A Sidenote to How We ought define ourselves

Intresting Prayer

Ran Acrost this prayer  today  Thought id share it with everyone.

"Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them. Enemies have driven me into your embrace more than friends have. Friends have bound me to earth; enemies have loosed me from earth and have demolished all my aspirations in the world.

Enemies have made me a stranger in worldly realms and an extraneous inhabitant of the world.

Just as a hunted animal finds safer shelter than an unhunted animal does, so have I, persecuted by enemies, found the safest sanctuary, having ensconced myself beneath Your tabernacle, where neither friends nor enemies can slay my soul.

Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless and do not curse them.

They, rather than I, have confessed my sins before the world. They have punished me, whenever I have hesitated to punish myself. They have tormented me, whenever I have tried to flee torments. They have scolded me, whenever I have flattered myself. They have spat upon me, whenever I have filled myself with arrogance. Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.

Whenever I have made myself wise, they have called me foolish. Whenever I have made myself mighty, they have mocked me as though I were a [fly].

Whenever I have wanted to lead people, they have shoved me into the background.

Whenever I have rushed to enrich myself, they have prevented me with an iron hand.

Whenever I thought that I would sleep peacefully, they have wakened me from sleep.

Whenever I have tried to build a home for a long and tranquil life, they have demolished it and driven me out.

Truly, enemies have cut me loose from the world and have stretched out my hands to the hem of your garment.

Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.

Bless them and multiply them; multiply them and make them even more bitterly against me:

So that my fleeing will have no return; So that all my hope in men may be scattered like cobwebs; So that absolute serenity may begin to reign in my soul; So that my heart may become the grave of my two evil twins: arrogance and anger;

So that I might amass all my treasure in heaven; Ah, so that I may for once be freed from self-deception, which has entangled me in the dreadful web of illusory life.

Enemies have taught me to know what hardly anyone knows, that a person has no enemies in the world except himself. One hates his enemies only when he fails to realize that they are not enemies, but cruel friends.

It is truly difficult for me to say who has done me more good and who has done me more evil in the world: friends or enemies. Therefore bless, O Lord, both my friends and my enemies. A slave curses enemies, for he does not understand. But a son blesses them, for he understands.

For a son knows that his enemies cannot touch his life. Therefore he freely steps among them and prays to God for them. Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them. "

~ Serbian Orthodox Bishop Nikolai Velimirovic, Serbian bishop who spoke out against Naziism, was arrested, and taken to Dachau

http://sivinkit.net/

I think that sums up praying for our enemies much better than anything i could every say.

New musings on what it means to be a Christian

What Ought to define us as followers of Christ?

Ougt we not be defined by what we do and not what we do not do.   It seems too often i am hereing about what christians dont do.  And sin and all that,  Not about the grace of God and other positive things of that nature.   We ought insted be focusing on that which is beneficial for building us up and not for the terring us down.   We ought focus on new and innovative ways of sharing the love of Christ with the world.   IT is not about converting them  though that may happen  it is about loving them because that Is precicly what we are called to do.  For no other reasons than they are fellow humans in this lost world that is being redeemed by our Lord Jesus Chirst.   So lets stop wallowing in our falures and talk about the real good we can do.   Or Ought we go back to worrying about the old self we were told to put off?

It has been a long long time,  Sorry all you die hard fans of the Warrior.

So I guess that I ougt throw out a quick update on my life, spirtual and otherwise.

Life in geennral is somewhat same ole same ole.  I got advanced to MA2  so I get the privlage of moving to an apartment out in town,  if I so desiere,  and i do desire.   IM currently looking for one under 900 a month.   Hey te navy pays good for housing up here,  Though the housing is so expensive that that donet get me much.  Still praying that God will give me a place that works well for  me.  Untill I fond something Ill sitll in the Baricks.  Not that they are that bad Just think that there is better for me out there.   Any way what else is there to say about Life.  Ohh the navy stinks because so many people are going on leave Im getting a class cancled that I was spoused to go to,  Though When I wantted to take leave  they todl me I couldnt due to the class that I was spoused to take.  ya I love the place I work.

Spirutally  IM starting to get back into youth ministry.  Ya I cant complain about that  IT makes life much moreentertaning.  I mean I cant complain about hinging out with people who are half my age.   I eman that just about fits my maturity  Ya know what Im sayin.  "The Atributes Of God"                by A.W. Tozer.  Expect a review of that book soon. 

I think thats about good for a Quick Update

Blessings

James

             Check it,  Read it, Tell me what you think,  

Ok first of all I dont know if its a Prayer A Poem or Lyrics but here it is

Abba Father

Daddy as it were

In the vanaculere

This I pray

I may say

I know Thee

Intimatly

Further I slide

My face I ought Hide

I can not abide

my Sin I Confide

to THY Grace

I wish I could earn it

though i Dont Deserve it

Mercies that cover me

making You my Daddy

All aight  So what else is in my life,  Sitll Chillin with Kait,  Ya I dont know what to make of that, She is not passionate about Chist  So I cant totally let that part of my life with her,  and there are huge trust issues  so Like I said I dont know where that one is going,  If its going far.  Part of me thinks that If I could hook up with a girl at my church  or even thoguth taht I could Id prabilly drop Kait  Just because I mean I  Want somone Passoinate about the gospel  that gets me more pumped about it insded of any thing else.  But thats just me

Blessings through Him who makes us strong   HE IS RISSIN INDEED

~me