What does God say about.....

Affliction



One of the healthiest things that can happen to a ponderosa forest is to have a forest fire every five to twenty years. Without a regular fire two things happen that can ultimately lead to destruction that lasts for hundreds of years.

First, "a healthy ponderosa forest is made of widely spaced, fire resistant trees," writes Michael Parfit in National Geographic. "With overprotection young trees and competing species make a flammable understory so shaded that ponderosa seedlings can't grow." Thus new ponderosas stop springing up.

Second, dead wood, needles, and cones pile up in a thicker and thicker layer of combustible kindling on the forest floor. When a fire eventually does come to an overprotected forest-as it eventually must- the fire burns hotter and deeper. Instead of a healthy fire that burns quick and low over the floor of the forest, blackening the trunks of healthy trees but nothing more, the fire explodes in the crown of the trees. It also destroys the roots. The result is total destruction of every tree.

Such a fire ruins the forest ecosystem. The soil no longer absorbs rain, and it erodes.

As odd as it may seem, ponderosa forests need fire in order to be healthy and viable.

Christians also benefit from fiery trials, even though they are painful. They can burn away the temporal, worthless things that so easily pile up in our lives.


Christians being Afflicted:

Matthew 10:16-18, "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; and ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles."

Enduring Afflictions:

2 Timothy 4:5, "But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry."

The psalmist was thankful for Affliction, for it taught him to keep God's precepts:

Psalm 119:67-68, "Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word. You are good, and what you do is good; teach me your decrees."

Psalm 119:71-72, "It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees. The law from your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold."

Psalm 119:75-76, "I know, O Lord, that your laws are righteous, and in faithfulness you have afflicted me. May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant."

God at times sends trials to develop patience in us:

James 1:2-4, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complet, not lacking anything."

In everything God works for the good of those who love him:

Romans 8:28, "We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose."

God will never give you more than you can bear:

1 Cor. 10:13, "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."

God blesses those who persevere under trials:

James 1:12, "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him."

Our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us:

Romans 8:18, "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us."

Paul says that he suffered under great stress so that he might learn to rely more on God."

2 Cor. 1:8-9, "We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure. so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead."

Paul and Silas were singing praises to God while they were suffering severely for the sake of the Gospel:

Acts 16:25, "About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them."

Although Paul suffered in many ways, he did not lose heart. God kept strengthening him day by day, and he looked forward to his eternal reward:

2 Cor. 4:16-18, "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."


God bless,

Godbe4me
 
Thank you Godbe4me . that was really encouraging :)

Once i had this theology on how to avoid affliction . and it worked really well too . but it didn't do me any good .


As stressful as it seems . the season of judgment is really just a time of cleansing .

Thank you :)
 
Forgiveness of Sins

Forgiveness of Sins
In Reader's Digest, a contributor told of an Aunt Ruby and Uncle Arnie who had adopted a baby boy after five years of trying unsuccessfully to conceive. To their surprise, a short time after the adoption, Aunt Ruby discovered she was pregnant, and she later gave birth to a boy.
One day when the two boys were eight and nine years old, the teller of the story was visiting Aunt Ruby, and a woman in the neighborhool came to visit.
Observing the children at play, the woman asked, "Which boy is yours, Ruby?"
"Both of them," Aunt Ruby replied.
The caller persisted. "But I mean, which one is adopted?"
Aunt Ruby did not hesitate. In her finest hour, she looked straight at her guest and replied, "I've forgotten."
When we are adopted as God's children, we quickly come to cherish our heavenly Father's forgetfulness. For He chooses to forget our sins, to forget our wayward past, and to give us the full rights of sons or daughters. He treats us as if we had never sinned.
Believers are made as white as snow:
Isa. 1:18, "Come now, let us reason together," says the Lord. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool."
David sang joyfully after he repented of adultery and God forgave him:
Psalm 32:1-2, "Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit."
David was depressed until he repented and was forgiven.
Psalm 32:3-4, "When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groanings all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer."
God will not despise a broken spirit and contrite heart:
Psalm 51:17, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise."
How great is God's forgiveness!:
Psalm 103:8-12, "The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. he will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay uis according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for htose who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgression from us."
The Lord is Kind and Forgiving:
Psalm 86:4-7, "Bring joy to your servant, for to you, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you. Hear my prayer, O Lord; listen to my cry for mercy. In the day of my trouble I will call to you, for you will answer me."
God calls all sinners to seek him and promises them forgiveness when they repent:
Isa. 55:6-7, "Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon."
Jesus extends a loving invitation:
Matthew 11:28-30, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
Jesus forgave the murderer on the cross (an example of one saved only by grace)
Luke 23:43, "Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."
Jesus tells us to pray for forgiveness:
Matthew 6:12, "Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors."
We are justified (cleared of all guilt) by faith in Jesus; in him we find peace:
Romans 5:1, "Since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ..."
Romans 8:1,4, "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus...(for those) who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit."
In love Jesus died to make us holy; we are without blemish:
Eph. 5:25-27, "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless."
Heb. 10:10, "By that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."
The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses from all sin:
1 John 1:7, "If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin."
God graciously forgives when we confess our sins before him:
1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."
Proverbs 28:13-14, "He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy. Blessed is the man who always fears the Lord, but he who hardens his heart falls into trouble."
God bless,
Godbe4me
 
Past Memories
In an article in Guideposts, Corrie ten Boom told of not being able to forget a wrong that had been done to her. She had forgiven the person, but she kept rehashing the incident and so, couldn't sleep. Finally Corrie cried out to God for help in putting the problem to rest. She writes:
His help came in the form of a kindly Lutheran pastor to whom I confessed my failure after two sleepless weeks, "Up in that church tower, " he said, nodding out the window, "is a bell which is rung by pulling on a rope. But you know what? After the sexton lets go of the rope the bell keeps on swinging. First 'ding,' then 'dong.' Slower and slower until there's a final dong and it stops. I believe the same thing is true of forgiveness. When we forgive, we take our hand off the rope. But if we've been tugging at our grievances for a long time, we mustn't be surprised if the old angry thoughts keep coming for a while. They're just the ding-dongs of the old bell slowing down."
And so it proved to be. There were a few more midnight reverberations, a couple of dings when the subject came up in my conversations. But the force-which was my willingness in the matter-had gone out of them. They came less and less often and at last stopped altogether. And so I discovered another secret of forgiveness: we can trust God not only above our emotions, but also above our thoughts.
Past triumphs, failures, and losses can entrap one, not allowing freedom to enjoy the present or future:
Philippians 3:13-15, "Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and pressing toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you."
Isaiah 43:18-19, "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland."
Luke 9:62, "Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."
Ephesians 4:22-23, "You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds."
The battle of past memories takes place in the mind:
2 Cor. 10:4-5, "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."
Philippians 4:8, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things."
Remember God's provision of the past:
Psalm 77:11, "I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago."
Joshua 21:45, "Not one of all the Lord's good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled."
Concentrate on what God is doing in the present and will do in the future:
Isaiah 26:3, "You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you."
Isaiah 42:10, "Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise from the ends of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it, you islands, and all who live in them."
2 Cor. 5:17, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"
God bless,
Godbe4me
 
Seeking God
Columnist Herb Caen writes in the San Francisco Chronicle, "Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning a lion wakes up, it knows it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death. It doesn't matter whether you are a lion or a gazelle; when the sun comes up, you'd better be running."
Spurgeon writes likewise, "If you are not seeking the Lord, the Devil is seeking you. If you are not seeking the Lord, judgment is at your heels."
In the Christian life, it's not enough simply to wake up. We are called to run, to become more like Christ, to press ahead in godliness.
Seeking the Lord:
1 Chronicles 16:11, "Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually."
Psalm 63:1, "O God, thou are my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee ina dry and thirsty land, where no water is."
Isaiah 55:6, "Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near."
Zephaniah 2:3, "Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger."
The Lord Seeking That Which was Lost:
Matthew 18:11-14, "For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. How think ye? if a man have a hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish."
The reward for not Seeking the Lord:
2 Chronicles 16:12-13, "And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the Lord, but to the physicians. And Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth year of his reign."
The Reward for Seeking the Lord:
Psalm 34:4, "I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears."
Amos 5:4, "For thus saith the Lord unto the house of Israel, Seek ye me, and ye shall live."
2 Chronicles 26:5, "And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: ans as long as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper."
The reward for seeking knowledge:
Proverbs 2:1-5, "My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understand; If thou seekest her as silver,a nd searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God."
Those that seek death:
Proverbs 21:6, "The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death."
Those that seek good:
Proverbs 11:27, "He that diligently seeketh good procureth favour: but he that seeketh mischief, it shall come unto him."
Those that seek the Lord:
1 Chronicles 16:10, "Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord."
Psalm 9:10, "And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thu, Lord, has not forsaken them that seek thee."
Psalm 22:26, "The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the Lord that seek him: your heart shall live forever."
Psalm 34:10, "The young lions do lack, and sugger hunger: but they tha seek the Lord shall not want any good thing."
Lamentations 3:25, "The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him."
Proverbs 28:5, "Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the Lord understand all things."
What not to seek:
Amos 5:14, "Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the Lord, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken."
Colossians 3:1-2, "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth."
What does not seek God:
Psalm 10:4, "The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts."
Psalm 119:155, "Salvation is far from the wicked: for they seek not thy statues."
Why People Seek Jesus Christ:
John 6:26-27, "Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for the meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed."
God bless,
Godbe4me
 
Thank you Godbe4me . it would be so much "easier" if all this anti-existence went away .. but as pressure for a diamond .. so are the righteous .. as the gleam of dawn growing every brighter to the fullness of day .
 
Alertness


According to Matthew Wald in the New York Times, on Friday, January 17, 1997, David Riach and his mother Dorothy, both pilots, were flying a single-engine Piper Dakota over the northeastern United States. Their destination was Saranac Lake, New York. Twenty-five minutes after takeoff, however, Mr Riach did not respond to a radio message from a flight controller in New York. The plane was apparently on automatic pilot. After the third attempt by the flight controllers, the pilot's mother radioed to the tower that he was not responding. A few minutes later, she radioed that her son was vomiting.

Then she, too, began to experience physical problems. She radioed that she was getting tired. A minute later she said she was very, very tired. Another minute later she said she felt nauseated. A few minutes later, in the final communication she had with controllers, she said she just wanted to get the airplane down.

For an hour and a half the airplane continued to fly on autopilot. Finally it ran out of gas and crashed in Alton, New Hampshire, with no survivors.

Authorities investigated and several days later reported that the cause of the accident was a triangular hole in the plan's muffler, which allowed carbon monoxide to be sucked into the plane's heating system. The chief investigator said that at the time of the crash the victims were unconscience but alive.

Sleep can be dangerous in the wrong place. One such place is in your spiritual life.


Being aware:

Exodus 34:12, "Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee."

Proverbs 4:25-27, "Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path on they feet,a nd let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil."

Proverbs 5:1-2, "My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding: That thou mayest regard discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge."

Matthew 24:42-44, "Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh."

Matthew 26:41, "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."

Colossians 2:8, "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ."

2 Timothy 4:5, "But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of they ministry."

1 Peter 5:8, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour."

The reward for not being aware:

Revelation 3:1-3, "And unto the angel of the church of Sardis write: These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. Remember therefore how thou has received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shal not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee."

Those that watch:

Revelation 16:15, "Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame."

What to be aware of:

Matthew 7:15, "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves."

Who watches in vain:

Psalm 127:1, "Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain."


God bless,

Godbe4me
 
The Youth


According to the Chicago Tribune, on Monday, August 26, 1996, tragedy struck a Fort Lauderdale, Florida, family. Two boys found their twelve-year-old brother Samuel dead in their yard. He had hanged himself from a tree. Beneath the tree were a step stool and a flashlight.

There was little mystery about what had provoked Samuel to end his life. Samuel had a weight problem, and this would have been his first day at a new school. He had told his family that he was nervous about going to school because he was afraid of the teasing that would likely come from the other children.

There are few things more painful than shame. One of the great kindnesses we can do for others is to take away their false shame through acceptance and affirmation.


A lot of the youth today have experience the following:
  • Peer pressure
  • Cruelty
  • Fear
  • Humiliation
  • Insults
  • Mocking
  • Shame
  • Suicide
Trust in the Lord; acknowledge Him in all your ways:

Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and he shall direct your path."

Be sure to go God's way:

Proverbs 3:1-4, "My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity. Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. then you will win favor and a good anme in the sight of God and man."

Remember your Creator in the days of your youth:

Eccles. 12:1, "Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, "I find no pleasure in them."

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom:

Prov. 9:10-11, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For through me your days will be many, and years will be added to your life.

Fools despise instruction:

Prov. 1:7, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline."

Prov. 13:13, "He who scorns instruction will pay for it, but he who respects a command is rewarded."

Listen to parental instruction for your own good:

Prov. 1:8-9, "Listen, my son, to your father's instruction and do not forsake your mother's teaching. They will be a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck."

Prov. 4:1-4, "Listen, my sons, to a father's instruction; pay attention and gain understanding. I give you sound learning, so do not forsake my teaching. When I was a boy in my father's house, still tender, and an only child of my mother, he taught me and said, "Lay hold of my words with all your heart; keep my commands and you will live."

Don't despise the Lord's discipline, for he disciplines those he loves (and parents must follow his example):

Prov. 3:11-12, "My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in."

Don't ignore discipline; be thankful for it:

Prov. 13:18, "He who ignores discipline comes to poverty and shame, but whoever heeds correction is honored."

Prov. 15:5, "A fool spurns his father's discipline, but whoever heeds correction shows prudence."

Prov. 15:12, "A mocker resents correction; he will not consult the wise."

Love requires discipline:

Prov. 13:24, "He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him."

If others entice you, don't consent or yield:

Prov. 1:10, "My son, if sinners entice you. do not give in to them."

Prov. 1:15, "My son, do not go along with them, do not set foot on their paths."

Avoid the path of the wicked; turn far from it:

Prov. 4:14-15, "Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of the evil men. Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way."

Stand firm; don't be willy-nilly; don't be moved:

1 Cor. 15:58, "My dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."

Honor your father and mother:

Exod. 20:12, "Honor your father and mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you."

Honor and obey your parents:

Eph. 6:1-3, "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. "Honor your father and mother"- which is the first commandment with a promise---"that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth. (Deut. 5:16)."

Jesus was obedient to his parents:

Luke 2:51, "Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart."

Flee the evil desires of youth:

2 Tim. 2:22, "Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart."


God bless,

Godbe4me
 
The Youth


According to the Chicago Tribune, on Monday, August 26, 1996, tragedy struck a Fort Lauderdale, Florida, family. Two boys found their twelve-year-old brother Samuel dead in their yard. He had hanged himself from a tree. Beneath the tree were a step stool and a flashlight.

There was little mystery about what had provoked Samuel to end his life. Samuel had a weight problem, and this would have been his first day at a new school. He had told his family that he was nervous about going to school because he was afraid of the teasing that would likely come from the other children.

There are few things more painful than shame. One of the great kindnesses we can do for others is to take away their false shame through acceptance and affirmation.


A lot of the youth today have experience the following:

  • Peer pressure
  • Cruelty
  • Fear
  • Humiliation
  • Insults
  • Mocking
  • Shame
  • Suicide
I can imagine how he felt. I was treated much the same way when I was younger. I remember that in grade school the teacher had played a tape about a kid committing suicide and after the class seeing that they all looked straight at me since I was pretty much a loner throughout all of grade school. I hated school. Every single day was a nightmare for me. I feel bad that he ended his life like that... I'm very sorry to hear that. I know what he went through as I went through the same thing from around grade 2 to grade 10.

I hope the Lord found mercy in him. Hopefully he is in heaven now.
 
I could only imagine the fear he must have been feeling in order to feel that was his only way out. It is a sad truth that some of our youth don't understand that children who suffers through this has feelings. But, I am sorry to hear that you experienced this. But thank God because He bought you through it.
 
I could only imagine the fear he must have been feeling in order to feel that was his only way out. It is a sad truth that some of our youth don't understand that children who suffers through this has feelings. But, I am sorry to hear that you experienced this. But thank God because He bought you through it.
Yeah, the kids don't realize the harm it does. Nor will it change. They like to build them self up and the best way for them to do that is by bullying others. It's all pride... But as Jesus would say... "Forgive them for they know not what they do". They haven't matured so they can't know the damage it causes.
 
I'm not exactly sure how I got through it. I remember trying my hardest to get to school late to it's at least a little bit of time I didn't have to put up with it. I didn't become a born again Christian until I was 19 but I remember talking about my parents when I was in grade school. probably around grade 6 or 7 how I mentioned having multiple fathers and counting them on my fingers and saying one of them was God. I wasn't a born again Christian at this time so I don't exactly know how or why I said that or thought it. A lot happened back then and I had always knew there a God.

I guess the best way to say it is that the Lord works in mysterious ways... Though I was a sinner not in Christ. Maybe God guides the people that aren't in Christ too and waits for the right time to bring them to Christ.

Edit:
Arg... I'm sorry. I shouldn't keep talking about myself and my problems. It's not exactly a good thing to do.
 
You are doing just fine. God may have you expressed yourself a little to help someone else who may be experiencing the same thing. It was God who bought you through. You never know if another younger person is here seeking help in how to get through their trials. God brings us through things so that we can help others who may be going through the same thing. So, don't apologize, you never know who may need to read what you just said.


God bless,

Godbe4me
 
You are doing just fine. God may have you expressed yourself a little to help someone else who may be experiencing the same thing. It was God who bought you through. You never know if another younger person is here seeking help in how to get through their trials. God brings us through things so that we can help others who may be going through the same thing. So, don't apologize, you never know who may need to read what you just said.


God bless,

Godbe4me
Okay but make sure you warn me if I'm getting a little whiny or complaining about my problems. I don't want to bring the forums into anything negative or sad.
 
Sorrow
When babies are born prematurely, one of the most common critical problems is with their underdeveloped lungs. In September 1996, the New England Journal of Medicine reported the results of a pilot study that offered hopeful treatment. The treatment is surprising. In the study, doctors filled the lungs of critically ill premature babies with liquid-an oxygen-rich liquid. Through this liquid the babies actually "breathe."
Normally, when fluid fills the lungs, people drown. But this special oxygen-filled fluid actually saves lives.
In a similar way, there is a sorrow that kills and another sort of sorrow that brings life. Normally, sorrow and depression drown a person's spirit. But like oxygen-filled fluid, sorrow that comes from God brings repentance and life.
Godly Sorrow:
2 Cor. 7:10, "For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death."
Sorrow of the heart:
Proverbs 15:13, "A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorow of the heart the spirit is broken."
What Sorrow is:
Ecclesiastes 7:3-4, "Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth."
Who shall have sorrow:
Psalm 32:10, "many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall compass him about."
Who sorrow shall flee from:
Isaiah 35:10, "And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away."
The Lord wiping away tears:
Psalm 30:10-11, "Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me: Lord, be thou my helper. Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness."
Rev. 7:17, "For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes."
God bless,
Godbe4me
 
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