navigate the stresses of life (as is often charged): no - as C.S. Lewis made clear, much of what the Christian is told to do is hard and very much against human nature.
I meant the always in your "paradox," not the always in your Ecc. statement.Quote:
Originally Posted by Unbeliever
Revelation 21:
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
But it is also a history book and those things are history. The bible is alive.Quote:
Originally Posted by mS_?
As a child, I loved all the exciting stories of Jonah, Noah, Daniel.
As a young girl, I loved the stories of Samson and Delilah and the Book of Ruth.
The Book of Ruth still holds a special place in my heart but one of my other favorites is the mystery that unfolds on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24:13-35. It is after the resurrection and Jesus comes upon two people (one of which could be a woman) walking home, discussing all that had happened. They, of course, do not recognize him. He begins questioning them and they are incredulous that he doesn't seem to know about any of the things that have just transpired. By the time they reach Emmaus it is getting late and the tradition in those times was to not allow even a stranger to go on into the night, so they invited Jesus to stay. It was also the tradition to ask the guest to break the bread and it is at that moment, when Jesus broke the bread and they recognized him that I absolutely love. Jesus also disappeared at that point.
It happens all the time. We see someone we might recognize, but from where, when, what is his or her name? And then a small gesture or word will bring it all flooding back and we remember, and are usually happy.
Many of us naughty Christians forget who Jesus is on our own personal walks but something, a word, a song, a breeze, a mountain, a bird, a friend, can bring it all flooding back, and we remember, and are usually happy.
Revalations 22:21. I'm making ya'll look this one up.
"And the angel of the lord came unto me, snatching me up from my place of slumber. And took me on high, and higher still until we moved to the spaces betwixt the air itself. And he brought me into a vast farmlands of our own midwest. And as we descended, cries of impending doom rose from the soil. One thousand, nay a million voices full of fear. And terror possesed me then.
And I begged, "Angel of the Lord, what are these tortured screams?" And the angel said unto me, "These are the cries of the carrots, the cries of the carrots! You see, Reverend Maynard, tomorrow is harvest day and to them it is the holocaust." And I sprang from my slumber drenched in sweat like the tears of one million terrified brothers and roared, "Hear me now, I have seen the light! They have a consciousness, they have a life, they have a soul! Damn you! Let the rabbits wear glasses! Save our brothers!" Can I get an amen? Can I get a hallelujah? Thank you Jesus".
My favorite verse is: 1st John 1:7
"But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin."
Zephaniah 3:15....very special one to me...given at just the right moment
without a doubt its Acts 3:6, profound verse if applied correctly.
John 11:35
Jesus wept.
The Book of Amos
Israel was laid waste because of its injustices to the poor and weak.
''I will not turn away the punishment ... I will send fire ... to devour the palaces ... they have despised the Lord and not kept the commandments ... because they sold the righteous for silver; and the poor for a pair of shoes. That pant dust on the heads of the poor and turn aside the weak ... and profane my name ... they palaces shalt be spoilt ... I have sent pestilence ... PREPARE TO MEET THEY GOD ... Ye who turn justice to wormwood and leave off righteousness from the earth ...
Foreasmuch as ye trod on the poor ...
take a bribe ...
turn aside the poor ...
turned judgment into gall ...
YE SHALL BE CAPTIVE ...
I WILL RISE UP NATIONS AGAINST YOU ...
THEY SHALL AFFLICT YOU ...
THY SONS AND DAUGHTERS SHALL FALL BY THE SWORD ...
YOU WILL DIE IN A POLLUTED LAND ...
YE SHALL SUFFER FLOODS ... FOR THE WATERS OF THE SEA SHALL POUR UPON THEE ...
ALL SINNERS OF MY PEOPLE SHALL DIE BY THE SWORD
But how is all this to be prevented?
See Psalm 41:1, 2 and Matthew 25:31 et seq --- the only way to do so is to protect the poor and helpless.
Mine are Philipians 4:13;"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." And then Philipians 4:19;"And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." In fact, I like the writings of Paul. He is so practical. And then there are the Psalms, 2 favorites being Psalm 34 and Psalm 121. Have a great night-as ever,Ruth
One of my favorites is Jeremiah 29:11-13 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart"
I like it because it says that God has a plan for my life even when i'm not walking with him and he will always be there when i turn back to him.
Also, i enjoy Lamentations 5:20 cuz it asks God why he has forsaken them...and sometimes it does feel like that. And Ecclesiastes 3:1-10 because of what it says about there being a time for everything
My fave version of the Bible is New Living Translation but i have a NIV
sorry if i overloaded on the info in this post : )
1 Corinthias 13, in Latin, how we had to learn it by heart at school. I love it. :)
1 Si linguis hominum loquar, et angelorum, caritatem autem non habeam, factus sum velut ćs sonans, aut cymbalum tinniens.
2 Et si habuero prophetiam, et noverim mysteria omnia, et omnem scientiam: et si habuero omnem fidem ita ut montes transferam, caritatem autem non habuero, nihil sum.
3 Et si distribuero in cibos pauperum omnes facultates meas, et si tradidero corpus meum ita ut ardeam, caritatem autem non habuero, nihil mihi prodest.
4 Caritas patiens est, benigna est. Caritas non ćmulatur, non agit perperam, non inflatur,
5 non est ambitiosa, non qućrit quć sua sunt, non irritatur, non cogitat malum,
6 non gaudet super iniquitate, congaudet autem veritati:
7 omnia suffert, omnia credit, omnia sperat, omnia sustinet.
8 Caritas numquam excidit: sive prophetić evacuabuntur, sive linguć cessabunt, sive scientia destruetur.
9 Ex parte enim cognoscimus, et ex parte prophetamus.
10 Cum autem venerit quod perfectum est, evacuabitur quod ex parte est.
11 Cum essem parvulus, loquebar ut parvulus, sapiebam ut parvulus, cogitabam ut parvulus. Quando autem factus sum vir, evacuavi quć erant parvuli.
12 Videmus nunc per speculum in ćnigmate: tunc autem facie ad faciem. Nunc cognosco ex parte: tunc autem cognoscam sicut et cognitus sum.
13 Nunc autem manent fides, spes, caritas, tria hćc: major autem horum est caritas.
"He which testifieth these things sayeth, surely I come quickly, Amen, even so, come Lord Jesus" Rev 22:20
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always preserves."
-- 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
This one has the power to soothe me when all else fails.
Right, Latin! Just above me. I knew that.
Psalm 137:9
Happy he that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the rock.
As a non-believer I am free to enjoy the Bible as literature. Only the King James version will do for me. There are so many wonderful passages in it. The whole of the Song Of Solomon is brilliantly poetic. The Book Of Revalations is almost Miltonic. So a single verse is hard to pin down. I would be happy enough though, as a keen hill walker, to have verse 1 of the 121st Psalm on my tombstone. "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, whence cometh my help"
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true,
whatsoever things are honest,
whatsoever things are just,
whatsoever things are pure,
whatsoever things are lovely,
whatsoever things are of good report;
if there be any virtue,
and if there be any praise,
think on these things.
-- Philippians 4:8 (KJV)
2nd Corinthians 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.
and...
Isaiah 40:30-31 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall. But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Dude...I just found out that I have a lot of favorite verses, scriptures, and passages...Mind boggling...O.o
Rev. 19:16 - And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
Always gave me a chill when I read those words. I got the same feeling seeing "United States" on the side of a rocket as it lifted off.
After 40 years I still don't know what the feeling was about. Awe in the face of power, I suppose, and the excitement that comes from a sense of belonging.
For me, it would be Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
1There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven--
2A time to give birth and a time to die;
A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.
3A time to kill and a time to heal;
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
4A time to weep and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn and a time to dance.
5A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing.
6A time to search and a time to give up as lost;
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
7A time to tear apart and a time to sew together;
A time to be silent and a time to speak.
8A time to love and a time to hate;
A time for war and a time for peace.
Somehow, it gives me a sense of comfort knowing that whatever happens in my life, it's bound to teach me something new or to strengthen me as a person.
One of my favs in the Bible is Philippians 4:13;"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."(NKJV) Another is Psalm 121,verses 1 & 2 says;"I will lift up my eyes to the hills--From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth." Have a great weekend all.
One of my favourite passages in the Bible, because of its sense of imminence and urgency, is Romans 9:19-26,
"19One of you will say to me: "Then why does God still blame us? For who resists his will?" 20But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? "Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?' "[h] 21Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?
22What if God, choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? 23What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory— 24even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles? 25As he says in Hosea:
"I will call them 'my people' who are not my people;
and I will call her 'my loved one' who is not my loved one,"[i] 26and,
"It will happen that in the very place where it was said to them,
'You are not my people,'
they will be called 'sons of the living God.' "[j]
I guess a couple of my favorites--from an agnostic standpoint--would be:
I posted this somewhere else, might have been in this thread over a year ago. I'm still not certain what it means. I think it means that if my great-great grandad was born to a couple who were not married, then I have no chance of making it to heaven.Quote:
A bastard shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to his tenth generation shall he not enter into the congregation of the LORD. Deu 23:2
The one preceding this one is even more strange:
Is a privy member what I think it is?Quote:
He that is wounded in the stones, or hath his privy member cut off, shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD. Deu 23:1
Cheers,
Doug
I'm sure a privy member is exactly what you think it is. But what is more interesting is what does 'wounded in the stones' mean? Wounded by the stones might mean a social ostrasization of some kind; such as 'stoning'. But in the stones?
A translation error? Punishment for being the victim of an accident? Very strange indeed! But it was a strange world 4 thousand years ago...and yet not so very different from where we find ourselves today. It seems Man's inhumanity to Man has not changed despite the coming of Jesus Christ and his message of love and peace. The vengeful Lord of the Old Testament still lives in the hearts of many.
Well said Sharlot. Does this mean that God's plan is failing? I know there is supposed to be a 'second coming' and that God is omnipotent: It's always puzzled that given this, why not just fast forward to the end. Obviously, according to my understanding of Christian lore, there is an final state that the universe will eventually attain. If omnicience and omnipotence are yours, why not just 'make it so' (as Piccard would say)? It's one of the things that keeps me agnostic.Quote:
Originally Posted by sharlot
Blessings,Quote:
To her fair works did Nature link
The human soul that through me ran;
And much it grieved my heart to think
What man has made of man.
Wordsworth
Doug
Proverbs Chap VIII-11
"For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it."
I like ecclesiastes. This guy on a forum recomended that I read it, and I actually did like it immensely afterwads. Very poetic and agreeable.
"I'm sure a privy member is exactly what you think it is. But what is more interesting is what does 'wounded in the stones' mean? "
The stones are adjacent to the privy member, generally. Someone for whom that is no longer true is 'wounded in the stones.'
I've always been a fan of James 1:27
"Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world." (ESV)
It worries me that so much of Christianity has been shifting from this to more of a "pop culture" sort of foundation, and I try to keep this always close to my heart.
"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you; plans to give you hope and a future.'"
--Jeremiah 29:11
Hi Sarasvanti,Quote:
Originally Posted by Sarasvati21
That is a good one. It really is all about hope, isn't it? Mine says it a little different:
I'm not sure which version your quote came from, mine is from KJV. And there is a subtle difference. "To give you an expected end" is a little different from "hope". Hope, by my definition means that you are uncertain about the end, but have high expectations. While the other version implies that the end is fully known; knowing for certain would not require hope.Quote:
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Jer 29:11
Just an agnostic observation.
Doug