Question of the Day

Do you use a normal toothbrush or an electric?

Nicole's Answer...

A normal one.

Question of the Day

If you were anything in the kitchen, excluding salt and light, what would you be?

Nicole's Answer....

Coffee, because I would wake people up.

Question of the Day

Todays question is...

Including your current country...how many countries have you visited?

Nicole's Answer...
1. Canada (BC, Alberta, Saskatchwan and Ontario)
2. USA (Washington State)

Question of the Day

What does your name mean?

Nicole's Answer...

Nicole is the female version of Nicholas and it means victory of the people and leader of the people.

Blast

So, I was just checking to see what a new background would look like and I lost all my links...blast! And I dont know how to get them back...blast! And I dont even like pink all that much...blast! Oh well, they will return, once someone smart does it for me!

Question of the Day

This hearby marks the beginning of a 5 day series of...'Question of the Day'.

You are to leave a comment with your answer.

Todays question is...

What Bible personality, excluding Jesus, are you most like?

Nicole's Answer....

Pavidothy...
Like Paul I went from bashing Christians to being christian, I went from complete darkness to blinding light, I went from radical in the world to radical for Jesus...basically I changed.
Like David I am a worshipper (so Ive been told).
Like Timothy I am shy and timid in my youthfulness.

I take it back

To anyone that Ive ever said I dont like The Message to, I take that comment back. I was given The Message yesterday and began reading it today, and I must say its good. It is such a casual read, as it was intended for Im sure. For example, I was watching TV (im on reading break...I dont normally watch television) and I would pick up The Message during commercials, then put it down when the show came back on, then pick it up again during commercials and so on...like one would do with a novel.

I still use my other Bible (NLT) for devotions and study, and would recomend continuing with a different version for devotions and study rather then The Message, but The Message is definetly good for casual reading.

Oh and for the record, I like the original Message...not the remix.

Now, since I am not getting many comments...and I like comments...I shall ask a question...please answer it...please!

What version/translation do you read? (Feel free to include why and/or multiple answers!)

Yet I Will Praise

I will praise you LORD my God
Even in my brokeness I will praise you LORD
I will praise you LORD my God
Even in my desperation I will praise you LORD
For even when my heart is torn
I will praise you LORD
And even when I feel deserted
I will praise you LORD
And when my world is shattered, and it seems all hope is gone
Yet I will praise you LORD

Its one thing to praise the LORD in times of favor and when things are going great. But this song reminds us to praise the LORD when the one thing you desire suddenly disappears.

Blessed be your name, in the land that is plentiful.
Blessed be your name on the road marked with suffering.

So

Have you ever noticed when people pray, often it is begun with so...

So Jesus we thank you...
So God we ask for...
So Holy Spirit please provide...

A friend of mine suggests that is is a Canadian thing, but I've heard Americans and Australians pray the so-prayer many-a-times!

Did you know?...

Heres something random I learned this weekend...

Teenage girls with posters of boy bands, male models, etc are 90%! more likely to do drugs, drink and have premarital sex.

Sermon on the Mount-Part 3

The LORDs Prayer...

This is how Jesus taught us how to pray. In the past, I have often prayed this prayer...yet I also often prayed it without heart, passion or meaning...I just said it because I knew it or becuase its a good prayer, both are good things but lacking the spirit componant of it, it was just like 6:7 warns us not to do..."dont repeat your words again and again". This is a powerful prayer and should be done with reverance and awe to the King.

OUR Father...the first word of the prayer empasises that Salvation is a community thing and not a personal thing.

Matthew 6:25-27 is the first parable spoken by Jesus Christ.

7:7-Never give up. Always ask. Always look. Always Knock. The promise is right there...it will be given to you...so never give up.

True Disciples

"Many will tell me 'LORD LORD, we prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name' But I will say 'I never knew you'"

Do you do these things, yet do not go to your closet and pray alone to the Father. Do you do these things and do not give your gifts in secret.

The Golden Rule

Many religions, Judaism, Buddism, Hinduism, Confucism all have negitive 'golden rules'. Chritianity's Golden Rule is a positive thing. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

The word 'Father' as in God, is mentioned 17 times in Matthew. The spirit of adoption is all over this book!

Sermon on the Mount-Part 2

Salt and Light-Matthew 5:13-16

It is easier to take off the basket that is covering your light, then it is to return flavor to salt.

Anger, Lust and Divorce-Matthew 5:21-33

"So if you are standing before the altar in the Temple, offering a sacrifice to God, and you suddenly remember a dispute between you and another brother or sister, leave your offering and be reconciled with that person" Matthew 5:23-24.

How many times have you heard this verse? BUT...how many times have you obeyed that verse?

Reconciliation is the cure for anger.

Why arent there people walking around with one eye gouged out or a hand cut off. Are we that holy, or that disobedient!

Vows-Matthew 5:33-37

Be honest. Dont lie. Let your yes be a yes and your no be a no. I am not saying I agree with the following question, just putting it up there to allow for a little debate! Does signing the Articals of War go against this what Jesus teaches about the value of your word?

Sermon on the Mount-Part 1

For the last week, the Lord has kept me in Matthew 5-7, the Sermon on the Mount. I first got here by coming accross it in my regular devotions, normally I would read it and then continue on, but this time Holy Spirit has gotten me to dig in further. Here's a sample of what I have recieved.

Matt 5:1a
When Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a mountain. Those who were committed climbed with him.

The first verse in this 3 chapter series emphasises that those with a burning hunger for knowledge and teaching are the only ones who are going to recieve it. The lazy and uncommited who are not willing to saccrifice time and energy will not receive the rich teachings of Jesus Christ.

"Im climbing up the mountain of the LORD, towards his holy place, and every step is grace"

Matt. 5:1b
Arriving at a quiet place, he sat down.

The second part of the first verse shows the need for stillness...something the LORD has been showing me for the last 9 months (hmmm, thats scary!) yet I have still been stubbern and unwilling to submitt to the concept of being still.

The Beattitudes

I have heard teaching on these many a times before, yet they are so rich I must go threw some of them.

Blessed=makarios (greek) which means so much more then blessed, it means supremely blest, fortunate, well off, happy to name a few.

There are 8 beattitudes, yet after studying them, I came to the sobering realization that I am only exercising 7 of them.

Beatitude #6 "Blessed are those whos hearts are pure for they will see God."

Pure=hagios (greek) which means-sacred, pure, morally blameless, consecrated, most holy, saint, innocent, perfect, clean.

Ouch! Im not there yet. Fair enough Im crawling at a slow pace up a small incline towards holiness, but regardless Im not there yet, and at this point I wont see God. Sobering. However this has motivated me to stop crawling, stand up and run towards the goal. Yet, in doing so ememy attacks have been tougher and rougher, Oh Lord, may I be given grace to acheive this!

"Im climbing up the mountain of the LORD, towards His holy place, and every step is grace"

I have also found it interesting that even though I have been promised 7 other rewards, I am not and will not be satisfied untill the fullness of all 8 are acheieved. Similarily, could I suggest that the beatitudes are an all or nothing deal?

Well thats it for part 1. There are 111 verses in the sermon on the mount...and I have only done 11 of them. (notice the amount of 1's I have just mentioned, not planned!) And if I was reading this I would be getting bored right about now, so I will stop for now, but do not worry, for there is more to come! Bless You

Hi Jesus

So, I have this deaf friend in the hotel I live in. We sign alot together, and allthough we have had many a conversations he doesnt know my name. This is becuase when you sign, you dont say your name becuase its all visual anyways. And I only know his name becuase of other people telling me in english, not becuase he told me. Anyways, he is in the prossess of moving, and I, along with other saints, have been helping him out. He had to write me a note the other day because I wasnt home, and becuase he doesnt know my name, he couldnt write 'Hi Nicole' so he wrote 'Hi Jesus'

How would you like to be identified. Do you want to be known as 'the guy who sells cars' 'Sally's friend' 'the one who sings good' or do you want to be known as 'Jesus'

My conviction is that all my friends would identify me as a Jesus imitator.