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Post by Starsinger on Jul 28, 2016 0:16:53 GMT
Where the heck is that story from? It's terrible! o.O
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Post by Eruanna on Jul 28, 2016 0:18:18 GMT
Its in Acts 20. Its a good lesson not to preach for too long! And see, Acts is great too! Because its all about lessons for the witnesses, the teachers and preachers, the gospel spreaders. And YOU, ma'am, are all these things.
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Post by Starsinger on Jul 28, 2016 0:20:50 GMT
I started Acts a month or two ago but kinda... stopped reading o.O Indeed I am... Freaking Ezekiel 3 screamed that at me
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Post by Eruanna on Jul 28, 2016 0:22:49 GMT
Hhaha, man, I love Ezekiel.
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Post by Starsinger on Jul 28, 2016 0:24:44 GMT
So you've said
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Post by Eruanna on Jul 28, 2016 0:26:30 GMT
There! That's advice for elves! Read Ezekiel and if you have read it, read it again. XD
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Post by Starsinger on Jul 28, 2016 0:30:20 GMT
Good advice It does feel like the book I'll need to read a couple of times to understand at least something.
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Post by Elethia Arvell on Jul 29, 2016 14:34:56 GMT
Starsinger: I also struggle with reading the Bible every day, but it really is a matter of personal discipline. Don't do it because its a "Christian" thing to do, do it out of an honest desire to know and understand God. The Bible is a gift, and it should be a joy to read it, not an annoyance. Right now, I am working on reading the Bible cover to cover, like I would any other book. I figure, I love the Silmarillion- why not the Bible, which is written in much the same style? It's a fantastic work of literature on top of being the literal Word of God. Starting from Genesis, I really am starting to want to know what happens next! It's fascinating. At the same time, I'm also reading one chapter from Ecclesiastes at a time. I'm almost done with it. I haven't been faithful to read every day, but I'm working on it. Now as far as prayer goes- that's the bigger issue, at least from the sound of your question, Starsinger. Prayer is just talking to God, and honoring Him with your attention. It's a privilege , really: that the Maker of the Universe who is so holy He cannot abide the presence of sin should allow us to speak to Him directly. For me, when I pray, usually I start by thanking Him for all the things I've noticed today that are good, because it all comes from Him. Then I bring my cares and troubles to Him, asking for help and guidance. I often times end up re-confessing my shortcomings, simply because they end up becoming evident to me during the prayer. Then I end with praising God and naming his attributes. My prayers don't always go like that, though. Sometimes it's just a quick, "Thanks, God!" or "Oh God, please help me." Or even something as simple as "Ugh..." The bottom line is, God loves us and has made Himself available to us in a very special way. You don't have to feel silly for talking (or thinking) to Someone you can't see. Even when you feel like no one can hear you, God does, and he listens to those who are in His care. Don't be afraid- take advantage of His gift to us and just talk to Him. In time, you'll get used to it. Maybe start with a prayer before reading your Bible, asking for understanding and the ability to put away distractions. Then get to a place where you don't have to think about other things. And during the day, when you're going about your business, just direct some of your thoughts toward God, asking questions, or making observations, just to remind yourself that He is there, listening, and caring.
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Post by NightBlade on Jul 29, 2016 16:19:34 GMT
Where the heck is that story from? It's terrible! o.O He came back to life though so it's all good x)
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Post by Ellron Silvertree on Jul 29, 2016 16:44:48 GMT
Something that I find beautiful and helpful also is that you don't always have to try and figure out what to say from the top of your head. There are so many saints who have given us beautiful prayers, and sometimes by using that text and meditating on the words they can help bring you closer to Christ in a new and beautiful way. There have been so many brilliant and holy people in the past 2000 years, I say why not take advantage of the wisdom they have left for us?
I really like this prayer that's attributed to St. Francis, and it's great especially when you feel like you need help with compassion and peace, the like.
"Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy.
O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love; For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; it is in dying that we are born again to eternal life."
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Post by Elethia Arvell on Jul 29, 2016 18:10:14 GMT
If you want pre-prayed prayers, Psalms is full of 'em too. But I always like speaking from my own heart best, though I do use Biblical language sometimes...
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Post by NightBlade on Jul 29, 2016 18:36:24 GMT
I'm generally a rather down-to-earth kind of guy, so my prayers are basically conversational. Makes me feel connected and personal. But I respect people's different styles of prayer as long as it brings them to God
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Post by Aviar Goldeneagle on Jul 29, 2016 20:00:11 GMT
A lot of the time when I pray, I'm basically having a conversation with God. Sometimes I don't even so much think or say "words", as much as just spend prayerful time just letting my mind wander with God. Also, if you're struggling for something to pray or find your mind continues to wander *away* from God or something, you can always pray set prayers like the "Our Father"--the Lord's Prayer that Jesus himself taught us--and really think about and focus on the words and their meaning. You can also spend time meditating on the life of Christ or something you've been reading in the Bible lately. Even just meditating like that can be a prayer.
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Post by Elethia Arvell on Jul 30, 2016 0:10:52 GMT
Aviar Goldeneagle and Nightblade: That's mostly how I go. My internal thoughts often take on a poetical feel, but that's just my personal language.
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Post by Dmitri Pendragon on Jul 30, 2016 3:21:21 GMT
Something I did a while back and found really good—Eddie Rasnake's "How to Develop a Quiet Time" workbook. Takes forty days. There were a few things Rasnake said that I got annoyed with, but it didn't detract from the overall.
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Post by Elethia Arvell on Jul 30, 2016 12:40:47 GMT
Things like what? Trite practices? Because that's what really gets me most of the time.
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Post by Dmitri Pendragon on Aug 1, 2016 7:20:13 GMT
It was mostly Day 10, in which the author says, "Singing is not optional in the Christian life," that put my guard up. The basis for his argument was, "Sing to the Lord a new song…" and the rest of Psalm 96. Now I have no problem with singing, and I sing up front at church, but it felt to me as though the author was taking the psalmist's words and making them a law, a command, a moral absolute that you MUST SING if you are a Christian. … I don't know. I felt odd reading that part.
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Post by Starsinger on Aug 2, 2016 0:17:54 GMT
The way I used to pray, and I fell out of practice a few years ago, was to actually write it out, because that was I got less distracted and sidetracked by other thoughts. So I should possibly try that again.
I'm playing catch up at the moment, but I'm finding it helpful to look for something I never thought about before, or that particularly stands out and think about that, and google if that helps, and then also try and sum up what I read on paper... because otherwise I just read and don't necessarily pay attention.
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Post by jliessa44 on Aug 2, 2016 2:52:49 GMT
It was mostly Day 10, in which the author says, "Singing is not optional in the Christian life," that put my guard up. The basis for his argument was, "Sing to the Lord a new song…" and the rest of Psalm 96. Now I have no problem with singing, and I sing up front at church, but it felt to me as though the author was taking the psalmist's words and making them a law, a command, a moral absolute that you MUST SING if you are a Christian. … I don't know. I felt odd reading that part. Yeah. That's pretty weird. I dunno. I sing all the time, and yeah it's a form of praise. But I don't feel like you HAVE to. Like the Bible has to apply to everyone and if it can't apply to everyone it's a wrong misinterpretation. So if deaf and/or people who are mute can't sing, then that can't be true. Or that would be my thought process on that.
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Post by Dmitri Pendragon on Aug 2, 2016 3:38:16 GMT
Starsinger: The workbook I mentioned above has a strong focus on writing, which I liked. It's basically read a chapter, write down what stood out, write a prayer—forty times. jliessa44: Exactly.
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Post by Ellron Silvertree on Aug 2, 2016 4:13:03 GMT
I once listened to a really good talk by the this guy named Peter Kreeft, and an idea he brought forth was that singing is like the highest form of praise. The reason for this, and I'm taking my own thoughts into this claim now, is because of a few things. Firstly, there is an inherent beauty in poety that is arguably higher than prose, and when sung it is higher still, because in song pure emotion is expressed in a completely unique way. When someone songs you don't need to know the words to understand the emotion, not when it's good anyways. So that's something. I agree that trying to make that a command seems silly, though. More accurate would be that as a Christian there are times that we simply can't help but sing for the joy of the Lord.
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Post by Elethia Arvel on Aug 2, 2016 21:25:42 GMT
Ok, yeah, that's a weird thing for a book to say. It seems like dangerous ground, putting one's own spin on Scripture. 0_o
I do, however, think that the Holy Spirit often inspires song, whether you're a good singer or not. It's just something that happens as a result of the intense love and joy you can feel when you're walking with God. But if you're forcing out a song just because it's the thing to do, that would be false praise, and probably bring dishonor to God.
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Post by Kirenyth Fireblade on Aug 4, 2016 12:18:47 GMT
Well put, both of you!
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Post by NightBlade on Aug 14, 2016 3:03:09 GMT
Does anyone else have the problem of being alternately accused of both bluntness and over-subtlety? Not as in under-stating things, but as in the more sly, tricky kind of subtlety?
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Post by jliessa44 on Aug 14, 2016 3:19:03 GMT
I'm never accused. But I'll say I am and people will awkwardly agree or do the overacted "No you aren't."
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Post by NightBlade on Aug 14, 2016 3:30:54 GMT
Haha. Plenty of that inbetween, too. The bluntness for me was a failed attempt to counter my subtlety... apparently I over compensated
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Post by Kirenyth Fireblade on Aug 14, 2016 19:04:46 GMT
707 XD XD
I'm often very blunt, and although I've never been considered subtle, I have a major tendency to understate things, and not just in the witty way of jokes and such.
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Post by Warrior of Aror on Jan 4, 2017 19:22:21 GMT
Not sure where to post this question since we don't have an Educational thread: Has anyone heard of the CLT (Classic Learning Test)? It's an exam which is similar to the SAT (accepted by about 30 colleges as an alternative) which is supposed to test learning comprehension and that sort of thing, instead of memorizing answers and such. There's a practice test on their website that I'm hoping to take later today. I think it might even be fun to take it.
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Post by Warrior of Aror on Jan 6, 2017 15:02:11 GMT
I finished it.
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Post by Dmitri Pendragon on Jan 6, 2017 20:15:55 GMT
…and?
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