From Winterdarkness into light of Spring

Sometimes we can have the impression we are Living in the Wilderness of the chaotic jungle of the industrial world.

Skulls remaining on the field and trees destroyed at the Battle of the Wilderness, 1864. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The darkness of the Winter-months has been with us for a long time. Week after week we got grey skies, winds which brought the the kill feeling deep in us. Every year in the month of February the undertakers have the busiest period of year. This year it was not so bad. The funeral directors could look so deadly serious having less people than normal, because the weather was not so bad. Notwithstanding we can see many gloomy faces running around.


People have demanding jobs, and are taken by the need to get enough money in the till to have the family living reasonably well. It all seems to be great? We seem to be living in a world full of luxury.  Like we may have a shadow of democracy, a varnish civilization many may be king in their home only in name. The banks own most of what people have. Under the show of pretence many do think to have 'many friends'. Social media may be booming but more and more do we find lonely people. Lots of what people pretend is only on the surface.

Glamour, cosmetics, we can find it everywhere around us in this varnished world where so much is not what it seems to be. In that world many do not mind to be the blind one. When they do not know they do not have to worry. Why would they take notice of others or to be worried about things far away from their own house, when they have already enough on their own mind.

So many people are so concentrated earning their money working on whet they call success, they forget to see where the real treasures lie. They are not feeling happy. They do not know where to look for the real happiness. They go looking at the wrong places. So many try their luck by games and by trying out one person after the other. They think all can be said and measured by the amount and quality of sex they can have.

They are not so much interested in talking or in having real deep going conversations. Reading serious or long articles for them is mostly considered a waste of time. today so much have to be so short and so quick. Everything may be casual. This is the world of cursoriness. Hastiness rules this world.

In our transitory being many forget the deeper values of life. they are blinded by all the materialism and are not interested in the spiritual.

Now Spring has come we should Not hold back and should be getting out of darkness.
Many may have been looking for ways to keep the Darkness Out.
Many are also Afraid of the Dark.

We should not Be Afraid From “Life’s Darkness”.Those wanting to get out of the dark corners of this world, can find a new place on the web, where people are asked to come together and to share their ideas, to bring a positive note in this life. there they understand that there is to much Darkness’s Pain.
Some might think they are in a sinking world…. but I am convinced it should not all be so bad, and we can do a lot to keep all together our heads above water. I am convinced that if more people should join hands they could do so much better and rally could bring some change. But they have to be willing to join hands, to contribute, and to go forwards, with heads up, accepting the diversity in this world.

Sink or Swim (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It is up to us all to chose if we want to Swim or Sink. Each individual has to make a choice: ~ Sink or Swim ~.

What is important is if we want to See the conquest and believe that we can gain the victory.

When you think you have nothing to say or to show the new website wants to show you differently. You may already be connected to many Social networking Web sites, but that new site From Guestwriters does not want to pretend to become an other social network. We do believe you may love to spend time on such social networks. You may love to have short words and do some chit-chat, Putting your feelings into words and sharing them.

Where-ever you may live, be it in Winter or Summer, living in a small village or in a big town or even Living in the Wilderness, you might like to find a place of rest, peacefulness or a place where you can meditate or think about nice things. there is already so much bad news in this world, so why not having a look at better things. But not many sites present those nice things, the little miracles which happen here and there.

As itseirene wrote in a comment:

“Blogs will always come in different shapes and sizes, and with each shape and size is a platform to inspire and touch lives. I hope I have inspired you and I hope you inspire others. Let’s continue to do this together!”

With Spring in sight I also want to bring some positive corner out of the dark. Pleas do find Welcome to “From guestwriters” and have a look if you would not like to become  part of those people who bring positive news in this world.

We need more positive thoughts in this world, to bring more light and colour in this grim places.
Do you not feel like you can help us to achieve some goal of bringing happiness and showing more beauty to many more people?

Please find to read about our aims and aspirations:

1. Welcome to “From guestwriters”
2. Guestwriters for you
3. About Guest-writers
4. We all have to have dreams
5. Spring in sight
6. When you think you have nothing to say or to show
7. Putting your feelings into words and sharing them
8. Helping words
9. Spark of Positivism

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To be chained by love for another one

“My freedom as a Christian requires always to be chained by love
 which I hear to have for another one.”
- Avery D. Miller

“In the long run the strength of love is more strongly demanding
than the strength of her to obtain right by the Lord.”
 - Lewis B. Smedes

“Christ requires that the floating strength in your life must be love.
All other things, although they are important, come on the second place.
Love is the sign of truth discipleship.
 - Solly Ozrovech

“Too frequently we underestimate the strength of a contact, a smile,
a pleasant word, a listening ear, an honest compliment or a small loving gesture.
Everything has the potential to change a life.”
 - Leo Buscaglia

“Hatred produces brawl or is a cause of violent acts,
love covers up all errors or all kinds of transgressions.”
Proverbs 10:12

“Above all are persons possessing compassionate affection that reaches out,
because “compassionate affection covers a multitude of sins.””
1 Petrus 4:8

“He who covers a transgression seeks love,
but he who repeats a matter separates friends.”
Proverbs 17:9

I want God that my soul continues be cleaned obeying truth.
Give that I shall know how to accept both friends and enemies of me
and to give love with sincere brethren love, with sincere brotherly affection.

Dutch version / Nederlandse versie > Geketend zijn door de liefde voor een ander
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2013 update

English: A young girl kisses a baby on the cheek. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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• Building a House
• Lewis B. Smedes
• The 5 Gossips You Will Meet
• "I am so sorry I cannot be a banana!"
• The COMING Kingdom of GOD
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How do you become a "Virtual" Bible School attendee?

How do you become a "Virtual" Bible School attendee?  It's easy.  Here are three steps:
 
1. Obtain a set of Bible School CDs or audio tapes.  If  you or your ecclesia don't have an audio library, know that the WCF has a large selection of recordings that will allow you to listen in on some wonderful past Bible School classes.  Here is a link to the section in the WCF Resource Center where you will be able to order from literally hundreds of subjects, speakers, and even hymns and songs.  http://www.facebook.com/l/;https://wcfoundation.org/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=7  
 
2.  Set aside a specific time each day to listen to the classes.  If you commute to work, listen to your classes on the way to and from the office each day.  If you are at home, consider playing the classes at the same time your brothers and sisters might be sitting in on "live" classes at Bible School.  
 
3.  If at all possible, make a point to get together with another Brother or Sister during the week.  Meet for coffee.  Invite them over for dinner.  Plan your own "ice cream social".  Find ways to encourage each other as we see the day approaching.  If you're like me, one of my favorite parts of Bible School is the fellowship shared with friends.   
 
Have a great week.

We should use the Bible every day

SOMETHING TO CHEW ON

Abraham Lincoln once said “Read the Bible for what, on reason, you can accept and take the rest on faith, and you will live and die a better man.” We know that not only will we die a better person for having read the Bible but if we are wise enough to obey its commands after reading them we shall also rise to live forever. Jesus said, “The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”

   

As we have now progressed well into 2009, how are our daily readings going? It is a great pity that so few read the Bible every day. How can we think godly if we don’t read God’s thoughts? In the natural we sometimes feel we get to know a certain author by being thoroughly familiar with his writings. 

Certainly those who have made a study of Shakespeare feel they are acquainted with him and his thought processes; so it is with any other writer who has left his works behind. It may be nice to know a human author this way but it in no way compares with getting to know God through His Word. In fact, it is completely impossible to obey the first command to love the Lord with all our heart, soul and mind if we do not constantly read His Book, pray and meditate upon His goodness and mercy to us.

  Remember John’s point about hating or loving our brethren? The last part of his question is, “How can he love God whom he has not seen?” How can we? It is impossible to love the unknown. We cannot love someone we have never seen, never heard from, never heard of. Only by becoming familiar with a person can we love them. In the natural this usually comes as a result of personal contact but it has occurred by correspondence. Many lovers first met by mail and the love grew even before they saw one another. Since we have never seen God it is only possible to love Him as a result of our familiarity with His Word and His spirit which he dwells in us with. It goes without saying that if we are not faithful in our daily readings in His Book, we will not love Him. How can we expect Him to save us if we break His first and most important command? Paul asks the question “How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?” His answer is, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.”

  It is this word of God that must fill our minds and hearts if we are to love Him, obey Him and receive from Him the crown of righteousness. To ignore the Bible readings is to ignore God. It won’t make much use what else we do if we don’t do them. That’s the trouble with the world today. Every man is doing that which is right in his own eyes. The world expresses it as “doing your own thing.” “Our own thing” will be of no value in the day of judgement.

 If we do not read our Bible regularly in January, we must not let February and the rest of the year take the same course. Making and breaking New Year’s resolutions is the butt of many jokes but not reading God’s Word is no joke whether it was a New Year’s resolution or not. If we cannot find time to read God’s book every day, just how much do we really love Him? Our actions are speaking louder than words.

  The Bible reading charts are not the only way to read the Bible but they are a very good way. Whatever way we use to read the Bible, we should use it and do it every day. It is good to do it as a family if possible. May the words Paul addressed to Timothy apply to us as well. “Continue in the things which you have learned and have been assured of, knowing of whom you have learned them; And that from a child you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”

* * * * * * *

The reason why the majority of people are forgetful hearers of the Word of God, is because they are not constant readers of it.

Don’t count your troubles. Rather, count the challenges that are already stacking up higher than a pyramid before you. Whether you want to make a million this 2009 or not, it is entirely up to you. It is in your hands completely. And by a million, I don’t necessarily mean dollars. I mean all the other things besides. Like friends, kindly acts, gestures of goodwill to those who need them most.

  

 Set your sights high. Make a goal, and thereupon work at it with frenzied non-stop effort. Aim at becoming a “Goal-achievement millionaire.” That means in twelve months hence you will have reached your goals, solved your problems, secured inner peace of mind, mental refreshment.

 You will have made more friends than ever before, and in turn, you will find you are on the friendship list of a greater-than-ever range of people, too. This is a wonderful start.

  You may have made a few more dollars as well. But suddenly you find this is not so important. Your new concept of living, working out simple solutions to your vexing problems, finding that negative thoughts have no place in your mental environment, solving problems on a day-by-day basis with a strong, forthright, positive approach - these have suddenly converted you into a mental millionaire.

  Intimately associated with all this, come important facets in your spiritual life. This is a basic key to help solve all problems.

  Did you used to read the Scriptures on a regular daily basis? Maybe up to until a year or two ago. What happened in the interim? Bowed down by the cares of the world? Couldn’t be bothered? Too tired?

 Taking Christ into your life as a working partner is a top way to achieve your goal. He will help keep your computer mind working steadily and accurately. He will keep it oiled with the balm of enthusiasm, a sweet nature, a sober spirit and Christ-like temperament.

  There will be no more need to go mad at your offensive contemporaries. The well-adjusted computer is programmed to cope with such difficulties as they rear their ugly heads. But it is essential you walk hand-in-hand with the Master-mind at all times. With His aid, success is never more assured, never more gratifying and overwhelming in volume.

  Think positive right through 2009 and, without doubt, with Christ in your life your goals will spin into reality with frightening rapidity.

* * * * * * *

- John Aldersley

> Bible Reading Plan

God won't ask

God won’t ask what kind of car you drove, but he’ll ask how many people you drove who didn’t have transportation.

God won’t ask the square footage of your house, but he’ll ask how many people you welcomed into your home.

God won’t ask how many times you read the Bible to yourself, but he’ll ask how many people you read the Bible with.

God won’t ask what your highest salary was, but he’ll ask if you compromised your character to obtain it.

God won’t ask how many friends you had, but he’ll ask how many people to whom you were a friend.

God won’t ask how much you got out of your church meetings, but he’ll ask how much you gave to others at your church meetings.

God won’t ask about the clothes you had in your closet, but he’ll ask how many you helped to clothe.

God won’t ask in what neighborhood you lived, but he’ll ask how you treated your neighbors.

Matt.5:28 - “Then the king will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”

Whatever you do for the least of these…

Dutch version / Nederlands > God zal niet vragen ...