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1  "Redeeming Our Time" / Chit Chat / Re: Sunday School Stunner..... on: January 29, 2009, 09:31:02 pm
That helped a lot.  Thank you!  I'm curious to see if this conversation will come up again.  Ever since that particular day, the pre-Sunday School conversations have been a lot lighter.  I'm just happy to have the insight and the info for the next time!

Thank you so much for all the time and study that you put in.  I really do appreciate this!
2  "Redeeming Our Time" / 1 John Study / Re: 1 John 2: 15 - 17 on: January 15, 2009, 09:21:08 am
Do Not Love the World
 15Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever. (NIV)

15-17Don't love the world's ways. Don't love the world's goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father. Practically everything that goes on in the world—wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important—has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him. The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out—but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity. (The Message)

This is one of those passages that I think a lot of people get tripped up on.  How do we live in this world and stay apart from it?

Matthew Henry said this in his commentary, and I really liked it:
The several degrees of Christians should unite in this, in being dead to the world. Were they thus united, they would soon unite upon other accounts: their love should be reserved for God; throw it not away upon the world.

I know when I was working with the middle school girls I was always trying to help the girls understand what this passage meant.  One girl said to me, "I want to love God with all of my heart, but if I don't pay any attention to wordly things (clothes, music, etc) people will make fun of me, and I can promise you that they're not going to want to be like me."  Hmmm... She has a point.  I mean, like it or not, the first thing we notice about someone is what they look like.  Then, after awhile, if you haven't already categorized them as "super dork", you notice their actions.

This commentary was attached to the Message translation on biblegateway.com:
The things of the world may be desired and possessed for the uses and purposes which God intended, and they are to be used by his grace, and to his glory; but believers must not seek or value them for those purposes to which sin abuses them. The world draws the heart from God; and the more the love of the world prevails, the more the love of God decays.
3  "Redeeming Our Time" / Chit Chat / Re: Sunday School Stunner..... on: January 13, 2009, 03:53:34 pm
Ooh, this is good!

So how do we address the "pick and choose" Bible?  How do we determine, or how can we know what is meant for those times and what is meant for all times? 
4  "Redeeming Our Time" / Chit Chat / Re: Sunday School Stunner..... on: January 13, 2009, 10:01:37 am
I forgot one major element:

My friend who condones the "live-in" boyfriend mentioned that unless it is one of the 10 Commandments, everything else is just a guideline for how God would want us to live our lives, but it is not necessarily a command.  I think this is the comment that really bothered me.  She said that she understands why God wants us to live pure lives, but He didn't command it in His original 10, and therefore, it is merely a suggestion.
5  "Redeeming Our Time" / Chit Chat / Sunday School Stunner..... on: January 13, 2009, 08:22:06 am
We had an interesting conversation in Sunday School that left me with the "I'll need to do a little research" comment.

It started with Mama Hen and I talking about modesty.  She asked if I was going to take my picture that day for the fashion show.  The girls around us asked what we were talking about, so we explained.

We then got to talking about Paul's guidelines for modesty - covering a woman's head, no jewelry, etc.

Then someone said that was written to the Corinthians at that specific time.

Which caused someone to say that you can't pick and choose what you follow from the Bible.  Either it is God's Word for then, or it's God's Word for always.

She went as far as to say that she condones her friend living (and sleeping) with her boyfriend because that is not one of the 10 Commandments (I tried to use 1 John 2:3-6, which triggered her use of the 10 Commandments.) - AND that this girl is in love with Jesus.

Which has now led me to this.  I believe that God's Word is for always.  But, I don't cover my head and I do wear jewelry.  Am I picking and choosing what I want to follow?
6  "Redeeming Our Time" / Prayer Requests / Re: Patience in the Waiting on: January 12, 2009, 02:08:33 pm
UPDATE:

I had my appointment today, and the doctor did not seem concerned at all about the spotting.  She told me that as I approach 30 (gulp Wink), my body is changing.  She said that my BC pills might not be strong enough, and therefore, can't "keep it all in".  Not a lovely picture, but at least I'm getting ready to be done with those pills anyway.

As far as the PCOS and the metformin, she went ahead and wrote me a prescription.  She wants to get it running through my system so that I'm able to ovulate as soon as I stop the BC pills.

All of this was very encouraging, and I thank you for your prayers.  Melissa and Teresa, thank you for sharing your own experiences and your heart.  I know that PCOS is common, but when everyone around you is a "fertile myrtle", you start to feel very lonely.  Melissa, I will continue to pray for you and your husband.  We serve a very powerful God.

I'll be sure to keep you posted on my "progress..."
7  "Redeeming Our Time" / Prayer Requests / Patience in the Waiting on: January 09, 2009, 10:31:30 am
I have what is called Poly-Cystic-Ovarian-Syndrome (PCOS).  It's one of the leading causes of infertility in women.  As it sounds, I have many small cysts all over my ovaries which prevent me from ovulating.  I'm sure you see where this is going ... no ovulation means no egg.  No egg equals no baby.  In order to even have a regular period, I take birth control pills to keep the body working.

As of right now I am still taking the birth control, and we are not trying to get pregnant.  BUT, all of this will change 4 weeks from this coming Sunday.  I will stop taking the pills and pursue my husband... Shocked

However, I have started bleeding - everyday - for 6 weeks.  I am going to the doctor on Monday, and am asking you to pray that nothing is wrong with my body.  I have been sick with the stomach flu, so I am praying that the bleeding has something to do with that. 

My daughter was born in September 2007, a month early, but perfectly healthy!  God allowed me to become pregnant with her very easily.  My doctor prescribed a medication that is used for people with diabetes.  It is not a fertility drug, but rather it regulates the insulin levels, which in turn, help ladies with PCOS ovulate.  I'm not sure which direction my doctor will take this time around, but I know that the Lord has a perfect plan for our family.  I just need to be patient and wait on Him.
8  "Redeeming Our Time" / Prayer Requests / Re: Babies and Stuff on: January 09, 2009, 10:22:20 am
You will definitely be in my prayers as well.  A friend of mine just suffered two miscarriages in 6 months, and I know the emotional turmoil that she is going through has really been stressful for her and her husband.

Remember that God's timing is absolutely perfect.  I have to remind myself of this daily.
9  "Redeeming Our Time" / Becoming An "Excellent" Wife / Re: Guarding our tongues on: January 09, 2009, 10:15:18 am
Mmm-hmm.

My tongue is like a wildfire that is out of control!  Definitely my biggest problem, and the most difficult to tame.

Thank you for the verses!  I will be posting these around my house - and my heart.
10  "Redeeming Our Time" / 1 John Study / Re: 1 John 2:3-6 on: January 09, 2009, 09:20:11 am
Ooh, conviction ... it burns!!!

This passage really made me look at MY life.  Am I knowingly sinning?  I struggle with my tongue SO much!  Why?  Why can't I move past this sin?  I do it.  Realize it as I'm saying devastating words.  Then I confess and ask for forgiveness.  My desire is to truly repent of this gossip sin.  I want to be useful in building up the Lord's kingdom, not tearing it down.

Is this the type of behavior that is making me in a liar.  Can God not live in me?  Am I abominable to Him?  I mean, I know what I am doing, and I do it anyway.

John's words are so clear.  This does not leave room for much interpretation, and yet, it's as if 1 John is the epistle that has been lost in churches.  Only the "crazies" would believe this and follow these commands.  The apathy around us is disgusting, and also frustrating because I see it penetrating my friends and family.  I'm recovering of it myself.  It is definitely a blessing to be able to surround myself with you and your wisdom and insights, build up and strengthen my defenses, so that I am able to get "back out there" and fight!
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