Overview

@moonlight mermaid Welcome to the group! Congrats on the baptism! That's fantastic that you are demonstrating your faith publicly! I think the biggest lesson I learned in church this morning is that we are all sinners. We all need grace. "No one is worthy, not one." But through the unconditional love of Jesus we can be accepted and learn to accept purselves, flaws, faults, self-ambitions and all. It's the innocence of young children who call out Hosanna in the highest that we need to really remember! Thank you for sharing your story! Remember you are loved because He first loved you. Our call is to accept ourselves so we can grow in peace. The person preaching at my church today said, "the beginning of wisdom is found in our humility. To see ourselves as we truly are. Love ourselves as Christ loves us, so we can also love others as He loves them." Here is my prayer for you on your baptism day: May God Bless you and keep you. May His mercy shine down upon you. Where ever you may go, I pray that you always know the love of Christ surrounds you. On good days and bad. In times of plenty and in times of need. When you feel strong and when you feel weak. May God be your strong tower. Your personal shield. Your point of reference. Your guiding light in the darkness. May God be your support always! In the name of Jesus Christ, the Lord and Savior of all! Amen!

I picked this up today at church and thought I would share! Happy Palm Sunday!

Hello everyone! I am new here to this group, and I have been lucky to have been able to find someone to connect with and in doing so they are helping me with reading my Bible from start to finish (hopefully) lol. Well..to tell you about myself, I was also like most of you raised in strict Christian household (2 separates) parents divorced way before I was born. Anywho my family for the longest time from both sides has been very SUPER old testament strict and while I did learn some stuff when it came to church and the Bible, I truthfully never honestly understood it as no one ever explained to me in a way I could understand it or they would just tell me to read the Bible, I did try too at one point or another but I grew bored from understanding what I was reading or at one point I viewed the bits that I read as contradictory (again cause I didn't understand). Flash forward to some years I won't lie and say that my journey with religion, God and Church and also the Bible has been easy, cause I'll admit flat out too that I am a sinner and as such I have gotten into Magic, Tarot/Oracle and the such in the past, and while being involved in it I got my mother to join me in it too as one of my aunts from mom's side got into first after she was taught and showed, who in turned showed myself and her daughter before going on to show others. I have struggled with this, and once I got shown the true dangers of Magic and such I step away and wanted nothing to do with it at all. But again cause SINNER here I eventually just got pulled into the tarot/oracle side of things and have been on and off with it since the past year with it. See...I also recently got sick and as such I am unable to work and have been unable to work since last year and that still hasn't stopped me from looking for work and applying to jobs, but I get nothing and very hard on me, as I also deal with strong depression and anxiety. I feel so lower than the bottom barrel type that I have trying small different things to help me get a little bit of money on and off and while I'll truthfully that includes tarot/oracle. I'm just trying to find and do something stable to where I'm not sitting around doing nothing (other than house cleaning, chores and reading), lastly on this I'm not using this last bit as an excuse to excuses any wrong doing that I am in the eyes of God or others that know, I'm not, I'm just lost and can't find my way. Within the past year I have found myself at yet another new Church to attend as my father moved us from the one we were at, the one that I was a teaching at for 2 years for 4th and 5th graders, I loved the kids, I loved the Church, I loved my fellow teachers and friends and the experience I got from it was like never before and it's helped me in more ways than one, especially when it came to the loss of my mom to breast cnacer. Now at this new Church it's mostly made up of senior adults (doesn't bother me and I truly don't judge either) again anywho being at this Church is hard for me as I'm again having to face and deal favoritism (something thanks to my father I've gone through years of growing up and yet still do!) well as I was saying, I recently also became a teacher too, I started with the slightly older kids and then got moved to the youngers ones. Being moved down Idk why I'm slightly bothered by it, but I am. Sorry for this long rant of a story but I'm sign off with this little bit, I get baptized this coming Sunday, 3rd actual baptism. Long story short first baptism a bit before my mom passed away, and eventually I left God but not the Church, just emotionally left the Church, 2nd baptism also bit before leaving my last Church as I found myself after fully going back to Church and wanting to be apart of it. and now 3rd baptism cause apparently my last Church left out something important that every Christian needs and should have in order to be baptized right, or so the Pastor of this Church says, so 3rd and hopefully final one.

I taught a lesson tonite on The Shield of Faith abd wanted to share! First we reviewed the armor if God from Ephesians 6: 13 - 16 "13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, 15 and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. " Questions: What do we put on first? - belt of truth What is truth? - Jesus loves us and forgives us What do we put on next? - breastplate of righteousness What is righteousness? - doing what is right/correct in God’s eyes Stand up! Buckle your belt of truth around your waist! Cross your arms over your chest fir the breastplate of righteousness! Now what comes next?- feet in peace! (OK kinda!😆) jump yourself into your shoes of the Gospel of peace! What is that? What's the message about? - that Jesus loves everyone! Even my dog and Spiderman! 😆(Yep!) Everyone needs Jesus! Now here's our new part! Everyone freeze!! 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one. We need a shield of faith!! But wait! Did you hear that last part? There's some flaming darts coming at us! (I've heard arrows) ok arrows, darts, flaming bad stuff flying at us! Whoa! So I need a couple of volunteers! *everyone raises their hand and jumps up and down shouting! So I pick the boys who have been talking over me the whole time. Don't disrespect the teacher bud she's in control even when you don't think so* Come stand right here where everyone can see you. Now we're going to pretend, use out really strong thinking skills and imagine you've got the belt, breastplate and shoes on, so you're safe right? - Uh no... prolly not...wait what did we volunteer for? Can I sit down? Everyone else I'm giving you a piece of paper. I want you to scrunch it up. This is your flaming arrow, darts, bad stuff. Now stand back up! You need to stay on the carpet and we're going to see if we can get through their armor... and go! *free for all paper fight!!!!* Ok come on back everyone now we need to put on the shield of faith... come up here Little C... in Roman times a shield was huge and it was meant to protect the soldiers, so they could lock their shields together in a long line and hide behind them. I brought this cardboard and it's just the right size for Little C, he's going to hide back here and see if you can get through his shield, but first what is our faith based on? What makes it so strong? - Jesus! *write Jesus on cardboard * Ok you all set behind your Jesus buddy? Everyone got their flaming stuff to throw at the shield? Ok see if you can break through!!! *another paper war!!!* So Lityle C was safe behind his shield of faith. Hmmm... I wonder how much faith you need to be safe? Any ideas? - this much *fingers stretched open* - hmmm Ok - this much * space between 2 hands* - oh Ok a little more - your whole body full - ah Ok your whole body full! - a little bit - ok just a little bit So actually you Ned a tiny amount! I didn't have any mustard seeds at home, but I had some tiny beads. Look at these... they are actually bigger than a mustard seed! (What!) The Bible tells us: Matthew 17:20 "He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you." Matthew 13:31-32 "He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches." So a tiny seed smaller than these beads grows into a tree! If you have faith in what Jesus can do, he will do it. I have a story about faith for you. I'm a teacher and tomorrow is Kindergarten Round-Up for my preschoolers. One if my student's families doesn't have a car *we don't have public transportation * and he needed a ride to Kindergarten Round-Up. The family doesn't speak English and it is difficult for them to get the help they need. I told his mom, if you're ok with me helping you, I believe God will find you a ride. She said it was ok, was very happy and prayed. I prayed that God would work it out, then typed a quick email and sent it to church. In 10 minutes. I had 2 messages of people wanting to help! I was still getting messages after work! God knew they needed help and provided! Can you share a story of how your faith was tiny, but grew in a mighty way? The kids had great stories, but I would love to hear more, if you want to share! Blessings of love, joy, and peace. Amanda

We are doing a series of sermons on Jonah at church right now and twice the elder preaching has mentioned Veggie Tales! 🤭 Once he even showed a clip from the Jonah Veggie Tales movie! I wanna watch it soooo much!

The whole book of Job has some great lessons in it

This verse popped up today on my daily verses. It was powerful to me to know that God sees me even when I feel all alone in the world, and He knows my heart! He knows I am doing my best and that I love with a pure heart! Even when others judge my motives, God sees me for who I really am! Job 23:10-11 "But he knows every detail of what is happening to me; and when he has examined me, he will pronounce me completely innocent—as pure as solid gold! “I have stayed in God’s paths, following his steps. I have not turned aside."

I mean it's really just message but yep!

I couldn't get most of the Bew Testament books to load or the book of Nehemiah...🤷‍♀️ I'll try reloading from the site tomorrow.... I'm up past my bedtime and I don't like the consequences....

I have a bunch (over 100) coring pages ready to post on Sunday School stuff. I'll start with books of the Bible. Let me know if there's a topic you want. I'm pretty sure I've got it!

Is this still going on?

Hello to all and everyone. Daddy Eric is in awe.....and grateful. Should I feel like a pervert? Sexual deviant? or just a human being with 1 life to live

I like it a lot too it a good one

Hi you guys! Here is my favorite Bible verse of all time!! John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Very true the tongue has many powers and thinking should be encour also a good one

Sorry I forgot yesterday’s! But here is todays verse. “I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.” -John 5:24 NLT

Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good Romans 12:21 NLT

Very true the tongue has many powers and thinking should be encouraged before talk

The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences. Proverbs 18:21 NLT

A very good promise

Just wanted to share todays Bible verse of the day… “But as for you, be strong and courageous, for your work will be rewarded.” 2 Corinthians 15:7 NLT

I love the Bible Project! I love watching their videos that go along with my Bible study, I also just wanted to say that I’m excited to get to know everyone here!

Yep just think Adam and Eve could have had any thing they wanted but one thing and they chose the forbidden fruit, with a little help of course. But they chose that because every thing he provided was not enough.and us as people just keep repeating that mistake

Ok I watched video 3 today (I watch on YouTube as there is a Playlist with them all in order!) And I had two takes. First I loved that they kind of clarified the flooding of the earth. It wasn't wrath or anger from God over an imperfect creation. They describe it more as him wanting to save the w9nderfully good thing he had made in the world, creatures, and humans. He was trying to cleanse it, start over. Second they describe Genesis as showing that humans wanted to decide for themselves what good and evil was rather than trusting God, and as a result death, destructi9n, and misery followed. Feel free to share your thoughts too.

If you post the episodes as you go along I will listen to them so I can be abreast of them