Where is God?
Recovered from Hopeless State
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: New Jersey, USA
Posts: 2,156
Originally Posted by Gottalife 
I am aware that the idea that God resides within a human, is one apsect of our program that really annoys some Christians.
Maybe some, but not all. My next door neighbor, and his family, are very devout Christians. He got it from his wife. His mother was a meth head and he had his own battles with alcohol for a while. In my original post here, I mentioned I couldn't find God in church. It was with he and his family, in his church, and at prayer meetings in his home, that I tried.
Anyway, he came over a couple nights ago and we chatted for a while. I wanted him to know where I am and thank him for helping me get there. He agreed with me completely; God is in all of us; seek and ye shall find.
He asked me if I've read the bible. I told him I tried a few years ago (before I became a "hopeless" drunk) starting with the Old Testament. I also told him I couldn't get past the chapter that reads: A begat B begat C begat... He told me to jump ahead and read the New Testament instead. He pointed to a few sections to read first, starting with the Book of John.
I have a bible or two around the house somewhere but after he left, I downloaded a pdf of the King James. I've started to read it but must confess, I'm still having a tough time with the language. I find the Big Book a lot easier to understand, lol. None the less, I'm persevering and will pick it up at my own pace. I think my God wants me too. I may even go to church with him again at some point :-) We agreed that the main value is in the fellowship.
Recovered from Hopeless State
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: New Jersey, USA
Posts: 2,156
I was just scanning TV channels; as Jerry Seinfeld said in that context: men hunt, women nest, lol (no offense ladies) and happened upon "The Blue Max" with George Peppard, et al. Yeah, takes place during a war (WWI, ugly stuff) but I love airplanes. There's something especially cool to me about biplanes; beautiful machines IMHO.
Recovered from Hopeless State
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: New Jersey, USA
Posts: 2,156
Sorry about rambling (woke up early this A.M.; bored) but somebody here at SR has a nice picture of a Steen Skybolt as their avatar. I saw it the other day but forget who it was. I use to fly R/C a while back and built one exactly like the picture. If you see this post, or if someone else knows who it is, please chime in; I'd love to get the .jpeg (or whatever). Gratzi.
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Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Central NY
Posts: 1,139
dSober,
In reference to your bible reading, I can only assume you down-loaded the King James Version (KJV). There are many others with more contemporary english. Although i am comfortable with the KJV (it's as close as I can get to the original) I own at least 8 different translations. "Today's English Version" or the "Berkeley Version" may be easier to digest. I like to compare words and phrases between them. Seems to have helped me understand some of the deeper passages.
Another good help is a "booklet" composed of letters written by Brother Lawrence called "Practice the Presence of God". It's an interesting concept that I often refer to.
Be Well,
Larry
In reference to your bible reading, I can only assume you down-loaded the King James Version (KJV). There are many others with more contemporary english. Although i am comfortable with the KJV (it's as close as I can get to the original) I own at least 8 different translations. "Today's English Version" or the "Berkeley Version" may be easier to digest. I like to compare words and phrases between them. Seems to have helped me understand some of the deeper passages.
Another good help is a "booklet" composed of letters written by Brother Lawrence called "Practice the Presence of God". It's an interesting concept that I often refer to.
Be Well,
Larry
Recovered from Hopeless State
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Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: New Jersey, USA
Posts: 2,156
Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
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Posts: 10,208
Originally Posted by SoulSister
"Actually we were fooling ourselves, for deep down in every man, woman, and child, is the fundamental idea of God."
We Agnostics
We Agnostics
as they look around at what God has made
they will have no excuse
MM
Recovered from Hopeless State
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Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: New Jersey, USA
Posts: 2,156
Originally Posted by Mountainmanbob
as they look around at what God has made they will have no excuse
Recovered from Hopeless State
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: New Jersey, USA
Posts: 2,156
Originally Posted by Kris47
My morning prayer:
God empty ME of ME,
So I can be filled with YOU.
Isn't life wonderful once you find Him?
God empty ME of ME,
So I can be filled with YOU.
Isn't life wonderful once you find Him?
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Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Northern Michigan
Posts: 28,801
When I first came into the rooms, I thought what a bunch of Drunks. Now, I think what humor, what love, what determination, what strength, what hope.............. and I have found God in all of us.
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Join Date: Apr 2014
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Originally Posted by Kris47
When I first came into the rooms, I thought what a bunch of Drunks. Now, I think what humor, what love, what determination, what strength, what hope.............. and I have found God in all of us.
It took me sometime to accept that there was a power greater then myself- and it wasn't a man in the sky, but I realized it through all the people in the program. I felt God when I was sitting in meetings, realizing a bunch of addicts came together to share experience, strength and hope. And more than likely if we were all out using we would all be trying to steal and scam each other- but something brought us together in a single room to help ourselves and others. And THAT is a power greater then all of us.
Recovered from Hopeless State
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Posts: 2,156
So... I got a call a couple days ago from a guy from the church I attended last week to welcome me and pitch an upcoming group baptism they do periodically for the newly saved/recovered. We didn't speak (I missed the call) but sent him a text later thanking him for the call, telling him I'll probably see him Sunday and telling him I'd think about the baptism.
My wife is Catholic, by family tradition, so she/we had our kids baptized/christened (like any good catholic mother would). I always looked at it mostly as something for infants. I have been thinking about it though and I guess I always understood it as a ceremony to "wash away your sins". In the case of infants I guess it's to get them off to a "clean" start apart from their ancestors' sins. I just wikipedia'ed it and found this:
To put it most simply, the power, effect, benefit, fruit, and purpose of Baptism is to save. No one is baptized in order to become a prince, but as the words say, to "be saved". To be saved, we know, is nothing else than to be delivered from sin, death, and the devil and to enter into the kingdom of Christ and live with him forever.
—Luther's Large Catechism, 1529
Seems to me to say pretty much the same thing.
Well, I've certainly committed more than my fair share of sins, especially during the last few years of obscene drunkenness, so I guess I could use a good bath.
My wife is Catholic, by family tradition, so she/we had our kids baptized/christened (like any good catholic mother would). I always looked at it mostly as something for infants. I have been thinking about it though and I guess I always understood it as a ceremony to "wash away your sins". In the case of infants I guess it's to get them off to a "clean" start apart from their ancestors' sins. I just wikipedia'ed it and found this:
To put it most simply, the power, effect, benefit, fruit, and purpose of Baptism is to save. No one is baptized in order to become a prince, but as the words say, to "be saved". To be saved, we know, is nothing else than to be delivered from sin, death, and the devil and to enter into the kingdom of Christ and live with him forever.
—Luther's Large Catechism, 1529
Seems to me to say pretty much the same thing.
Well, I've certainly committed more than my fair share of sins, especially during the last few years of obscene drunkenness, so I guess I could use a good bath.
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