Christian Chat

[ENKELI]

@DownMoreThanUp apart from John 3:16, the 23rd Psalm was the first part of the Bible I memorised. 

I also like Isaiah 53:5 & 6.

[DownMoreThanUp]

@ENKELI Thank you, you saying this at this time means a lot to me. 

The Truth Of Jesus Is For All!
God's truth ought not to decorate our religious theories, (2 Peter 2:1.)
as worldly thinking the Spirit of Christ only ever wearies. (1 Timothy 4:1-2.)
When carnal minds explain the meaning of God's Word, (Romans 8:6.)
the truth of God's salvation will have been badly blurred. (Colossians 2:8-23.)

Indeed those claiming their truths to be true as Jesus' own, (1 Corinthians 3:1-11.)
Have entered a really dangerous spiritual battle zone. (1 Corinthians 3:12-23.)
Where sinners are cruelly denied the sacrifice of Christ, (John 8:1-11.)
those who fall short of their ideas mercilessly crucified. (Matthew 23:13-36.)

The truth is that Jesus' sacrifice paid for all of peoples offences, (1 John 2:1-2.)
and His blood does everyone from their wickedness cleanses. (1 Corinthians 3:11-15.)
For God's mercies are upon us all each new dawn afresh, (Lamentations 3:21-23.)
for thru Jesus, our Father, the world Christ's life does bless. (John 6:33.)

[DownMoreThanUp]

@ENKELI 😍😍😍 Me too!!! 😍😍😍

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WW0VJxPqeRc&list=RDWW0VJxPqeRc&start_radio=1

[heartathome]

Hey @Shaz51 I took an acquaintance to church this morning. This was her 2nd time and she loves it, which is great! I'm looking at going to stay with my son this afternoon. He lives about an hour away from me. I was really tempted last night at a party as alcohol and, drugs particularly, used to be my thing, but I drank coffee and iced peach tea instead! 😄 How has the day been treating you? 💛

[Shaz51]

Way to go for last night and this morning @heartathome 🥰

A lazy day today,  been awake since 3am 

Have some pesty birds trying to find a place to get in the roof , so hubby is up there putting some wire in there 

@DownMoreThanUp , @Bessie78 , @ENKELI , @avant-garde 

[ENKELI]

@Shaz51 hi there gorgeous! How are you going? How's Mr Shaz?

I hope you have something nice planned for the day, the weather is just lovely isn't it 🙂

[avant-garde]

@Shaz51 @heartathome @DownMoreThanUp @ENKELI @tyme 

I could do with some advice...

You see... I have an adverse reaction/intolerance to sulfur that the events team at my church has deemed too difficult to cater for...

A friend of mine is on the events team as I was then meeting with her on a regular basis...

This is the same friend who has the best of intentions in telling me how to unpack and what my house should look like...

At the end of July is when she asked me on behalf of the events team to bring my own food to every event from that point...

Due to the origins of my intolerance and how simple it is to cater for I find it incredibly difficult to be asked to bring my own...

Last night there was an event that I was providing fruit salad for... I dropped the cans off as requested and said to my friend "I'm sorry, I can't stay, there's something I need to take care of". That something being me. 

My friend and I talked this morning and she asked me what happened, why I didn't stay, whether it was just the event I couldn't handle. 

If I'm honest... it was the entire events team, her included. But I didn't tell her this because I didn't want her to feel guilty. 

What frustrates me is that when she asked initially she talked about her husband becoming gluten intolerant and how she had to learn to cook for that because it was something new, that she said this is just something new that we're not ready to try and cook for yet given the severity of my intolerance. But they're not going to learn until they start.

Basically a few years ago I ended up with a severe reaction because someone used white wine instead of cream in their pumpkin soup, literally a whole bottle that I ended up in hospital. Most of the time it's handled within 10 minutes if I do react to anything because it's that minor. 

I have a friend with a celiac daughter who would cook something that everyone can have, including me, but she's away at the moment and so I couldn't be guaranteed that I could eat anything.

I just don't know how to handle this and it hurts.

[ENKELI]

@avant-garde I have been thinking about your post and my own experiences with food intolerances.

I can't eat raw tomato, it causes the top of my mouth to blister. There are very few options when it comes to salads so if I am at an event or function that orders subway or meat and salad rolls I miss out. I had one boss tell me to just take the tomato out, he ignored me when I said that the juice would be on the rest of the salad. I either have to bring my own salad or avoid it and eat other stuff.

Personally I would have told your friend the reason you didn't stay to eat - I would have said "I have a severe reaction to foods with sulphur in it so I decided not to take a chance in case there was something that might cause a reaction." It doesn't matter if she knows you have an intolerance, just saying something like that may make her feel bad but then it might also make her think about your reaction next time.
I would also act as if she forgot that she told you to bring your own food and offer her suggestions, like not dressing the salad and making sure the soup doesn't have wine in it.

If you remain calm and non-reactionary (and I'm not saying you are/were reactionary) and just keep reiterating how easy it is to fix the problem of you not being able to attend catered events.

Also, I know how hard it is not to feel hurt as I am sensitive like you but just remind yourself that it is their ignorance and not you that is the problem. They don't deserve to live rent free in your head as my brother reminds me when I talk about ex friend (and how she caused so much trauma to me) so just keep telling yourself that it is not you that needs to change.

Much love and hugs sweetheart 😍

[DownMoreThanUp]

@avant-garde Yes i can see why you would find this difficult. It is! 

This is what i do when i'm in such a situation.

Every thought and feeling that feels negative/hurts/upsets/excludes/belittles/judges me, either  because of my own insecurities/anger/hurt/judgement/sins/shortcomings, or when they flare as a reaction to someone else's treatment of me, i drop of at Jesus' feet. Acknowledging that i'm beat with regards to this issue, for do not know how to best handle this in a godly -  that is loving for all, (myself included,) - way.

i keep on doing this with all my negative feelings, until His Answer becomes Alive in me, and a resolution has been found where this situation does no longer have such an negative effect on me, or where the bad that comes my way from other people produces good life in me, no more bad. For Jesus/The Truth of love is now in control where once my confusion, anxiety, and insecurity ruled me bad life.

i call this process making Jesus King over all my inner 'kings', and Lord over all my inners lords in my heart.

Honestly i have NEVER been disappointed with the outcome!

Though i have to admit that mostly when i felt this way, some big laying down of bad life needed to happen, before Jesus' good life ruled me instead.

For example it took me years to overcome negative feelings towards my brothers and sisters at our Church treating me and my family like non existent when i fell ill. However i found out that i had brought to life lots of life in anger over the years them treating us like this.

So Jesus/The Truth of my situation, showed me that this is why it hurt me so bad, rather them treating us like this. For, like Jesus showed He always does, i could also forgive and hand out mercy, by refusing to hold onto what they said about me/us, and heed His love for me/them instead. Truly it were hot blushing moments, meeting Jesus in my angry self, in His love for all, in my life, before the anger finally burned off me.🤐  But His love Alive within has been so very liberating,🎉 for i can come to Church again without being angry, but with a praying heart for my accusers/gossipers instead!😃)

i hope this answer will be helpful to you in your situation as well.

[Appleblossom]

@heartathome @Shaz51 hey 💙😀

@avant-garde @DownMoreThanUp you do write beautifully and powerfully.

@REDLINEZ750 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liturgy 

I like the idea of the “ work of and for the people “ the offering up to God. It is a different aspect to private prayer. I guess for me prayer life and meditation is important.

I grew up with a big emphasis on sin, by my mother, but not so much in the religious activities that I was a part of. In the end I see it as due to her trauma, her religious mania and I work hard to separate it from my self image, and am glad I also had a rich and varied exposure to committed Christians, but accept I probably will always struggle with self doubt. The damage done as a child and to our family was too severe,

I am not sure God really wants people to castigate themselves, it can often make it harder to do good and to heal. I also learn from secular writings like Peter Levine Shrink the inner critic.

glad you are feeling better @ENKELI I am exploring a range of worship at the moment. I need to visit a Pentecostal church.