Christian Chat

@Captain24

We all need to manage our self talk. We all tend to do better with a forgiving attitude to ourselves and to others.

I have never believed in a harsh god, I was told about earlier fire and brimstone sermons, and felt relatively fortunate, that the Catholic theology I grew up with focused on God is Love, but the fact is that my circumstances were pretty harsh, and that is something I understand more and more as I learn about other life styles. I guess I am no longer believing in omniscience and omnipotence the way I was taught. I also have not had “prayers answered”. I just don’t think that way. Most of my prayers for my loved ones have not been answered. I don’t like platitudes, but I do like Christians who have ethics, but they seem a pretty mixed bunch. For me it is about doing my best and finding ways to fit in and contribute, church, state, community or private.

In a lot of my music there are sacred aspects, even my secular choir decided themselves they wanted to do The Prayer. I had the music so we have been doing it. I am careful that I don’t want to impose my religion on others… so I try to be guided by…what could be called the Holy Spirit. I do have a Koran and Islamic prayer mat I bought in 1981, I really try to be inclusive, but am probably pretty whacky….more on the mystics path… than religious….though was at church choir practice… singing Blokey bit, as they needed me in tenor.

https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&sca_esv=d0afcc1efe59444d&hl=en-au&sxsrf=AE3TifO4u6dAF30OE4kHbHUqOl3NNw9gOw:1750933315169&q=josh+groban+the+prayer&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAONgFuLRT9c3LDTNSjM1KjFUAvOKDUxLLCvNDbS0spOt9HNLizOT9YtSk_OLUjLz0uOTc0qLS1KLrPJLMlKLFMpSi4oz8_OKF7GKZeUXZyikF-UnJeYpAOUUCooSK1OLACfJO99jAAAA&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwixtZry7o6OAxWkslYBHcx0JawQri56BAgiEAQ&biw=320&bih=1038&dpr=2#ebo=0

@ENKELI @AuntGlow @Dimity @avant-garde

Hey hun @Captain24 , sometimes, it can feel like none of us deserve anything. Then again, we are here because we have battled on and really fought the good fight. So sometimes, when one person feels low, we have each other to pull the other up again.

And yes, my prayers go with you and everyone else here too @Appleblossom @Dimity @ENKELI

@Captain24 My suggestion would be to download one of the free Bible apps on your phone and sign up for the verse of the day. I have several Bibles in different versions, I love to read them but I am not always regular with it. I have a couple of apps on my phone that send me a verse a day so I don't get overwhelmed.

I quite like the theology in this… https://www. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mD-rpJ7ZLQ

it suggests a searching… without borders, and looking within and without…. I find it a gentle message

@AuntGlow @Captain24 @Dimity @tyme @ENKELI

@Appleblossom thanks for sharing that, I love it. While I love contemporary Christian music I also love hearing some of the traditional hymns too.

@Captain24 here is another song by MercyMe that made me think of you -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l70C3ePyIQ

Good day my Christian friends @ENKELI @Appleblossom @Dimity @Captain24 .

I'm going to church over the weekend.

They also have a youth convention in the coming weeks. Goes for a week.

What's every one else up to?

Hey my sweet @tyme, I hope you enjoy the service.

I have been praying for a renewed passion to read the Bible so I am going to make time for some study. I've spent so much nobey buying Bibles and study tools it would be a complete waste not to use them.

Does anyone have a favourite version? Or is there anyone like me who has different versions?

My favourite is NIV

I also have the Good News children's Bible my mum gave me, I think it's probably about 40 years old bynow lol!

I have the NKJV, The Message, Amplified and also an NIV study Bible.

@Appleblossom @Dimity @Captain24

I've grown up only ever using KJV so I don't read any other. I love the language of KJV @ENKELI and have memorised so much of it.

@ENKELI I barely read print atm but have several versions. I occasionally look things up on Bible Gateway and it's interesting to read more than one version. I have an app of metrical psalms and I sometimes look up Universalis readings for the day. I follow some church leaders and contemplative prayer practitioners and a local church although I haven't attended yet. I also get nourishment from secular writings and art like Mary Oliver's Devotions @ENKELI

@Appleblossom @tyme @Captain24

I'm not confident I could call myself a practising Christian @tyme but maybe by practising in small ways I'll get closer to it.

@Captain24 I'm not sure if I can return to my Catholic roots as I don't have certificates and the family members and old family friends who could vouch for me have passed away. But I want to acknowledge you here as it wasn't really in the Catholic tradition to read the bible for yourself, at least not the way I was taught.

I use Bible gateway a fair bit @Dimity . Sometimes, I have verses in my head, but I don't know the reference.