Faith:

[The Irish Ram]

God, give me this amount of faith.


African Missionary 1980 (prior to being nailed to a wall and executed)

I’m part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have Holy Spirit power.
The die has been cast.
I have stepped over the line.
The decision has been made.

I’m a disciple of His.
I won’t look back,
let up,
slow down,
back away,
or be still.

My past is redeemed,
my present makes sense,
my future is secure.

I’m finished with low living,
sight walking,
small planning,
smooth knees,
colourless dreams,
tamed visions,
mundane talking,
cheap living,
and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need pre-eminence,
prosperity,
position,
promotions,
plaudits, or popularity.

I don’t have to be right,
first,
tops,
recognized,
praised,
regarded, or rewarded.

I now live by faith,
lean on His presence,
walk by patience,
lift by prayer, and labour by power.

My face is set,
my gait is fast,
my goal is heaven,
my road is narrow,
my way rough,
my companions few,
my guide reliable, my mission clear.

I cannot be bought,
compromised,
detoured,
lured away,
turned back,
deluded or delayed.

I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice,
hesitate in the presence of the adversary,
negotiate at the table of the enemy,
ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

I won’t give up,
shut up,
or let up,
until I have stayed up,
stored up,
prayed up,
paid up, and preached up for the cause of Christ.

I am a disciple of Jesus.
I must go till He comes,
give till I drop,
preach till all know, and work till He stops me.

And when He comes for His own,
He will have no problems recognizing me—my banner will be clear!

^
That is Holy Spirit power flying in the face of death, and the peace that surpasses understanding. I'm surprised that man even knew the word, mediocre.

The Holy Spirit is the power of God, and is portioned out, for free, as a gift from our Father. It is the strength that compensates our areas of weakness.
Go get some.

 

[t_polkow]

God, give me this amount of faith.


African Missionary’s Notice: (prior to being nailed to a wall and executed)

I’m part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have Holy Spirit power.
The die has been cast.
I have stepped over the line.
The decision has been made.

I’m a disciple of His.
I won’t look back,
let up,
slow down,
back away,
or be still.

My past is redeemed,
my present makes sense,
my future is secure.

I’m finished with low living,
sight walking,
small planning,
smooth knees,
colourless dreams,
tamed visions,
mundane talking,
cheap living,
and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need pre-eminence,
prosperity,
position,
promotions,
plaudits, or popularity.

I don’t have to be right,
first,
tops,
recognized,
praised,
regarded, or rewarded.

I now live by faith,
lean on His presence,
walk by patience,
lift by prayer, and labour by power.

My face is set,
my gait is fast,
my goal is heaven,
my road is narrow,
my way rough,
my companions few,
my guide reliable, my mission clear.

I cannot be bought,
compromised,
detoured,
lured away,
turned back,
deluded or delayed.

I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice,
hesitate in the presence of the adversary,
negotiate at the table of the enemy,
ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

I won’t give up,
shut up,
or let up,
until I have stayed up,
stored up,
prayed up,
paid up, and preached up for the cause of Christ.

I am a disciple of Jesus.
I must go till He comes,
give till I drop,
preach till all know, and work till He stops me.

And when He comes for His own,
He will have no problems recognizing me—my banner will be clear!

^
That is Holy Spirit power flying in the face of death, and the peace that surpasses understanding. I'm surprised that man even knew the word, mediocre.

The Holy Spirit is the power of God, and is portioned out, for free, as a gift from our Father. It is the strength that compensates our areas of weakness.
Go get some.

"Faith may be defined briefly as an illogical belief in the occurrence of the improbable. A man full of faith is simply one who has lost (or never had) the capacity for clear and realistic thought. He is not a mere ass; he is actually ill."

Henry Louis Mencken

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

Here's the deal, Polkow: If he is right and Jesus Christ is the Son of God of whom he has faithfully preached the Gospel? He is right now enjoying his reward in heaven.

If you are right that G-d does not exist and those who believe He does are mentally ill. Then He hasn't lost a thing and neither have you.

If he is right and you are wrong however........... you have lost heaven because you insisted on denying G-d existed and believed you had it all figured out. To me, Polkow? Separation from G-d is the punishment. Not hell. Hell is just an incidental along the way. The real loss is the eternal separation from G-d which is something you do not understand and I hope you never have to find out. - Jeri

 

[Aristotle]

Rest in peace to this person.....May the Creator of all give this soul a smooth transition to the next world.


With that being said I have no problem only until religion is pushed unto.me.

 

[The Irish Ram]

A man full of faith is simply one who has lost (or never had) the capacity for clear and realistic thought.

Picnic in the shade of tomorrow's sunshine?
Go ahead and pet him, he won't bite.
That new pacemaker will keep your heart beating normally.
flu shots.

We all have faith in something.

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

 

[Mr Natural]

I'd need a whole lot more guarantees before I'd consider pissing off the locals to the point where they'd nail me to a wall.

 

[The Irish Ram]

So did Peter. Then he received the Holy Spirit, and was no longer weak in that area.

 

[tipofthespear]

Rest in peace to this person.....May the Creator of all give this soul a smooth transition to the next world.


With that being said I have no problem only until religion is pushed unto.me.

"religion" is most often "pushed" on people...........however, Christianity IS NEVER "pushed" onto people.........the joyous "gift of Grace, feely given by God, and the price paid for by the precious blood of Jesus Christ is there for any and all who wish to accept it. IT IS NEVER PUSHED, for that goes against all the teachings of Christ.

So rest assured, and worry not about Christianity being "pushed" upon you.

 

[tipofthespear]

Great post Ram............and worry not about the atheist wannabes and their vain attempts to discredit or belittle.........it's that "blind leading the blind" thing...........

 

[The Irish Ram]

Thanks tip. I just view atheists as brothers and sisters unaware. I want them all in Heaven.

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

What a beautiful thing to say, Ram. Good for you.

 

[Luddly Neddite]

Thanks tip. I just view atheists as brothers and sisters unaware. I want them all in Heaven.

If heaven is an eternity where we'll find such luminaries as Pat Robertson, Billy Graham, dozens of televangelists and politicians and preachers and born agains, each proudly showing off their two belly buttons AND gazillions of preachy nutjobs like those on this board ...

That sounds like the travel brochure for hell.

Besides, you'll all be gone on your rapture. Ain't no way atheists are invited or would go on that little field trip.

 

[The Irish Ram]

Heaven, or God's will:

No disease
No sorrow
No pain
No thorns
No toil
No death

No hatred
No racism
No murder
No theft
No anger
No harm
No evil
No locks

perfect vision
perfect multi-dimensional non aging body
A universe and beyond to inherit and spend a million years exploring.

Your family members, alive and very well off
children laughing
Your heart's desire for any good thing that you want
Your pets, alive, with their ear cocked, listening for your voice.

Unending Safety
Warmth
Peace
Joy
Love


Your coronation
Your crown
Your mansion
Your gifts
Your treasure
Your jewels
Your streets paved in gold
Your chair at your Father's table
Your royal position upon your return to earth with your brother, and co-heir Jesus.
Being enveloped in a love like no other love you have ever felt, that never grows cold.

That is what we pray for when we pray, "Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven".

So don't shun Heaven to hard Lud, man may let you down, but Jesus never will.

And,
we are all invited to the rapture, your ticket is already stamped, download it today, and consent to being picked up.

 

[Avatar4321]

"Faith may be defined briefly as an illogical belief in the occurrence of the improbable. A man full of faith is simply one who has lost (or never had) the capacity for clear and realistic thought. He is not a mere ass; he is actually ill."

Henry Louis Mencken

Wow. Someone said something stupid. Must be true then.

 

[tipofthespear]

Thanks tip. I just view atheists as brothers and sisters unaware. I want them all in Heaven.

Actually though, Jesus told us who our brothers and sisters are...........so I go with what He said........but I'm glad you present such kindness to those who are all to happy to ridicule you............sadly, they don't even know that they are adding to your Heavenly reward.

God bless you and yours......

 

[pinqy]

God, give me this amount of faith.


African Missionary 1980 (prior to being nailed to a wall and executed)

^
That is Holy Spirit power flying in the face of death, and the peace that surpasses understanding. I'm surprised that man even knew the word, mediocre.

The Holy Spirit is the power of God, and is portioned out, for free, as a gift from our Father. It is the strength that compensates our areas of weakness.
Go get some.

And how do you explain non-Christians who have been killed for their faiths? Is that still the Holy Spirit?

 

[The Irish Ram]

A lot of people have been killed because of their beliefs. Christians are the most persecuted people on earth, but few go out with the flair that this guy had.

 

[Derideo_Te]

God, give me this amount of faith.


African Missionary 1980 (prior to being nailed to a wall and executed)

I’m part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have Holy Spirit power.
The die has been cast.
I have stepped over the line.
The decision has been made.

I’m a disciple of His.
I won’t look back,
let up,
slow down,
back away,
or be still.

My past is redeemed,
my present makes sense,
my future is secure.

I’m finished with low living,
sight walking,
small planning,
smooth knees,
colourless dreams,
tamed visions,
mundane talking,
cheap living,
and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need pre-eminence,
prosperity,
position,
promotions,
plaudits, or popularity.

I don’t have to be right,
first,
tops,
recognized,
praised,
regarded, or rewarded.

I now live by faith,
lean on His presence,
walk by patience,
lift by prayer, and labour by power.

My face is set,
my gait is fast,
my goal is heaven,
my road is narrow,
my way rough,
my companions few,
my guide reliable, my mission clear.

I cannot be bought,
compromised,
detoured,
lured away,
turned back,
deluded or delayed.

I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice,
hesitate in the presence of the adversary,
negotiate at the table of the enemy,
ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

I won’t give up,
shut up,
or let up,
until I have stayed up,
stored up,
prayed up,
paid up, and preached up for the cause of Christ.

I am a disciple of Jesus.
I must go till He comes,
give till I drop,
preach till all know, and work till He stops me.

And when He comes for His own,
He will have no problems recognizing me—my banner will be clear!

^
That is Holy Spirit power flying in the face of death, and the peace that surpasses understanding. I'm surprised that man even knew the word, mediocre.

The Holy Spirit is the power of God, and is portioned out, for free, as a gift from our Father. It is the strength that compensates our areas of weakness.
Go get some.

With all due respect what is the provenance of this prayer? The message itself does not need the embellishment of the "African Missionary 1980 (prior to being nailed to a wall and executed)" so one wonders why it is there. The spelling is not American English either. It would be interesting to find the actual circumstance of this story. If true it might be even more compelling than the prayer itself.

 

[Kooshdakhaa]

Here's the thing...it sure seems that a lot of people who call themselves Christians are not very nice people. They're judgmental. They are unforgiving. They are hypocritical.

I am a person who struggles with my faith and these Christians make it all the harder. They do not reflect the glory of God, that is for damn sure.

And I don't think God would be too happy with that. Just my opinion, not trying to speak for God...like so many Christians like to do.

Don't get me wrong, if I had to label myself, I would call myself a Christian. Actually, I'm a Catholic christian, so I'm accustomed to a lot of other "Christians" bashing my church. A church whose teachings can all be summed up in one question..."What would Jesus do?" That is the bottom line of the Catholic church. What would Jesus do?

I kind of go along with what Ghandi allegedly said..."I like your Christ but I don't like your Christians. They are so unlike your Christ." I think that pretty much sums it up for about 95% of Christians.

I guess that's what the scripture means...small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

What that means is most Christians are going to Hell.

 

[editec]

Faith is hope personified.

Even if you can see that someone's faith is silly, stripping them of the faith that is sustaining them isn't an act of kindness.

Evangelical atheists are no better than evangelical believers.