Christian Photographers Community

James 4:8-10 says...

Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.





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Proverbs 8:17 says...

I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.

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Morning Devotional...

Sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called.
Jude 1:1

What do we owe to God's preserving care day by day?

Often foolish hearts would wander like sheep on the dark mountains of this ungodly world.

Then! His hand reaches down and brings us back to the fold--preserved. We get our eyes on the "prosperity of the wicked" and envy their ease, and our steps, like Asaph's, well nigh slip.

Then! He leads us gently into the sanctuary to get the eternal point of view--preserved again!

Let us thank Him today for His preserving care.
--J. Boyd Nicholson

Hi Pat, So sorry about your car problems.   I will surely pray that God will solve them and you will rejoice in Him.

Love Ruthie

DEUTERONOMY 7 : 21  NIV

(Speaking to the Israelites about their enemies, Moses said:)
"Do not be terrified by them, for the
Lord your God, who is among you,
is a great and awesome God."

What foe can defeat the people of God?
None!  Our God, our Deliverer, is mighty in power,
awesome in holiness, and greater than any of our foes.
We refuse to fear what the evil one threatens because
our Savior has already ultimately defeated him.

PRAYER...
Abba Father, calm my fears and sooth my anxious heart.
By the Power of Your Spirit, please bless me with boldness
and confidence as i seek to live for You in  a world that is
often hostile to my faith and opposed to Your values.
I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.
                                                            PHIL WARE.

Ria  (https://www.christianphotographers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fchristianphotographers.com%2Fforum%2Fsmi%2Fbible.gif&hash=d247eef380fddef6f370a809f5652dc286a28a43)

GOODMORNING ALL 11.58 AM in Holland  (https://www.christianphotographers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fchristianphotographers.com%2Fforum%2Fsmi%2Ff_rose.gif&hash=0b5a445619d38c53535a5caa41044cec40548644)

PAT thank you for the devotional this morning
and i am sorry that you still have car problems.

LARRY i am doing very easy now for me no painting more.
It is sunny on this moment so i go outsite.

NARDS yes Lance Armstrong is doing very good.
He is now coming in yellow yesterday. The color of the winner.
I hope he win the Tour de France. That shall be the 6x.
He is a great man. 6x be winner of the Tour that has never someone done. But we must wait till Sunday.
I take every day a look to the TV when they are in the mountains that is so beautiful.

ETTA SUE are we getting all problems when we are being older.
You your back i sometimes also that is my osteoporosis now my shoulder.
But we are going still doing what we will do only a little bit slowly.

2 Corinthians 9 : 15
Thanks be to God for His indescribable.gift!

                              THE GIFT OF GOD'S LOVE
                                      God's love -
                             overwhelming, overcoming,
                            undemanding, understanding...
                                      God's love-
                            a gift that cannot be explained,
                                      only received.

Love and prayerfully for you all
Ria   (https://www.christianphotographers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fchristianphotographers.com%2Fforum%2Fsmi%2Fbyebye.gif&hash=8859d570f4eed25598673bd093ec19d5f359d442)



                                               (https://www.christianphotographers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fchristianphotographers.com%2Fforum%2Fsmi%2Fhaveaniceday1.gif&hash=09049306fab79cdc97b5e3a00080b5a73579cbab)

Nice devotionals.  Thanks to Pat & Ria.  It is 6 A.M. and I have been up since 4...the kids left early to catch their flight in Victoria.  How still the house seems now.  I am not used to being on my own and feel rather lost.

Wendy's Grandma is still alive and waiting for her to come.  I am so relieved as they are very close.  That is something I worked hard at over the years...keeping the children close to their grandparents, even tho' divorced since 1973.  (My  parents died when the kids were very little.)  The sad thing is that they went from being very strong Christians (Baptists) to rejecting Jesus and becoming Cultists in a New Age Faithist group.  So, I am still praying that her heart will change before the end comes....and it is very close now.

Much work to do for the next week....Poor Squeek will be lost without Amanda.  I will have to give lots of love to the five rabbits, as well as doing all the watering, so going to be a busy Gramie!

Etta Sue, the washer turned out to be connected to something that was in my suite and we found it was a fuse that caused the problem.  Happy Day.  No repair man.  Things are working again.  Yes, repairs are expensive...tho' this is Sears and they are better than most.  At least in this area.  I did spend time at the laundromat and sure happy that is not my fate in life.  Dreary place, with many unhappy people coming and going. 

The Daily Bread has a nice little poem today and fits my needs especially well at the moment.

     The Word of God is truth;
     So when my faith grows dim,
     I look into His Word
     And trust my life to Him.

           -Hess


Say a little prayer that Wendy won't suffer to much pain on the airplane, if any of you have the time.  This is going to be a difficult trip for her.

Pleasant day and God Bless.

Liz

Ria ~ As my sister and I both say....It isn't fun getting old.  Seems our lives are dictated by doctor appointments and tests.  Not really...but it seems that way, at times.

Liz ~ Happy day!!!!  A fuse!!!  And yes, Sears does back up their appliances here, too.

Trash day and it is out by the roadside.  A do nothing day.  A day to do nothing!  Hooray!  I would like to go out to eat somewhere but Ivalou is still cleaning her family room.  We will go tomorrow since it is her birthday.  So I don't know what I am going to do the rest of the day.  Hmmmm! 

My husband passed away 13 years ago today...in 1991.  Then tomorrow is Ivalou's birthday.  Then the 24th is when her husband passed away 13 years ago.  Yes, we became widow's three days apart.  A sad, sad time.

<:))))><<~~<:))))><<~~<:))))><<~~<:))))><<~~<:))))
"Some days you're the bug; some days, the windshield."

Liz I like the tag at the bottom of your posts,

Quote"Change not your faith witht he changing times"

Pat than you for the devotional this mornign, tonight at bible study we begin a tudy in James.

Ria tank you for your devotional.

Mieka so glad you sent me that IM that is the address that I already have, although the last time I sent you mail it came back.

Janet I am praying.

Liz I am praying.

Got to get ready for work now.

I have to get used to typing with fingernails now, they were so short before and this is so different even tho they aren't long I don't like long nails. Gilbert and the kids came by for a vist last night and the kids are going to come and spend Friday night with me. This is a first.  Savannah is allergic to dog hair so I will have to make sure I vacuum the furinture real good in addition to the floor just before they come.I also needc to get together some things for them to do. Like I said it is the first time they are spending the night with Gramma.

TTYL[/b]

Good Morning Everyone!

It's a lovely day here in Guelph!  I'm working on some laundry and pressing some things that seem too creased to wear.  Then I plan on sorting out a couple of boxes of "things" that contain a lot of memories.  I find this a difficult thing to do since Jack died.

Still sorting out the car as well.

It's great to come in here and read all the posts.

I'll be back next coffee break.  LOL

Marilyn...get soap bubbles....all kids love soap bubbles.....Lydia and Kara had a ball with soap bubbles outside....

Even I love soap bubbles. ;D ;D

Ha! Pat.  When I lived at Greenfield, I lived right beside a bridge.  I would sit on my under a tree swing and send bubbles across the road.  People would see them while driving.  Some even came back to see if what they thought they saw is what they saw!!!  Pssst!  I hid the bottle of bubbles and picked up my magazine.  They never knew it was a 50+ year-old woman with soap bubbles.

HAHAHAHA!  That's a good one, Etta Sue!  That sounds like something I'd do!

LOL @ Etta Sue.  I also like bubbles. Good idea!

QuoteBy Pat~

James 4:8-10 says...

Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

I guess I don't understand why we must mourn or be sad.  Anyone know?

We don't have to much going on this morning, but this afternoon looks pretty busy.  Hope you all have a wonderful day.

My cat is being a stinker. He is climbing all over my computer chair.  LOL  Got to love him. :-)

Greetings to all,
   I just stopped in to read the posts. I want you to all know I have been thinking about you and keeping everyone in my prayers.
My friend Marlene is here with me. We have kept going since she got here. We went to the beach for 2 days and went dolphin watching and photos galore. There were about 100 dolphins or more just following the boat a good part of the time.. :).
   Pat, I am so sorry about the car. We too just had one of ours fixed, you don't want to know how much..Sad..
  Well I better go. I send our Love and Blessings to all.. ~ALMA

I was here earlier, all set to post and poof!  Got kicked offline.  So I did other things for a while and now I'm back, for a minute.  Have to take Beth to grocery shop and to library, etc.

Sonja, I think the verses posted today about mourning and being sad are about how we should feel about our sins, and when we come to repentance.  We can't be cavalier about being a sinner, we must come to true repentance.  That's my take, others may have other ideas.

Marilyn, I keep lots of craft materials on hand for when my grandkids come.  They love to cut, color, paint, glue, string beads, etc.  And yes, soap bubbles are always a hit!  But that only keeps them occupied for about so long.  ;)

Great thoughts for today, Pat and Ria!  Ria, I hope the sunshine continues, and that your shoulder stops hurting.  I sure know how it feels when you can't sleep!  But I slept well again last night, for which I thank the Lord!

Pat, I do hope you get the car problems sorted out soon!  This one is still available!

I must go, Beth is ready and waiting for me to come get her.  I'll be back, though!

Etta Sue I think we all should be mourning over the rejection of our Lord and the sin that is so prevalent in society today.  There is so much blatant sin even in the church.....promiscuity and "I" worship.   When we take our eyes off ourselves and look through the eyes of Christ at the world around us we will indeed mourn.  This is a big problem in the Church (body of Christ).  The i focus must end and the focus needs to be a pure holy focus.  He is coming soon....will we be ready?

How do you keep from mourning so much that you get depressed and then pretty much are a bother to people than a help?

Quote from: Ladybug on July 21, 2004, 12:37:16 PM
Etta Sue I think we all should be mourning over the rejection of our Lord and the sin that is so prevalent in society today.  There is so much blatant sin even in the church.....promiscuity and "I" worship.   When we take our eyes off ourselves and look through the eyes of Christ at the world around us we will indeed mourn.  This is a big problem in the Church (body of Christ).  The i focus must end and the focus needs to be a pure holy focus.  He is coming soon....will we be ready?

Hello everyone.  We have had a power cut in the street today so I couldn't post this morning, and I am just about to go to church so am rushed - sorry for that.

Sonja, I personally believe that the mourning comes to an end after we have repented of our sin.  In Isaiah we read that Christ comes in order to give people the oil of joy in place of mourning.  When we have truly repented and Christ comes to live in our hearts He transforms our mourning into joy.  That's how I see it anyway.

Pat, sorry that the car is giving problems.  Someone smashed into mine while I was parked outside of church on Sunday evening.  She just drove off without giving any of her details.  My friends got  her registration number so I have had to report the matter to the police.  If people would only look where they are going while they reverse their cars, a lot of accidents would be avoided.

God bless to everyone else.  Sorry I am so rushed.  Catch ya later.

Anthony.

Yes Anthony, well said,
conviction of sin should always bring mourning,
but repentance and the knowledge of our being forgiven brings gratitude and joy,
Jame's admonition comes after a long list of sins being committed by churchgoers!

Hi everyone.  I have had a very busy day.  I passed on walkiing this morning as when I got up I was still tired.  Had breakfast as then headed to Home Depot and Lowe's Home supply stores to return some items and pickup some others before coffee.

I got Foggers to set off in the house today to try to kill the spiders.  Before I could use them I had to take out the dishes and anything that would involve food and put them in tied-up plastic bags so they wouldn't be contaminated.  It was quite a job to get everything covered.

However, finally got it done and setoff the foggers and in so doing managed to cut two of my fingers as the valve was small and my finger slipped in trying to push it down so it would stay down.  (I wasn't very happy at that point).  It only took and hour for the fogging and then had to open the house, turn on all the fans and the air conditioned for 30 minutes.  Then had to job of putting everything back in the cabinets.  Pat had planned a day out as after Bible study this morning they were taking a friend to lunch for her 88th birthday and then they were going to see the movie "The Notebook".  She isn't home yet.

We did have dinner last evening and a nice visit with our SeniorNet friend who is still in the nursing home.  We took her to Outback and then when we got back to the nursing home we stayed and visited awhile longer.  Think she was hungry for conversation.  She is planning on going home on Saturday and I hope she is able to do so.

Liz, glad to read that your washer problem wasn't serious. 

Janet, good to see that you had a safe trip and also was glad to read that you had been able to get some much needed rest.

Papa John, glad to see that your brother is doing better and will soon be home.  I have taken Plavix for well over a year and unless my doctor changes his mind he indicated I might stay on it for life (or until something better comes along).  Fortunately, it is covered by my insurance and only costs me $10 a month co-pay.

Have enjoyed reading all the postings since I posted yesterday.  Not going to try to address everyone today as have some other things to do.

One last thing today, I get the Kim Komando Newletter everyday and today she advised the Google has acquired the software called Picasa for managing photos on the computer and they are making it freeware.  It is really a neat program that I tried a couple of years ago but didn't buy as it was a bit pricey and I had some other software.  I have downloaded it today and installed it and it is really great as it is quick and makes your photos and graphics readily visible.  Here is the link:  http://www.picasa.com/google/  If you don't like it you can always remove it but it is worth a look. 

I'm home again.  Boy, taking care of a really handicapped person is a lot of work!  I'm worn out.  I also have been making inquiries about alternative housing for Beth.  There isn't much in the way of choices here in our small town.  The assisted living place is lovely, but the cheapest room is $1600.00 per month!  So I checked another place, and even it probably won't be affordable, by the time you add utilities, laundry, etc.  We will keep searching.

I went out by the fairgrounds to see how I did on my paintings.  I'm really disappointed, as I got three firsts and two seconds.  At this time of year, I don't like any colors except purple and blue! ;)

Sonja, I agree with those who said that we are to mourn and be sad only until we accept the Lord's forgiveness----after that, we should be the happiest people on the earth!  We cannot allow ourselves to be dragged down by all the sin sickness that afflicts the world; we must be the bringers of the Good News of the Gospel!

Now it's time for a grin!

WHEN I tell people that I am an explosive ordnance disposal technician, I usually need to go into further detail about what I do. Once I was with my eight-year-old son when I was explaining my job to someone. "I defuse live bombs," I said. "Yeah," my son added. "If you see him running, you'd better catch up!"   
--Contributed to "Humor In Uniform"

Goodnight from the UK,

I just got in from the bible study.  All of the children were there as the long holiday has just started over here.  It was a good study on a difficult subject.

Larry I just downloaded the software.  It scanned my hard drive for all my photos and placed them into its own albums.  I was staggered as it only took about 2 minutes to deal with all of the hundreds of photos on the hard drive.  It will be much easier to find any given photograph now.  Thanks for putting the link up.

Janet it sounds like a really difficult time for you with Beth, especiall trying to sort out somewhere to live.  It seems hopeless to say we will pray about it, but prayer does change things.  Thank you for your lively manner even during this trying time.  Even this is a witness to all who know you, I am sure of that.

Chris and Marget are you from the UK?  I used to post on the forum and am trying to get back into things.  Thinking about God giving us joy instead of mourning.  Did you ever feel like it was impossible to ever come into a joyful relationship with God while you were being convicted of your sin?  I used to feel that it was a hopeless case, but I am glad that there are no hopeless cases with God.  He is able to bring us to Himself and fill us with peace and joy in believing.  God bless the both of you.  I have seen some of your photographs with the scripture messages attached.  They are real blessing to behold.

It's my bed-time so I trust that everyone will continue to have a good day (if you are in the States) and a good night if you over here.

God bless,

Anthony.

It's been a busy day here for me....

Sorry I've not been in.

Anthony, yes Chris and Margit are just up the road from you. ;D ;)  well a little way more than "Just up a bit".  LOL

You might like to see the story of their life.  I'll see if I can find it for you.

Hi everyone

  I came home last night to a dark house. When I walked in it was lit by candle light. We also lost power. It was a hot and humid night. No fans or air conditioner. ComEd was soon on the sceen and told us the transfomer died. They would not be able to replace it for about 5 hours. As it turned out they were able to make it about 2 hours later and it only took 45 min to replace it. Everything id fine now. But oh how we take things for granted. We did not miss things untill we lost them. How did they get along before the days of electricity and air conditioning.

Tom

That's really something, Tom, to make you appreciate things, eh?

Do you have A/C throughout the house?  I have it only in one window here but if I keep the rest of the windows closed, it does a pretty good job of cooling.

FOR ANTHONY...

Chris and Margit's Love Story (http://christianphotographers.com/community/index.php?topic=701.15#msg44886)

Pat

  We have central Air

Howdy: home from work now, watered the garden, took a shower and shampooed my hair, put on a nice cool dress and now I am here to check up on all y-all.

A funny story about Happy Dog. Last night wile the family was here I was stitting on the sofa and Gilbert in a chair not far from my left arm. Happy was sitting on the floor next to my left hand and I was scratching his ear. He (Happy) kept making his moaning noises (talking) and reaching toward Gilbert with his paw. Gilbert looks at me and says" What IS he doing, mom"?  I replied "he is talking to  you and wants you to pet him" Gilbert says "tell him  to be quiet I am trying to hear the TV."  That just goes to show you what a character my Happy dog is.

I know I don't say a lot about Bebe but she is just as funny sometimes. The way she thinks she is hiding her toys in plain sight by comvering them with the edge of the throw rug with her nose.

TTYL

Hi, friends,

It's so good to see new friends, old friends, and regular contributers here today. I love you all.

I'll be home in 2 more days! Ah, blessed relief to know I'll be able to sleep in my own bed.

Ruth Ann

QuoteJames 4:8-10 says...
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

I think we need, as always, to consider the context.  James 4:1-5 says, "Where do wars and fights come from among you?  Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?  You lust and do not have.  You murder and covet and and cannot obtain.  You fight and war.  Yet you do not have because you do not ask.  You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.  Adulterers and adlutresses!  Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?  Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.  Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, 'The Spirit Who dwells in us yearns jealously?'"

This gives us a view of the kinds of people James is addressing.  They're just general people, both of the world and of the Church, Christians and non-Christians alike.  He tells us about the problems we find all around us.  Then he suggests the cure.  He says, "Therefore submit to God.  Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you.  Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.  Lament and mourn and weep!  Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.  Humble yourslevs in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up."

He's not talking only to Christians here. He's talking to the whole of humanity.  He's just suggesting a cure for the problems he's mentioned, no mattter where they're found.  If you have those problems, then you need this cure.

If you're truly a Christian, and if you've submitted yourself to God, then you're on the right track.  Go on from there - "Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you."  And keep on going on - "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you."  But, if you're still completely in the world, haven't submmitted to God, then you need to get very, very serious.  You need to listen when he says, "Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.  Lament and mourn and weep!"  You won't solve the problems he's presented until you start here.  If all you're doing (as an unconverted sinner) is laughing, having fun, making fun of Christians, then you better get off your high horse and turn that laughing into mourning and that joy into gloom.  You need to "humble yourselves in  the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up."  In other words, if you'll truly, seriously, deeply repent, then He'll make you very, very aware of His love.

I think that's the general sense of the passage.  It's not a passage that we should try to divide up into one part for the Christians and one part for the unbelievers.  It's just a passage that answers the problems he's presented - the problems found everywhere in the rebellious world.

Al, that's about how I see that passage.  The instructions to lament, mourn and weep are for those of "unclean hands" and "impure hearts", and the "double-minded", not for those who have found the joy and peace of the Lord.  We have already done our lamenting, mourning and weeping, we have repented and received forgiveness, and we are filled with the Holy Spirit and His "joy unspeakable".

Gene just called "10 minutes" - that's how long until our regular Wednesday night show starts.  Guess I'll be shutting down soon.  ;D

I'm just stopping by to bid you all a good night.  Hope each of you enjoys the blessed sleep of the just!  See you in the morning.

Well, I've truly been fed this evening reading all the posts answering Soni's question!  Thanks so much, Soni, for asking it.  And thanks everyone for offering your thoughts on the passage. 


I've been opening and shutting windows as there's so much thunder around and I just got a weather alert that says there's another big storm headed this way.


Chris sent me an email that is truly awful.  I'm going to put it in here.


Kicked out of the YMCA
...for witnessing??!


Larry and his wife Ashley are featured as recommended speakers on our Events page.
We wanted to bring to your attention a recent incident that took place with one of our ministry partners, Larry Lee, who lives in Marietta, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta. As you read his account, we are confident that you will see the unacceptable and unfair manner in which he has been treated by the YMCA. More importantly we are confident that you will agree with us in concluding that Larry's civil and religious rights have been violated. This concerns us because it serves as a threat to our freedom of speech in proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ. When souls hang in the balance we take these matters seriously.

We want to ask you to stand with us and contact both the local YMCA where this incident took place as well as the YMCA International Headquarters. Please feel free to mail letters, call, e-mail or send faxes. However, we do ask that you remain courteous, kind, and loving in your correspondence. It might also be good to give a brief description of what it is you are contacting them about. Please let them know your thoughts regarding this matter. All the necessary contact information is provided at the end of this e-mail. Here is Larry's summary of what happened:

Last Friday afternoon, I went to work out at the local YMCA that my family belongs to. As I approached the building, I noticed two young men hanging out on the front sidewalk just outside the main entrance, apparently having just finished a game of basketball inside. As is my custom in my ministry, I walked up to these guys to see if I could talk with them about Christianity. I almost always start out by asking some fun trivia questions and give dollar bills for correct answers - questions like, "What's the capital of France?" and "Who is the Prime Minister of England?" These guys, who were seniors at a local high school, were bright - they got almost all the trivia right. I told them that I run a local ministry and that I like to turn the tables a bit by giving money away rather than asking for it. They thought that was cool.

I then did what I always do, which is to transition to "the good person test," in which we use the Ten Commandments to see if we are "good" enough in God's eyes to enter heaven. Of course everyone fails the test, but it proves a wonderful point - we need God's grace in order to enter heaven - we need Jesus Christ. These guys were really into the conversation. I told them that even though they didn't pass the good person test, I was going to give them the grand prize anyway - $20 - as an illustration of God's grace.

Even though they didn't deserve the $20, I was giving it to them as a gift, just like none of us deserves to go to heaven, but God offers us everlasting life through Jesus Christ as a gift. These guys were so excited - I told them they could use the $20 to have dinner on me - they couldn't stop thanking me. One kid stood up and said, "Man, I really appreciate this, thanks man." The other guy said, "Yeah, thanks, this is cool." I gave them some tracts that reviewed the gospel and told them I'd see them around. They thanked me again, and I left to go work out inside.

Much to my surprise, the next morning (Saturday), I received a call at my house from the director of the YMCA. She asked, "Were you at the YMCA yesterday talking to two young men about religion and giving them money?" I said, "Yes." She proceeded to tell me that my YMCA family membership was immediately terminated. I asked her what I had done wrong. She said my behavior was totally inappropriate, that I was interrupting those boys from exercising and that they didn't come to the Y to talk about religion. I asked if it was wrong to talk about Christianity on the campus of a Christian organization. She avoided the question and told me I was no longer welcome at the Y. I repeated my question, to which she replied, "I'm not going to argue with you." I again asked the question, and she hung up on me. I was shocked.

A few days later, I received another call from the YMCA director. She didn't hang up on me this time, although she did threaten to do so when I asked her to please show me the written rule in the YMCA literature that says what I did was wrong. She said I was soliciting, which is against the rules, but I told her that the dictionary says that to solicit is to ask for - and I didn't ask for anything, in fact I was giving things away. She said that my behavior was, and I quote, "bizarre," "uncalled for," and "totally inappropriate." Then she said that what I did could very easily be taken as a sexual advance, implying that I appear to be some sort of homosexual predator offering money for sex. You can imagine my shock. I asked, "What exactly is sexual about telling two guys how they can have everlasting life?" She changed the subject. Ironically, this same director three months earlier would not change the channel on one of the YMCA television sets that was showing a soap opera in which a man handcuffed a screaming woman to a bed, ripped off her clothes and jumped on her to rape her. When I requested that they change the channel, the director's response was, "You can watch a different TV set."

Friends, this whole scenario is unconscionable, unthinkable, and brimming with intolerance. For an organization that claims to stand for tolerance and diversity, this YMCA is neither tolerant of people who preach the gospel nor interested in having a gospel preacher as part of their diverse membership. I hold no personal grudges against these folks; I simply see this as an affront to all Christians and an effort to shut down our right to share the gospel. The sad thing about this incident is that I was never even given the opportunity to explain what happened before my membership was revoked. It was quite arbitrary - I was given no warning.

Even after I explained myself, there was no room for reasoning. The director's mind was already made up and I hadn't even violated any rules. What did I do wrong by talking to two gentlemen about Christianity at a Christian organization and giving them money to illustrate a point?

Is this the way that a "Christian" organization should treat one of its Christian members who was peacefully discussing Christianity with two young men who are seniors in high school, probably old enough to vote this November? Is this behavior fitting for an organization that states the following about its own history on its website?:

Through the influence of nationally known lay evangelists Dwight L. Moody (1837-1899) and John Mott (1865-1955), who dominated the movement in the last half of the 19th and first half of the 20th centuries respectively, the American YMCAs sent workers by the thousands overseas, both as missionary-like YMCA secretaries and as war workers.

The first foreign work secretaries, as they were called, reflected the huge missionary outreach by Christian churches near the turn of the century. But instead of churches, they organized YMCAs that eventually were placed under local control. Both Moody and Mott served for lengthy periods as paid professional staff members of the YMCA movement. Both maintained lifelong connections with it.[/list]

This is the YMCA's current mission statement: "To put Christian principals into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all."

What do you think? Please let the YMCA know and be sure to mention Larry Lee's name. Also, please feel free to forward this on to all your friends.

Here is the contact information:

East Cobb YMCA
(Where the incident took place)
1055 E. Piedmont Rd.
Marietta, GA 30062
Phone: (770) 977-5991
Fax: (770) 578-2793
Email: maureenn@ymcacobb.org
Website: www.ymcacobb.org

   We also encourage you to contact the YMCA National Headquarters:
YMCA of the USA
Association Advancement
101 North Wacker Drive
Chicago, IL 60606
Phone: 312-977-0031
Website: www.ymca.net 


Please pass this newsletter on to your friends.


http://www.WayOfTheMaster.com

Shame on the YMCA - but they have hired the woman who used to be the head of NOW - I think Patricia Ireland and I thought that was the worst thing I had heard.  Tell me if I am wrong in thinking she is heading up YMCA or maybe it is YWCA - whatever. 

Now I have forgotten what I was going to write.

Janet:  I will pray for you and some good answers for the care of Beth as she needs proper and loving care in her future.  Carol

 ;D 8) Hi every one  ;D I did make a very big post very late and I did get a bonk. (I think perhaps I am too slow at times) but I did save it  8)

Ms Soni I am SO happy you did ask about the sad. It was my wonder too but my post it was too long to ask more.   :-\  Here is my post from late and my question too.

Hi ms Ruthie  :)

Prayer requires more of the heart than of the tongue.
~Adam Clarke~

Ms Pat I SO love this from Mr Clarke. It is to me at times as a smile from God.


Proverbs 8:17 says...
I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.

Ms Pat I have a question for this.  :-\ I do not undarstand why only those that seek early shall find?

If some did pray for every day with all they have in the heart, but they do not know of Jesus. will Jesus hear the prayers. Are these a prayers of early? Ms Pat if a prayer is said even to that which is only of stone. If it is a prayer of love, Will Jesus hear it.

If God is love, will HE hear a prayer from the heart of some who did not get to know him at all. Does God hear some prayers and not others?

It is very late and I wish to say a hi to every one. I did not get to come here for some weeks.  :-[

It is my hope to read some in the morning. Tonight I will have this prayer in my heart and perhaps one day I will find my answer and know it is a answer from God.  I know with all my heart that God is good all the time to all who know Him and to all who love Him.  I have such pain so many days for some who have SO much love and only know a God of man.  :'(  where ever can all this prayers of love go. I wish to one day find this place of many prayers that did not find a way to God and bring them all to Jesus.  I have such a puzzle at times of the Heaven with no pain and no tears.

If you seek me with all your heart, you will find me...Deuteronomy 4:29
You may not know me, but I know everything about you...Psalm 139:1
I know when you sit down and when you rise up...Psalm 139:2
I am familiar with all your ways...Psalm 139:3
Even the very hairs on your head are numbered...Matthew 10:29-31
When you are brokenhearted, I am close to you...Psalm 34:18
As a shepherd carries a lamb, I have carried you close to my heart...Isaiah 40:11
One day I will wipe away every tear from your eyes...Revelation 21:3-4
And I'll take away all the pain you have suffered on this earth...Revelation 21:3-4

And with this words in my heart tonight. I wish you all a most wonderful day.
It is my hope that God will hear every prayer.

I love you all and I love you God.

Hi Miekait is so good to hear from you.  Maybe I can try to answer your questions.   In the NIV version it doesn't say early .  It just says "And those who seek me find me."  In otherwords, if a person really wants to find God and will seek after Him, that person will find God.  God is not so distant that he cannot be found.  He wants a person to seek after Him and then He makes Himself present to that person.  Usually that happens through praying to Him and reading the Bible.  That is how God reveals Himself to us.  It is so wonderful because God says we need to come to Him like little children and He will be our Father.

You asked about the prayers of someone who does not know Jesus.  I believe God hears all prayers, but what He wants is for a person to pray the sinner's prayer and accept His Son Jesus to be their Lord and Saviour.  Before a person does have a relationship with God, there is really no communication with God because all our sin is in the way and we have no communication with God up until the time when we surrender our lives to God and start living for Him.   If a non believer has his prayers answered, it should only lead that person closer to accepting Him into his heart.

You have put some wonderful scripture in your post.  The ones in Revelation are for the Christian and they are about when we get to heaven.  There will be no crying or pain in heaven.  Praise God! The other scriptures are to let everyone know how much God loves us.  When a non-believer reads those scriptures he should be drawn to the mighty God who is promising them and want Him to dwell inside of them.

Mieka, I hope this answers your questions and if you know of someone who does not have a relationship with Christ, just keep on praying for that person.  Your prayers will be answered!

Love Ruthie

Mieka, what a great question!

Thanks Ruthie for replying to Mieka! 

I'm sure that we can even continue this in tomorrow's topic if anyone would like to do that.

In the meantime, I'm locking the door on this one and the new New Every Morning is HERE[/b] (http://christianphotographers.com/community/index.php?topic=3095.0)

And now I'm retiring for the night as I have to deal with the car probs tomorrow.

Night Night!