Christian Photographers Community

Morning Devotional...



There they crucified Him.       Luke 23:33



The ultimate crime!

The supreme blasphemy!

The vilest obscenity! The grossest stupidity!

Sinners defiled and dead to God, actually nailed "Him" to the wood. He, the loveliest Man who ever walked the dust of earth.

He healed their brokenhearted, dried their tears, and blessed their little children.

He brought the Word of heaven to their hearts and would open heaven to their souls.

Who were "they"?

People like you and me. But, praise the Lord, He did it to procure forgiveness for people like you and me.
                                                                      ~J. Boyd Nicholson~

Captain John
Rom 2:13-15 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.)

This is the answer that is in my heart. I find it SO strange that I know this to be for true, but I did not know it to be written. Mr. John I also find it strange that we are so different, but in my heart I know you for all my life.

I have so many questions I wish to ask. I have so much I wish to share. I have fear, I have shame and I have a great love for so much that has come to pass. I often feel I am all-alone. But I never feel I am not loved. Every day I wonder why "I" am chosen to be where I am.

This is a place for Christians, so it is not my wish to share the thoughts and the pain I carry in my heart for all that is good, if it is not Christian. There is so much that is good that is not "Christian" For those who do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts,

Ms Pat, Having a Christian family or associating with Christians does not save you.
Are you a blender or a believer?

I was taught to pray far before I can remember. I have pray every day for all my life. I am A believer, because I know Jesus. But there are so many who do not know the name of Jesus, but they have a love for all that is good.

Today, for the first time I think I have found my way. Today I have much to pray about. I love you all and I hope you will not grow tired of my questions.

Hello everyone.  I haven't been here for several days and am so far behind with all the news.  It is Saturday night here on the plains, 11:00 to be exact.  

Tomorrow is Senior Adult day at our church.  I am in OASIS choir and we are going to sing 2 numbers.  Also the younger adults are going to prepare a dinner for us after worship service.  I hope to be able to go.  My hubby has been ill, and still weak.  If he doesn't feel well enough to go, then I will come home right after church.  

Earl will have an MRI done on Thursday, on his neck area.  He had a BNP blood test done the other day, this is to find out if he has congestive heart failure.  We have both been keeping the doctors in business lately.  This Tuesday I will have an EGD done, and also a colonoscopy.  I don't look forward to that a bit, especially the prep on Monday.  

I hope all of you have a great Lord's Day tomorrow, and a good week following.  Take care now.
Love in Jesus,  
~Janice

Hello Ms Janice,
I also have had  this MRI on my neck not long ago. It was hard for me because I have a fear from a doctors. But I did not hear the noise as Mr Papa John did. I did feel the shaking and it was a help to me to close my eyes.

I hope you both will be ok.

Ms PatThere they crucified Him.      Luke 23:33

The ultimate crime!
I know it is a crime to take a life so wonderful. But even Jesus said, "Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do"

Were they forgiven for this crime?
Are they still bad in the eyes of God?
were they saved even though they did not believe in Jesus?
I wonder this because it was the wish of Jesus that they are forgiven. Even if they did not believe.

Good morning everyone.  The devotional this morning is very thought provoking.  It is one thing to see other people in that crowd who were shouting for the death of Christ, but it is another thing to see myself in the crowd.  It was my filth that nailed Him to the cross.  These are the thoughts that come to me as I think about the crucifixion this morning.

Mieka, my understanding of your question is that Christ is ready and willing to forgive all mankind and if people are willing to turn completely from their sin He is ready to welcome them.  Many people, however, are not willing to follow the Lord and even though He desires their salvation, they cannot be saved if they continue to wilfully rebel against Him.

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

"Behold your house is left unto you desolate."

This is a sad scripture, but nonetheless perfectly true.

Anthony.

Happy Birthday to Ruth
I forgot to say happy birthday to Ruth.  God bless you sister at this time.

Anthony.

Good morning all!  I am ready to get in the car and head to Pendleton to get Jerry and then on to church for Sunday services.  I am really looking forward to church today as I do every Sunday.

Mieka ~ You are truly a blessing.  You have a heart of gold and a mind of a scholar.  You are thirsty for knowledge of our God and that is good.  We learn something everyday about our God and that is good.  There is no one but God that understands His word fully.  That is what is great about His word.  We read His word....knowing that we will never truly understand all of it.  But the bottom line is trust in God, believe his Son died for our sins, confess and repent of our sins, know that he is with us daily, agree that we are His children and have the assurance that we will live in heaven for eternity.  

Janice ~ Glad to see you.  Sorry about you and your husbands many trips for tests and to the doctors.  I pray that both of you will be comforted by God.

I am off to Pendleton!!!

Everyone have a God Blessed Day.

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"Making waves almost never turns the tide."

Pat ~ Great Devotional as usual. You do a superb job for all of is.

Thank You, Pat
I must get out of here, Etta Sue said she will pick me up for church so I had better get my shoes on, but before I go may I wish everyone here and those coming in later a super wonderful, superb, stupendous day with our Lord today!

Happy is as Happy does

Hi everyone.  I did enjoy the concert last evening.  This turned out to be the Trinity Community Choir and they had about 25 of the 45 or 50 members present to sing.  They sang several sacred numbers and their organist played 4 selections.  Unfortunately our church members did not turn out to hear them and we had only about 25 there to hear the fine concert.  However, we appreciated what we heard.

Ruth, Happy Birthday.

Janice, sorry to hear that your husband continues to feel poorly and hope the tests are helpful to the doctor.  We have a Senior Sunday at our church in February and they then serve as a very nice banquet dinner in a beautifully decorated hall.  The youth help serve and this year one of the youth let a plate of pasta slide off the tray and down the back of my wife's dress.  We just cleaned up the mess and enjoyed the event.  I think I have written of this before.  

Good morning to Mieka, Anthony, Jerry, Pat and anyone else that I have missed.  It is time for me to put on my necktie and get ready to head down the road to church, which is about 5 or 6 miles away.  

My wife, has been suffering with her fibromyalgia for the last 3 days or so and again today so she won't be going with me again this week.  She is not in as much pain today but is exhausted and has laid back down after eating breakfast.

I am back!  Really a full day yesterday.

Sonja, I don't think I could say I live near you!  I live in the very SW corner of Kansas.  It is about 40 miles from the eastern border of Colorado, and if we go south, we are in Oklahoma after about 65 miles.

I have always wanted to see Devil's Tower, have seen it in movies, most memorably in "Close Encounters of the Third Kind."  I hope you get some great photos to share with us.

I have some photos to post of Abby's Dance Recital last night, so I'll go check the other photos, too.

Good Mornign, I was typing away and looked up at my monitor and it wasn't on anymore. Off into cyberspace went my post. Bebe is laying under my desk and must have shut off the surge protector.

This past week I did some research for Inez on the flags and occupations of the tribes of Israel. I got 26 pages for her off the internet. So I am meeting her at the local market before church this morning to turn the info over to her.

It is also communion Sunday today, we have panned a wonderful worship service. But you never know how the spirit will change it or not. We just go with the flow of the Holy spirit.

Well I am going to check the photos and prayers etc. See you all later.
Marilyn

Mieka - you said, "The ultimate crime!
I know it is a crime to take a life so wonderful. But even Jesus said, "Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do"
Were they forgiven for this crime?
Are they still bad in the eyes of God?
were they saved even though they did not believe in Jesus?
I wonder this because it was the wish of Jesus that they are forgiven. Even if they did not believe."
The people who crucified our Lord were forgiven for that specific crime because our Lord asked it of the Father.  But they remained guilty of rebellion against God - as does all the human race.  We are all guilty of not wanting Him to rule over us, of misusing His world, each other, and ourselves as well.  As Paul said, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."  It is sad, but it is true.  However, any who desire to be saved from this guilt through that same crucifixion, any who confess their sin, call on Him, and accept His Lordship over them - shall be saved.  But it absolutely must be a real and personal transaction between each of us and our Savior - there is no other way to be saved.

We may pray all our lives, do good to others much of the time, etc., etc. - but the question will finally be asked by God, "Did you do it out of love to Me?"  We all have to admit we did not do any good thing out of love to Him.

Oh Mieka, how we need Him to save us!  Oh how we need to thank Him alone if He is saving us!

  I went to see Ghost in the Abyss last night. http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/ghosts/index.html
I do not often go to see a movies but I am Glad I went to see this one. The pictures they show in this are very old and the cameras are SO strange, and they swim . It is a 3D and I had some strange glasses for this. I saw many pictures much like in the Mothers challenge here.
If you like photography this is a very good movie to see. It was a good movie even for me.

Thank you Mr Moak for this answer. I think I do undarstand most all of what you say here. But this one part is a puzzle to me still.

We all have to admit we did not do any good thing out of love to Him.

Forgive me Mr Moak, but I am not certian of what this part means to me. I thought I do many things for Him alone because it is his wish. When I do the things he ask of me then many others will also be helped, because it is his plan. I am not certian I undarstand what you mean on this one.

Good evening to everyone.  I have just come home from the evening service.  At the moment, our pastor preaches from Genesis in the morning and Revelation at night.  They are both great series.  One comment that he made tonight really made me think.  He was speaking a lot  about the crucifixion and then he said, "if there is anyone here who does not believe that they are of any worth, just look at the work that Christ has done for you."  What a remedy for depression.

Well, it's good to see people posting today.  Is Pat away today?  I can't remember now.  If you look in Pat, I trust everything is well with you.

Etta Sue and Jerry I do hope that everything went well at the church today.  Did you have to look after the lighting?  It sounds like a responsible job.

Larry, I am glad that the concert went well last night, but I am sorry that your wife is not well.  I have never heard of the ailment, but I do trust that things will improve rapidly.  

Janet, isn't it horrible when they call places after old smutty face.  There is a place in Wales that Pat knows well named Devil's Bridge I haven't seen it, but what a name to give it  BTW, I just got to see the dance photos.  They are really great, thanks for letting us share in with them.

Marilyn, it was our communion this morning too.  I hope your service went well.  That sounds like a lot of work you did for the flags.  Well done for putting in all of that research.

Al, thank you for your insights into the scriptures.  They are much appreciated.

Meika, it is interesting that you say you saw a 3D movie.  Do you know that  I can't experience one of those movies because I was born blind in my left eye.  Those special glasses are no good with anyone who only has one good eye.  Isn't that a shame

God bless everyone.  It is our bank holiday Monday tomorrow and I am travelling about 50 miles to a lovely spot just inside the Welsh border to visit a Baptist church for the day.  They have a sort of a rally and it is a great day.  

Anthony.

Here I am!

I have been to church and then out for lunch and now I'm home!

I went to my old church today and enjoyed the Breaking of Bread service so very much.  Then at the Family Bible Hour, a speaker was preaching about how we must be saved and he mentioned something that Jack used to say.  It struck me so very much.  

He said that if we could picture a door with a sign on it saying "Whosoever Will" and then when we go in and close the door there's a sign on the other side that says, "Elect before the Foundation of the World".   How wonderful to realize this!

Mieka, lots of questions!  Good ones too.

I realize that many who post here belive in the Free Will of everyone and there are some who post here who believe that all who are Christians were chosen before the foundation of the world (this is the way I tend to believe but will not argue the point with any who don't agree with me).

I do hope that we will still be able to have fellowship with those who don't agree with the way that we believe personally.  

We have the Manna For The Soul forum and I'd like you all to feel free to open a thread in there where verses can be discussed together.  If you come across a verse in the Bible that is puzzling to you, why not open a thread and ask some questions?


Have you all had a look at our Jigsaw Puzzles?  Do you enjoy them?

What about the other areas of our site?  We're hoping soon that Google will have us listed soon and that will bring many new folk into this area.  I've changed the links on the main page where only "Policies" was listed, to "Forums" and I've made the word "forums" in the body of the text on the main page, clickable to this area so let's watch for new friends to join us.

Of course, we will all be inviting our friends too!

As of last night, Google's spider still hadn't found us.  But I am sure once it does, things will get going.  

pat, you brought up an interesting point when you said that you wouldn't argue, etc.  In Timothy (II Timothy I think), he is told by Paul that is two believers disagree on something (and I am not sure, but i think he was referrign to doctornal issues), and neither will change their mind, it is not even to be discussed.
How many trivial arguments churches could stay out of if we would let the main thing (Jesus) be the MAIN THING.   My best friend is "post trib" and I am "pre trib."  Yet, we can stand together and worship in love because we are willing to accept those differences.  As long as you (generic you, not speaking specifically to Pat now!) accept the blood of Christ for your salvation, and repent of your sins, the "rest is just details!"

I hope that didn't sound flippant or argumentary.  It wasn't supposed to .

I am glad to hear everyone seems to be having a good day.  The weather is absolutely beautiful here, right now.  I probably should be outside doing something constructive, but baby and hubby are both asleep, so I better "watch over 'em!"

Have an awesome day!
karmat

Me again!  

Quick little story that shows how cool God is and how important it is that we obey Him.

Last night, I attended the annual Haywood County Pro-Life Banquet.  During the course of the evening, I felt particularly led to sign up to help with a post-abortive ministry, that does not exist yet, but I was hoping would be forthcoming.  So, after the event was over, I went over to their resource table and talked to one of the members of the board adn told her that if they could find a leader for this ministry, I would volunteer.  (I wouldn't volunteer to be the leader because that is just not my gift, unless NO ONE stepped up and I had to).

Then, I went over to talk to a good friend of mine, who is also on the board, and told her what I had just mentioned to the first board member.  She just got this shocked look on her face, and I thought, "uh oh, what have I done now!"  She proceeded to tell me that the woman she had just spoken with had told her that she would be willing to lead a post-abortive ministry, if anyone else wanted to volunteer to help!!  Is God cool or what??

Oh, yes, Karma!  God is indeed "cool"!

A beautiful Sunday, sunny and mild.  A wonderful turnout at church this morning for Communion and great fellowship at the coffee hour after the service.  Our pastor's daughter sang a solo during the Offertory and really "wowed" the congregation.  She's just 16 and has a beautiful voice and an amazing range.  She only started singing during the service about a year ago and it's unbelievable how her voice has matured with the professional training she's getting.

Mieka - I can easily understand why you would have trouble with what I said about none of us doing anything good out of love for God.  Let me just expand on it a little.  I meant previous to our being born anew by the Spirit - we did many good things before we became Christians, before being born of the Spirit, but none of them was done because of love for God.  See Rom. 7:18.  We - naturally - cannot please God before He renews us by His Spirit.

We had a very nice service this morning. Then we went to lunch at one of the local Mexican places and they were so busy, it took 45 minutes before we got our food. Upon arriving home i see that my landlords and been in here again after I locked the door when I left, and left some old food on my counter. I guess they brought up stuff for the dogs, but some of it will be tossed out.Not even fit for the dogs. I don't give my dogs anything that I would not eat myself. Except for dog food. They can also get sick from their food.  Sorry, to dump my disgust on you. I'll be so glad to get moved.

Marilyn

Hi Al, Marilyn, Larry, Jeanne and Karma!!!
(Talk about a general "Hello"!!)

I have two kids here and their families!  It's so nice to have them and I just kicked one of the grandkids off my computer so that I could drop in and greet you all.

Thanks so much, Al, for the further info for our Mieka!  That's a really good verse to think about!

I'll be back later.

I also have to be up very early to take Phil to work as he's going to stay here tonight.

TTYLater on...

WELCOME KDIMLER
WE'RE GALD YOU CAME TO JOIN US HERE. COME ON IN AND SIT A SPELL, HAVE A CUP OF COFFEE OR TEA AND GET READY FOR SOME GOOD FELLOWSHIP.

I have had a hard time today.....post after post has stopped my computer, then disappeared into cyberspace!  So I defragmented, and I hope that will help.

Al, thanks for explaining what you meant.  I sure didn't understand it, either, the first time!

Hi, Pat!  Enjoy your company!

Karma, good to "see" you, and yes, God is so neat!

Hello, and sweet dreams to Anthony......oh, and here is a hug for you, as well.   {{{{{Anthony}}}}}  (I thought why one, when I can just as well give you five!)

I wish we had some of the lovely weather here.  The wind is blowing and the tumbleweeds are rolling again......this time they are going East!

Pat wrote:

QuoteHe said that if we could picture a door with a sign on it saying "Whosoever Will" and then when we go in and close the door there's a sign on the other side that says, "Elect before the Foundation of the World".  How wonderful to realize this!

I think the main difference of opinion on this issue is not whether or not God elects people before the foundation of the world.  The doctrine of election is clearly taught in scripture.  It is the basis of His election that causes differences of opinion.  Does God make an arbitrary choice?  This is the question that has resulted in different answers.  I think you can see from the way I am speaking that I don't believe that God simply choices people arbritarily.

I should be in bed, so I will say goodnight.

Anthony.

Well, Anthony, I guess I feel that we don't have any reason to even begin to question whether God arbitrarily does this or not.  None of us deserves to be saved and if it was up to us, in our sin and depravity, none of us would be saved without the Lord.  I know that He chose me and I sure don't know why He did!  BUT I'm happy He did.

I know I can honestly say the it was the Lord who delivered me from the depths of hell. I was really in that Egyptian wildreness for a few years before He came along and literally just about Jerked me out of the depression.. In my depression not being saved I prayed to God to take me home I didn't want to live anymore the way I was. I was so miserable and so lost. Praise God that Jesus came into my  life and saved me. Praise God for the precious Blood that was shed for me. HALLELUJAHMakes me want to get up and dance the Pentacostal Happy dance.

A wonderful day.  Jerry and I had a great message in church today.  Our Senior pastor is on vacation...yes, he does get a vacation.  One of the other pastors preached the sermon today.  The whole service was different...by doing different things at different times.  Jerry said he didn't even have a chance to take a nap!!!  

We left church and had breakfast out.  I had some letters to mail so went by the Post Office.  

The couple that built my deck lives nearby so we went down the alley behind there house.  Dennis was sweeping out his garage so we talked to him for awhile and Julie came out and talked also.  

Jerry came to here later and we mowed today since it is to rain tomorrow and I am going to be with Ivalou during her cataract surgery, Tues. and Wed.  

My niece came and brought her new puppy.  Ali didn't like Izzy.  Then Dennis and Julie came here.  We had a great visit.  Such neat caring people.  

It was cold and very windy.  I think I got a wind burn from being outside.  We also mowed the lane to the woods...two trips back there for both of us.

I pray that everyone had a great Lord's Day.

Hi Everyone...

Well, nearly all my company has gone home now.  I just have my son-in-law here and he's staying the night!  And all he wants to eat is pop corn so he's easy to do for.

Has anyone been to Anthony's site lately and seen the Bible Studies he's got over there?  I've really been enjoying reading them and they are getting better and better.
Here's a link to them.

CLICK HERE FOR ANTHONY'S STUDIES



Marilyn, what a wonderful testimony you have!  

Great that you both had a good day too, Etta Sue and Jerry!
I did too!

Hi Janet!!!