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Messages - DavidMac

#1
Christian Talk / Re: Some Advice from Lou Holtz
November 17, 2024, 07:16:23 PM
 <3  E|
#2
Prayer Requests / Re: Prayer request
November 17, 2024, 07:15:42 PM
 <3
#3
What's Playing... / Re: EchoVerse - I Walk Away
November 03, 2024, 08:47:58 AM
Being a prog-rock and prog-metal head, this ECHOVERSE cd is fantastic lyrically and musically.  As soon as I heard the first guitar note, I knew it was Rob Perez from Visual Cliff fame.  This has been in constant rotation. E|  E|  E| 
#4
DEAD Giveaway / Re: DEAD Giveaway For October 2024!
October 08, 2024, 03:56:55 AM
Fantastic   E|  E|
#5
CatieladyB -- E|  E| 
#6
Upcoming Releases / Re: Stryper "When We Were Kings"
October 05, 2024, 10:37:27 AM
Yes, the brand new Stryper is fantastic.  I love the crunchy guitars, Michael is able to his some of the high notes without becoming screechy. The rhythm section is as solid as ever.  The songs are catchy and the choruses get stuck in my head.  Rarely does a cd remain in my car for more than a week and this one is going on week three.
#7
I have spent the past few days gardening and pulling weeds.  As I was pulling weeds, I started to think about sin.  I usually don't do a lot of thinking when I garden, but today was different.  As I was pulling weeds, some of them broke off at the soil level and I did not get the root.  Without getting the root, the weed will show back up.  Very much like sin.  I believe that the outward appearance of sin is really only an outward expression of a deeper issue.  One needs to really dig in to get at the root of sin.  It takes a great deal of effort to get to the root.  I will only speak for myself, and my biggest sin is PRIDE.  It shows up in all different ways and even ways I would not necessarily think of.  For example, I wrestle with low self esteem, particularly now with being separated from my wife and some of my children not wanting to have a relationship with me.  It dawned on me one day that my low self-esteem is a pride issue.  I think I am a better judge of my self-worth than my Creator.  In my mind that is a pride issue.  I do a lot of reading on humility in order to battle pride.  The more I read the less I know and that is a good thing.  I do like to use this forum as a way to hold myself accountable and if anyone gets anything from my thoughts, great.  I am always open to others' thoughts as well.   Take care everyone. 
#8
Christian Talk / God: Title or Name
September 30, 2024, 03:05:15 AM
Here I go again folks.  I have been doing a lot of reading of scripture, books and watching Youtube videos on this topic.  I struggle with using the term "God" when speaking about our Almighty Creator, especially when we are supposed to have a personal relationship with him and he desires to have the same with us.  How can one have a personal relationship with a title, when we know his name.  When speaking with other people about "God," I really don't know who they are talking about, because "God" means many different things to each one of us.  I know that I have many gods in my life and I am trying to eliminate them as I only have one Creator.  By using his name, and my choice is YAHUAH, there are specific characteristics associated with that name and I can have a personal relationship with him.  I will also refer to him has Creator, Father, Father-In-Heaven, Abba, etc....

The word "God" is so easily slandered and used in vain to the point that it no longer is reverenced or respected.    I just don't think that people really pay attention to what comes out of their mouths. Just flip over the dollar bill and you will see the slogan "In God we trust" along with many pagan symbols.  Maybe this is a stretch, but Gad is not too far off from "God." Gad in Hebrew means luck/fortunate/fortune. 

Maybe being a therapist, I pay a great deal of attention to what people say.  I think it is important to have a personal relationship with our Creator and not a title.  I guess what I am saying is to assist with deepening that relationship, as we are all helpless little children and are totally dependent.


Have a great day!!
#9
Scripture / Re: 2 Thessalonians 2:11 and 1 Kings 18:21
September 24, 2024, 02:35:27 PM
Tom, that west coast guy is a great dude.  All I can say is all praise to our Creator as he knows what he is doing.  Certainly I don't.  Just trying to be a humble servant.
#10
Scripture / Re: 2 Thessalonians 2:11 and 1 Kings 18:21
September 24, 2024, 02:32:21 PM
RickyZ   E|
#11
Scripture / 2 Thessalonians 2:11 and 1 Kings 18:21
September 21, 2024, 11:41:32 AM
It was fascinating last week in relation to the 2 Thessalonians scripture.  I was speaking with one of my friends back in MD and I was sharing with him my struggles with the two different churches I have been attending.  One church is the LIVING CHURCH OF GOD (LCOG) and I know that some consider them a cult (they observe the Saturday Sabbath and observe the Festivals and Feast Days as outlined in Leviticus, they don't observe Christmas, Easter, New Year's Eve, etc... and any holiday that has pagan connections).  I have no problem with any of these practices/observances, because they line up with several of my beliefs.  They I also attend a Sunday Sabbath observing church, even though the pastor observes the Sabbath on Friday evening to Saturday evening.  I will have to talk to him about that.  Back to the scripture.  Last Saturday I was speaking with another friend of mine who lives on the west coast and he brought up the same exact scripture with me.  My jaw hit the floor and I started to chuckle to myself.  Then on Sunday morning, my friend in MD sent me a text indicating that YAH put a scripture in his heart to share with me.  It was 1 Kings 18:21  And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinion?  if the Lordbe God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him.  And the people answered him not a word."  WOW! That is all I could say.  I have been comparing and contrasting the two churches I have been going to.  The LCOG that I have been attending is a hard core Bible preaching church.  I typically leave the service with at least 15-20 scriptures that I need to study out.  The non-denominational church I have been attending - I may leave with 2 or 3 verses to study along with some anecdotal stories from the preacher's life. 

Having left the Mormon church after 40 years of being raised in it, the LCOG is appealing because it is somewhat similar in how it is run, but being comfortable also equals complacency and that is not a spot I want to be in. The nondenominational church I have been attending is feeding me milk and I want the meat.  The LCOG has a lot of meat for me to digest. There are some things that I don't fully agree with and some of it is probably my Mormon baggage that I am still trying to unload. 

I know that churches are man-made institutions and that the truth lies in his instruction manual, which I really try to read and study as it is written and not try to make his instructions say something they don't.

I am not looking for answers, as they only come from our Creator, but he does use our fellow human beings at times.  I am certainly open to other's thoughts opinions or experiences.  I have been known to go down rabbit holes.

Thanks for letting me share what is going on in my head.  I love this forum as sometimes there is too much going on in my head and this helps me clear out some space.


David
#12
I am really digging this entire disc (HARPAZO).  You can go to ANGELIC WARLORD to read a review of this disc.  Being a prog rock and prog metal fan this is right up my alley.  To top it off, it is a concept album.  It has multiple singers (DC COOPER, REY PARRA, CHRISTIAN LILJEGREN, LES CARLSEN, MICHAEL DRIVE, etc...).  If anyone is a fan of AYREON (secular artist) this will certainly appeal to you.  Musicianship is top notch.  I have been listening to this in my house nonstop since I got is last week. 

STRYPER - When We Were Kings has been stuck in my cd player in my car for the past week.  I love it.  It has the right balance of "crunch" and melody.  I have yet to find a song on their latest release that even comes close to me pressing the skip button.  If you like what they have been doing over their past several releases, you will love this one.
#13
Concerts / Re: Stryper 40th Anniversary Tour
September 21, 2024, 10:30:44 AM
I am seriously considering going to MD in November to visit my parents the weekend that Stryper is playing in Baltimore.  So I will get to see my parents and Stryper.  The bonus is I will also take some time off of work!
#14
Happy Anniversary!  I know that I appreciate all the hard work you have put in to keep things up and running all these years.
#15
Scripture / Re: Scripture Challenge...
July 09, 2024, 03:54:08 AM
Tom,

I will attempt to take this challenge.  I will pause all my other reading (LOL).  I am looking forward to doing this.

David