Christianity Oasis Forum

[xxJILLxx]

Listened to some of romans on the audio bible that lizzie told us about THANK U LIZZIE FOR TELLING US THAT! I SO APPRECIATE IT! I LOVE IT!



This past sunday , the sunday school classes started up again. I went to a class that is studying elijah and elisha so will be reading kings chapter 17.

I felt the Holy Spirit prompting
me to study phillipians. so i started that today as well.

Seems like im very hungry lately for the Word I cant get enuff of it! I love it too, I love when I feel the hunger of knowing Him more, He teaches me so much.

today i studied the first chapter of Phillipians

chapter 1 vs 1-8 i studied on how we are to pray for others. The way Paul prayed for the church with such joy and thankfulness , encouragement to them and the blessings he spoke over them.

and how Paul although in prison in chains wrote this joy-filled epistle of encouragement .

And then thinking on if Paul would write me a letter of encouragement today what qualities or habits of mine would he praise?

-I wld say my effort for His cause

-how i reach others in my work place (today I was talking with this driver and he asked me what I was reading and I told him a study guide for phillipians, so we get to talking and then I get this strange feeling that hes trying to court me with which I ws not interested in, so I asked him if he had any devotionals to steer him off subject. He said he does and goes on and on how he tithes to this and to that as if to impress me, well I just smiled and used the discernment He gives me and handed a devotional that was in print from my church that my pastor and wife put together, well anyway his number went in the garbage but he left with the devotional yay God!) But its little things like that that make an impact on Gods kingdom!

-I think he wld also praise my diligence and dedication (although I am quite hard on myself at times, I do try my best and thats all God requires)

chapter 1 vs 12-18 In the study were about triumph in trouble.

How paul refused to dwell on negative things (oops my complaining Hes working on me about)

The effect of his imprisonment to other believers (gave them encouragement to be bolder)

How God works through bad situations

People serving with wrong motives and how he stilll didnt be negative against them because the gospel was still being preached.

His passion for the advancement of the gospel

Also that we have to let go of control and how control is an illusion. we cant engineeer problem free events, and we cant make people live the way we want them to live. About the only thing we can control is our response to life situations.

When hard times came pauls response was not to pout. It was to yield to God's authority by humbling saying "thy will be done"


love it when He reminds me things !

YAY GOD!!!!

♥Jill

ps did pretty good on not complaining today! I dont think i have complained today outwardly still working on these thoughts tho.

[xxJILLxx]

self control .. self control .. self control


one of the fruit of the Spirit.


balance .. balance... balance

not one of my strong suits

Nathan is doing wonderfully in Bible quiz, He is quizzing out above all the other children in the group. He is such a wonderful and bright kid. He has his first tournament on Oct 3rd!

Mariah is turning around more and more. Tonite as i was dying her hair (kinda a deep burgandycolor) one of the stipulations was while i was dying her hair she had to help Nate study for Bible quiz. She agreed! So she was quizzing nate and i was dying her hair and she found some of the bible facts very interesting. Some kids from the church came over to visit my oldest boy and invited Mariah to go with them to church this evening. She went and they are starting a new drama dance and she got involved and had fun. When she got home she said " Mommy u have got to take me to church on Wednesday" I said ok sweetie i will make sure u get there ( we havent been going because of Nathan's football practices)

I havent been online as much as i used to because God's been showing me that i need to invest more time in my children and it is paying off! Hope yall understand. i love u all very dearly.

William is doing wonderfully, he kinda thinks hes prince of the apartment and sometimes i gotta bring him back down to reality but all in all hes doing very well!

ok now me~ ive been struggling a bit was dieting and then last weekend i went off then i dieted all this week and this weekend i went off Also getting a lil frustrated because its hard being a single mom and i dont have an adult to be there for me physically. And also financial struggles which most of us are in right now.

i know im not supposed to be complaining but how do u not complain about these things? Am i wrong in doing so? IDK Lord forgive me if am.

I think i need to share a dance with Him again, i so need it.

♥Jill

[xxJILLxx]

(pledge is going good today have not complained today as of yet and i dont intend on it either )

while continuing my study in phillipians i am realy exploring attitudes.

Being the ultimate servant. Christ always acted in absolute dependence on his Father.

Inspiration from the study

Jesus came to serve. He selcted prayer over sleep, the wilderness over the Jordan, iracible apostles over obedient angels.

He didnt pick obedient angels tho. He picked people> peter, Andrew, John, and Matthew. When they feared the storm, he stilled it. When they had no coin for taxes, he supplied it.

He let a woman in Samaria interrupt his rest, a woman in adultery interrupt his sermon, a woman with disease interrupt his plans, and one with remorse interrupt his meal.

Though none of the apostles washed his feet, he washed theirs. Though one of the soldiers at the cross begged for mercy, he extended it. And though his followeres skadaddled like scared rabbits on Tursday, he came searching for them on Easter Sunday. The resurrected Kiing ascended to heaven only after he'd spent forty days with his friends- teaching them , encouraging them.... serving them.

My thoughts...

can i be serving more?

ABSOLUTLEY!

shuld i ?

ABSOLUTELY!

where can i serve more?

EVERYWHERE! THE QUESTION SHOULD BE, WHERE CAN'T I SERVE. every situation.. every conversation, every interaction with others

keeping my eyes open for opportunites to serve for Him

♥Jill

[flutemusic67]

You are precious.

[xxJILLxx]

flute my dear wonderful sis!


we all are precious to Him, yr a gem sis


love ya

♥Jill

[xxJILLxx]

am exhausted


nevertheless i am still continuing my study in Phil. 2: 12-18

Paul sends this encouraging and challenging letter to to the christians of phillipi. His charge? Look at the example of jesus and live humbly. And shine like stars in the dark world.

Key points vs 14 and 15 said , it jumped right out off the page and slapped me Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights of the world.

The study brings up another valid question:

How do we avoid the ever-present danger of trying to live exemplary lives so that we will get the attention and admiration of others?

By letting the HS examine my motives, my heart. By making sure that God gets the glory for all He accomplishes through me.

what people think of me should not matter. What they think of God matters all. God will not share His glory with another. I am simply one link in a chain, an unimportant one at that.

Its not about me.. as i study more in His word and become more knowledgeable and wise i have to keep close watch that i dont take the spot light unintentionally or not. I need to make sure God gets the glory for all.

devotion

Lord i want to make progres in the faith, not so people will notice me, but so that people might marvel at you. I offer you my will- make it yours. I offer my weakness and request your infinate strength. Shine through me today. Give me a courageous spirit of a conqueror so i can climb over the obstacles the enemy has put in my path. Help me Father to lean on u in all areas as Jesus did especially my anxieties and stress. Every area i want u in it Lord, none of me, all you. I love u Lord you are my hiding place from trouble> I trust you Lord and i want to continue to live for you.
Thank You Lord for al u do for us, i am very grateful. Keep me in you Lord and continue to spark my hunger for your word, not that i seek wisdom to boast but my boast is in u o Lord and i want to serve. Help me to be like the ultimate servant. In Jesus name

Amen

♥Jill

[xxJILLxx]

continuing with my pledge and doing well

went to church last night, they started up a new womens bible study called women warriors. I loved it was just what i needed and corelates to what i am studying today in Phil.

things i learned last night:

There is a difference between warriors and soldiers.

we are in the Lords army and are soldiers and are to be commended for our service and serve diligently , but there is a difference between soldiers and warrioirs.

a soldier is strong from training, disciplined and focused ( they know their job, how it is to be carried out, where they are going and who they are fighting) they are diligent. ~ just some of the descriptions that came up

a warrior is a conqueror a person engaged in warfare looks for opportunities to conquer, is a person who shows great vigor, courage, or agressiveness.

warriors are on the front line of the battle you can liken them to special ops groups

we are special forces of the Kingdom

One should pursue being a warrior but not all are warriors, we need soldiers and nothing wrong with soldiers at all, but warriors thrive to conquer for Him

Hebrews 11:4-7
4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

They act in Faith, step out go the extra mile for God, they are obedient to His voice, they hear His call and approach it with the the spirit of a conqueror. Hit it head on and dont let up.

phil 2:19-30 continuing my study:

How we are to receive our brothers and sisters in Christ with such love and hospitality for them.

Timothy was a man i can learn from He is very selfless and he truly cared for all where others are only interested in their own lives not in the work of Jesus Christ.

Epaphroditis almost died for the His service to the Lord ( A soldier and a warrior) He didnt reguard his life to work for Christ.

Being careful not to place these bible cahracters on a pedestal to disservice them because they did not work for Christ's cause to be admired or recognized but because they loved Him and they were warriors!



♥Jill

[xxJILLxx]

What a weekend.

Lots of emotions, sometimes i feel like im on a rollercoaster ride and it doesnt stop.

Wish everything i write hear could be peachy keen. But the fact is Life here on earth is not peachy keen. ( maybe its just me idk)

Two steps forwards one step backwards type thing. I'd like to get to the point of my walk with Him that i wont fall directly into the enemies traps. But im constantly learning. We all are learning I suppose sometimes i think my skull is alot thicker than most.

Exposing the enemies tactics so i can see who and what i am battling here.

Areas of struggle that i wish i wld just get over already!!

low self-esteem
codependancy issues
anxiety

all weighing in on my mind, and the problem is i know better than all that, but yet i feel like Paul here

For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I {would} like to {do,} but I am doing the very thing I hate.


i yi yi

and again balance plays a big role in this im finding. Maybe i need to study the art of juggling here! How to keep all in balance.

When i spread myself to thin i find that i am letting myself get weaker against the attacks of the enemy.


A Churning Stomach
Job 30:27The churning inside me never stops; days of suffering confront me.

My stomach's in a constant churning, never settles down. Each day confronts me with more sufferiing

do I tend to dismiss my thoughts as mere whining or complaining? What about my life makes my stomach churn?
Is this churning something I could relieve, or something to simply live with


This is a dangerous, because when I'm feeling good and confident, I'll take on more than I should. But when I'm feeling badly about myself, I feel I'm not worthy enough to take time for. I can't cut back, [others] need me,

[xxJILLxx]

do I tend to dismiss my thoughts as mere whining or complaining? What about my life makes my stomach churn?
Is this churning something I could relieve, or something to simply live with

yes i tend to dismiss my thoughts as mere whining and complaining. Am i whining?

i suppose i am . Am i complaining? I complain about all the opposition that rises against me. I dont like the enemy and i dont like to lose ground to him. so i complain about it, but even worse i wallow in it sometimes and thats where he gets the best of me i think. I dont do it for attention, i do it out of desperation because i dont know how to cope with these things and im trying to grasp at things so i can understand and cope so i can live victoriously for Him. But i think i will fail> reminds me of a little girl in a body of water who gets so tired from swimming and she realizes she got a cramp and out of desperation she is trying to stay afloat and grasping at everything and anything to help her stay afloat, but while shes doing that she is getting even more tired and her efforts are only going to hurt her more in the end. Dont panic! He tells me Do not panic, but i do... why?

What about my life makes my stomach churn?

being a single mom
my finances or lack thereof
the mail
responsibility
fear of failure
being lonely

Is this churning something I could relieve, or something to simply live with?

lets see lets explore:
well at the moment being a single mom i am not going to be relieved of so that is something i simply have to live with...

my finances or lack thereof, i could possibly relieve it or better God could relieve it. I dont believe He wants me to suffer and worry about the bills and being able to get new tires for my car for the winter etc etc. I have to trust HIm but i also have to work, its not going to be handed to me. Can be relieved!

the mail, i can pray over and Invite Him to come sit with me and help me figure things out. Expecting HIm to give me God ideas to help me through this. Creativity and wisdom. Can be relieved!

responsibility, i hate responsibility because of the next one on my list. fear of failure. Let HIm remind me that i am not a failure and He is a present help with me always. Can be relieved.!

being lonely, i do have times of "feeling" lonely although i know i am not alone I realise He is always there with me i just lose sight of Him being there because my problems seems to pull me away from Him. Can be relieved!

ok this is good therapy... He is such a comforter isnt He

my Holy Spirit pep talk

♥Jill


[/quote]

[Dora]

Precious. Precious Sister. Whom I love so dearly. I am pleased to call you my friend. How much more the Lord loves you and is pleased to call you his daughter.

Growth hurts. But God is good and faithful. He will complete what he has begun and it all is for a worthy cause. You will be rewarded for your faithfulness to him.

Rest in him. Allow him to lead. You are not single my dear. You are married to Jesus.

[xxJILLxx]

1 Peter 1:7
That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:


THe fruit of righteousness will be peace, the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever. Isaiah 32:17


sos i think went very well < it was all Him none of me. His strength is perfect when i am weak.

resting today... think i may take a bubble bath with some candles and praise n worship music on

♥Jill

[Dora]

THe fruit of righteousness will be peace, the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever. Isaiah 32:17

Awesome verse sis.
How did you day go?
Did you get any rest?