Beloved,
In the Spirit (He's moving in me with this) I wanted to further lupolady's eating habits <img border="0" title="" alt="[Razz]" src="images/icons/tongue.gif" /> , by creating a post that we (all of us) can enter a verse everyday. (Whoever enters it first, that's the vers for that day.) Then we can reflect on it, reply, pray, etc.

I'll start it.
On the way into work today I was listening to CCC (Christian Cultural Center) and the pastor mentioned a verse that I always recite in church every Sunday. But, I never placed much emphasis on. When I read it in the Bible last year, in it's full context, it made much more sense, but I never hightlighted it, so it left my mind again.

"Lord, I am not worthy to have You enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed" (Matthew 8:8).

This is "The Healing of a Centurion's Servant" (Matthew 8:5-13).

The pastor was talking about how Jesus was delighted to find a man who "got it". He got that Jesus was a man of authority and by mearly speaking the Words, his servant would be healed. That is amazing faith.

"Dear Heavenly Father. I pray for faith such as the Centurion's. I beseech Thee, "Say but Your Word and our spouses will be healed; they will come to You and believe in You.". "Say but Your Word and our marriages will be healed." I ask this for all my Prayer Warriors, by the Most Precious Blood of Your Son, Jesus Christ, which was poured out on the cross for us. Amen":

<small>[ January 30, 2004, 06:31 AM: Message edited by: tryingTOsaveMYmarriage ]</small>

All,
I don't have a Word for today <img border="0" title="" alt="[Frown]" src="images/icons/frown.gif" /> . I figured with the recitation of His Word that pours forth on this site, you would all be chomping at the bit to chime in.

If you are not feeling guilty yet, let me know <img border="0" title="" alt="[Razz]" src="images/icons/tongue.gif" /> , I pour it on thicker.

Com'on. Let's hear the Words that inspire you today (one new verse a day <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" /> ) and let's use His Word to inpire otehrs here, and elsewhere, who need and who don't know they need it.

Let last weeks drought of presence on this forum be a "once-off"; a test from God of our faith in Him and His Word.

Love and Peace in Christ,
ttsmm

Jude vs. 20-23 (NASB)
20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,
21 keep yourselves in the love of God, (65) waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.
22 And have mercy on some, who are doubting;
23 save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.

Jude vs. 20-23 (KJV)
20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:
23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

I posted both versions, because I think it gives a fuller picture of the passage to see both. I have always loved vs. 22, but the fact of the matter is that not every person/situation is a vs. 22 person/situation. Perhaps if you find verse 22 easier to live, then God is going to put you in a verse 23 situation where you have to stand up to your spouse and say "What you are doing is wrong, and since you have chosen someone else over me, I can not be around until you repent." (Unfortunately, that is my case now - I am not even sure why I am in this place, never ever thought I'd leave my H). But some of us have verse 22 situations - where our compassion will make a difference. Another way is to look at it Plan A/Plan B scenario. Vs. 22 it until you have to go to vs. 23. But before all this, we have to build ourselves up in faith and stay in the love of God. Whatever happens to the others in our lives or whatever they do to us, we will have our faith (which is only sustained through God's grace) and God's love. It's a comforting thought, I think.

So, there you go TTSMM, maybe this will get the ball rolling <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" />

skilletsoup,
If figures someone with food in their name would what to feed and be fed <img border="0" title="" alt="[Razz]" src="images/icons/tongue.gif" /> .

Thanks. I pray it does get the ball rolling. This site has been dead on Thurs and Fri the last two weeks. We need to liven it up, there are serious battles going on.

Love and Peace in Christ,
ttsmm

Phillippians 4:4

"Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I say, rejoice!"

(Hey, I'm kinda bumming today. I guess I need to take my own medicine! REJOICE!!!!!)


CJ

Still along the theme of "food," but, of course the teacher in me won't let me just post a scripture and let it lie there!!

I will have to post a passage and then INTERPRET it for you! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Razz]" src="images/icons/tongue.gif" />

Here goes:

Joshua 5:2-12
"At that time the LORD said to Joshua, 'Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelities again.........'
"Now this is why He did so..........all the men who had been of military age when they came out of Egypt had died in the wilderness, since they had not obeyed the LORD.......So He raised up their sons in their place, and these were the ones who were circumcised in the wilderness....."
"Then the LORD said to Joshua, 'Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you......."

And they celebrated the Passover there.
Isn't that interesting? After they were circumcised...........AFTER A BLOOD OFFERING (of a sort), they celebrated the Passover.....before moving into the Promised Land.

THEN, once they had eaten food from the Promised Land, the manna from heaven stopped!

So I see several things taking place here:
First, God will remove someone who disobeys for a very long time. I know God ATTEMPTS to "bring us back" to Him. I know He is a "long-suffering" - Good God. But He also has limits to "how long He will remain with them........."

Once He did that, God wasted no time blessing their children, for God always has a back-up plan! We do not need to think God can't accomplish HIS purpose in or through us, cause God always has a back-up plan. IF WE DO NOT OBEY HIS COMMANDS, HE CAN SIMPLY "TAKE US OUT" AND SEND IN A BACK-UP, AND HIS PURPOSE WILL BE FULFILLED EITHER WAY! Kinda makes ya wanna obey the FIRST time, right?

Also, He "......rolled back the reproach of Egypt which was upon them........"
So He finally stopped "punishing" them for being disobedient, and blessed their children.

Secondly, the manna was only a half-way provision, until God could bring His obedient children into the Promised Land, Flowing with Milk and Honey, so that they could sustain themselves.........

This is what He desires of US, too!! That we stop LEANING so hard on HIM, when it's something that we could do for ourselves!!! Like praying, and believing Him for our breakthrough. I'm not saying we stop leaning on Him......just that sometimes we alwasy want others to pray, intercede for us, to "hear" from God for us.

Ain't gonna happen. God wants to GROW US UP unto Himself so we can stand before Him and KNOW HIS WILL and walk in it, without running all around asking OTHERS what we should do, what God is saying to us, etc.

lupo,
I did not read it yet, but, this is what I want. A different person to post a piece of scripture that means to them and then some commentary on it. Then I would like others to comment on it as well.
Thanks,

Love and Peace in Christ,
ttsmm

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Originally posted by tryingTOsaveMYmarriage:
<strong> lupo,
I did not read it yet, but, this is what I want. A different person to post a piece of scripture that means to them and then some commentary on it. Then I would like others to comment on it as well.
Thanks,

Love and Peace in Christ,
ttsmm </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">So I done good, then?

<img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="images/icons/wink.gif" />

"Happy are those who remain faithful under trials, because when they succeed in passing a test, they will receive as their reward the life which God has promised to those who love him." (James 1:12)


I don't think I really need to explain further. His word is pretty clear here. As I stand with God for my marriage, and suffer through it, I KNOW that if I remain faithful to Him (and be patient for His perfect timing - as I get to know Him more and more), He will give me that marriage that He planned for me to have. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" />

He does not answer when men cry out because of the arrogance of the wicked. Indeed, God does not listen to their empty plea; the Almighty pays no attention to it. Job 35:12,13 NIV

This verse really made me think of myself and many others who are crying for other people, especially our spouses to turn from their "wicked" ways. We each need to look at ourselves, not being like the Pharisee vs the Tax Collector and ask for God to change US. Have mercy on US. Yes, we can still pray for their salvation, but we have to allow them to reap what they have sowed. I know in my case, I was more like a mother to my H than a W. I always told him what to do (no-you can't go here because...., how to do it (you really should think about how that's going to affect the family), who he was allowed to be friends with (well, their beliefs don't match up with ours, I don't like so & so), casting my fears onto him, not letting him be the person, the H he was created to be. I had total control. I did not let him be the head of our household. I took over. In the process, I pushed him away from me, allowing him to fall out of love, wanting to be an individual, with his own thoughts, his own money, not doing things "my" way all the time. Now that he is living alone, he's enjoying it. He's enjoying not having to "answer" to me.

This is why asking God to change US first, is so important. We need to come to Him, telling him how UNrighteous we are because we ALL need His grace. We ALL sin, we ALL need to have Jesus as our Savior.

I have learned over the course of 4 months to be careful what I tell my family & friends of this situation. I have to be careful that I do not demean my H, I do not point out his sins because who am I to point out his sins when mine aren't any better. I am a sinner just like him. Yes, his sins are different than mine but notice, different, not worse. When God looks at sin, he doesn't say, This one is sinning worse than this one, so this one is forgiven & this one isn't. He looks at ALL sin and calls it that - SIN. He forgives ALL of us, even before we ask Him. He will allow us to reap the destruction of sin in order for us to learn something, in order for us to have to turn to Him and ask Him, Father, will you forgive me? Father, I want You to control my life and not try to take control myself.

So in the case of our spouses, it is very important that we pray from these Power books we've been reading. They teach us how to pray without being self-righteous. We must always remember though, to come to Him with OUR sins first, asking forgiveness, thanking Him for his beautiful gift of grace & mercy & then pray for our spouses. And once we ask, we must always keep having the faith that He WILL deliver, that He WILL fulfill His promises, as long as they're according to His word. We also have to be willing to accept His will, no matter what that means. No matter if that means that our marriage crumbles because of the bricks we have layed, because we know that through His grace & mercy & love, He will rebuild our lives & fulfill His promises to us - the way He wants, not the way WE want.

"The story of your life is the story of the long and brutal assault on your heart by the one who knows what you could be and fears it."
John Eldridge

I Peter 5:8-9

8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

Brothers and Sisters - this means WAR!!!! We need to fight for our hearts and the hearts of our spouses. Satan can't get our souls if we are saved, but he sure is going to go after our hearts. Do not be fooled by the circumstances and trials in your life, they are attacks to keep us down. They are designed to mar God's glory in our lives. See your life for what it is. We are special and unique creations, precious in the sight of God and Satan HATES that. Don't think he's not after you. Pray hard - with God on our side, we will win!

This is more like a power bar than the daily bread, but I hope it's okay.

Teach us how to fight Lord, with You at our side.