Re: Christian Chat - Page 585

- Paul boasts of his work and standing in the Lord - a Hebrew, more labours, more imprisonments, more beatings, a stoning, a shipwreck, a day and a night in the open sea, more dangers everywhere, toils, sleepless nights, hunger, thirst, inadequate clothing, a daily concern for the churches.

- Paul will boast about his weaknesses.

II Corinthians 12

- Paul talks about visions and revelations of the Lord.

- Fourteen years ago caught in the third heaven, into paradise.

- Because of these extraordinary revelations Paul also given a thorn in the flesh - a messenger of Satan to torment him.

- Paul pleaded with the Lord three times that it would leave him.

- God said, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness."

- Therefore Paul will boast about his weaknesses so that Christ's power may reside in him.

- "So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and in difficulties for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

- Paul defends his ministry including signs and wonders and miracles.

- Paul about to visit the third time - concerned about people who have not repented of sexual immorality - doesn't want to reprimand them in person or for the visit to have fightings, envyings, angry outbursts, slanders, gossip, arrogance and disorder.

II Corinthians 13

- Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.

- Paul will not be lenient if people found to be sinning (from previous chapter not repenting of sexual immorality) - Christ is not weak in dealing with you.

- For Christ was crucified in weakness but He lives by the power of God.

- Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith. Examine yourselves. Jesus Christ is in you.

- Paul doesn't want to deal harshly with them - the authority the Lord gave him is for building up, not for tearing down.

- Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice. Be mature, of the same mind, at peace.

- And the God of love and peace will be with you.

- The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

In II Corinthians 12 Paul talks about having a "thorn in the flesh - a messenger of Satan to torment him." Three times Paul pleads for it to go away. God responds, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness." When we are weak, we are strong. Power perfected in weakness. It is when we are weak that we cry out to God the most.

tyme · ‎22-04-2026

That's always been so so powerful for me when God responds, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness." When we are weak, we are strong. Power perfected in weakness. It is when we are weak that we cry out to God the most."

This has helped me through the hardest of times @Realness @heartathome @DownMoreThanUp @Appleblossom

tyme · ‎22-04-2026

Thinking of you @DownMoreThanUp - sounds so hard.

Appleblossom · ‎22-04-2026

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sE5kEnitqE

@DownMoreThanUp Blame in family is hard. It happens all over.

@heartathome @Realness @tyme @AuntGlow @REDLINEZ750 @ENKELI

I burst into tears listening to this hymn this morning. I dont cry often in church.There had been a beautiful preaching and talk about being in defence forces and ANZAC day. It was the sequence of events and the beauty and simplicity of the words. I have had a hard week. My son went to ED yesterday. I saw him today in the ward. My hip is bad, and I am in pain with it. Am finding it hard to move. But there have been good moments. Grateful. Liquorice Allsorts.

DownMoreThanUp · ‎23-04-2026

@Appleblossom @tyme @Realness @heartathome @AuntGlow

Saw my wife today we had a wonderful time having lunch together. Had my blood works done and hope to see a doctor in May about my issues for the one i saw yesterday was totally useless. A doctor we knew from elsewhere, but we are both very disappointed, in after he set up his own practise. Possibly because he does not want us as his patients we felt, for before he was really good, and thorough. Now he does not take us serious even about quiet serious issues we are now finding out without down syndrome daughter who we also took to him. And he dismissed out of hand, without even checking, but now we are finding out it is something we are going to have to look into much more seriously than he made us believe.

i have added something (two things) to my supplements and to my surprise have had 3 days without any depression. To be honest i have never in my whole life experienced my inner reality as stable mood wise as i do now. Especially considering i have had a really hard time, bottom of the barrel stuff even and still no depression. Even telling you i shake my head in wonder. How can this even be?

you know what i added? iodised salt and quercetin, i have used quercetin before but have not noticed any dramatic effects then.

AI believes that it has to do with the salt and my body chemistry, to do with hydration and other things that could all have contributed to the increasing depression i had been suffering from especially since my nausea began peaking two-three years ago. And it does seem to fit the pattern of slowly but rapidly increasing cycling and mood swings even far more pools apart.

My wife and me are looking on in disbelief. i have had good turns before which later would go away again. However they have never ever been this dramatic or stable. All day level i do not think my life has ever been like that before. Like some kind of 'rebirth' psychologically - i can really feel like this normally? That would mean depression is gone for good. Doubt it but yet i hope of course. This is really nice finding myself back even keeled.

keeping an eye out!

(did some work on an old poem)

Darkness Reigning

When wicked voices gather near,
then darkness has me by the ear.
“Where is truth?” they mock and sneer,
casting nets of doubt and fear.

Isolation is their prison cell,
where weakness serves their kingdom well.
They feast upon my slips and falls,
for broken ground best hides their walls.

They build within my mind their throne,
until their thoughts feel like my own.
Depression makes its daily claim,
and life grows dim beneath their reign.

See how they fight to keep their place,
pushing back all love and grace.
Dragging me through poisoned lies,
down into pits where hope nearly dies.

Under their influence, bruised and blind,
they crashed the daylight in my mind.
Yet wicked rule is never long
my light will rise where it belongs.

i do not like many songs of this person but this is an awesome one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGKu5MkyWsc&list=RDPzaTmXSIKpk&index=2

heartathome · ‎24-04-2026

Good morning @DownMoreThanUp

DownMoreThanUp · ‎24-04-2026

@heartathome Good Morning how has your sleep been? i hope well?

@Appleblossom @tyme @Realness @AuntGlow

Ancient Garments.
Faith can quickly become the driest ink of pen,
God’s living truths half-grasped by fallen men.
Still dressing believers in clothes centuries-old ,
stitch their naked fear and plight into a static mould.
Forgetting Christ before the world was stripped bare
naked hung in love’s revealing light true life to share.
For our Lord Jesus is not truth dressed in our history,
nor must He be buried underneath religious tyranny.
Christ's truth is God’s fierce love descending from On high
from every untruth where death and darkness hide the lie
So please let any ancient garments fall into the dust
His love clothes us His righteousness not moth or rust.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFLvSD-iApc&list=RDtFLvSD-iApc&start_radio=1

heartathome · ‎25-04-2026

Romans 3:23–24 (NLT)

“For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.

Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.”

Who wrote it

This letter was written by the apostle Paul, a follower of Jesus, to the believers in Rome.

What was happening at the time

Paul was writing to a mixed community of Jewish and Gentile believers in Rome. There was confusion and tension about how someone becomes “right with God”—whether it was through religious law, personal effort, or something else. Paul is making it clear that everyone stands in the same place before God, and that being made right with Him comes through Jesus and His grace, not human performance.

Key Greek words and meaning

ἥμαρτον (hēmarton) — “have sinned”

Literally “to miss the mark,” like an arrow missing its target. It points to falling short of God’s intended design for human life.

ὑστεροῦνται (hysterountai) — “fall short”

Means to lack, be behind, or come up short. It describes not being able to reach something important by your own effort.

δικαιούμενοι (dikaioumenoi) — “made right / justified”

A legal term meaning declared righteous in a courtroom. It’s not self-improvement, but a changed status—guilty to accepted and right with God.

χάριτι (chariti) — “grace”

Means undeserved favour. A gift of kindness that is not earned, not owed, and not based on performance.

ἀπολύτρωσις (apolytrōsis) — “redemption / set free”

Comes from the idea of paying a price to release someone from bondage. It means being liberated or brought back at a cost paid by another.

Short summary

We all fall short—but God doesn’t leave us there. Through Jesus, He freely forgives, restores, and makes us right with Him by grace. 🙏

@DownMoreThanUp @Appleblossom @Realness @ENKELI @tyme