That's why we are stressing the point that you can only know this if you have a close relationship with God - then you will know.
I did, or thought I did, for a long time. It's possible, I suppose, that I really did, and I lost it somehow. But what I believe happened is that I saw reality. That it (in my case) was a lot of pretend and wishful thinking.
What works for you, of course, is different, and it's fine. I don't recall ever saying that everyone should follow me in the "way" I have found. (That's you guys' way of thinking! )
And I fully acknowledge that a relationship with God does work, for some. For others, though, it doesn't work. Witness this very thread and a number of others. Some Christians are struggling. They hear the testimonies, the sermons, the teachings. But they wonder why they don't have peace. Why things don't "work" for them. It brings nothing but frustration, fear, and, in many cases, despair and depression (I was dangerously close to suicide, when I finally found my "door"). The very opposite of the promise -- peace, joy, assurance.
If these struggling believers can work through these difficulties, and allow their relationship with God to bring them peach etc., that's great! But if some would like to find another path, whether it be another Christian sect or whatever it is, I would encourage them to look for it. God doesn't want them to live in fear and despair? Does He?
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Hebrews 13:23 Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty
Haven't read the entire thread, though I know there have been some good thoughts put forth. If I say something that someone else is already said, just look over me. But I can relate to what the original poster said. The question I have to ask is this: Do we serve God out of fear... or out of love? I can remember a time when I served him out of fear. I was so afraid of making God angry. I think this came from sitting under a ministry that painted God as some tough Master who was just waiting for an excuse to strike me down for some petty infraction and send my soul to a burning, tortourous hellfire to spend all of eternity forever separated from Him. In short, I was afraid of God.
That fear of God actually drove me from Him. During those fearful years, my Christian experience was so shaky. So, I turned from God and spent several years away from Him.
While away from the Lord, I spent a lot of time studying the Word. Actually, I think I spent more time studying the Word while I was out of church than I did while I was in church. And I came to see God in a different light. I came to see Him as a Father leaning on a fence, anxiously awaiting the return of his wayward son. I saw Him as a loving and compassionate Father who cares for His own, even those who stray from Him. And, I think I learned to love Him, and to serve Him out of love rather than fear.
This verse helped me to change my mindset: Hbr 11:6 But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. We seek to please God because we love Him, not because we fear (are afraid of) Him. We diligently seek Him, not because we are fraid of what might happen if we don't, but do so, because we really want to know Him.
What does it take to please God? I don't know...the Bible is full of things that please the Lord. Thats where faith comes in. I try to use faith to determine what it is that pleases God- and do my best to do that which pleases Him. Always successful? Hardly. But, I try and I think thats what pleases Him the most. I try, I fail, I cry out to Him, and He helps. That, IMO, pleases the Lord- when I come to the realization that I can't make it without Him. And He doesn't expect me to, nor does He want me to. I'll always need Him because He is always there and thats why I love Him.
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"Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him...." -Psa. 37:7
Waiting for the Lord is easy... Waiting patiently? Not so much.
Haven't read the entire thread, though I know there have been some good thoughts put forth. If I say something that someone else is already said, just look over me. But I can relate to what the original poster said. The question I have to ask is this: Do we serve God out of fear... or out of love? I can remember a time when I served him out of fear. I was so afraid of making God angry. I think this came from sitting under a ministry that painted God as some tough Master who was just waiting for an excuse to strike me down for some petty infraction and send my soul to a burning, tortourous hellfire to spend all of eternity forever separated from Him. In short, I was afraid of God.
That fear of God actually drove me from Him. During those fearful years, my Christian experience was so shaky. So, I turned from God and spent several years away from Him.
While away from the Lord, I spent a lot of time studying the Word. Actually, I think I spent more time studying the Word while I was out of church than I did while I was in church. And I came to see God in a different light. I came to see Him as a Father leaning on a fence, anxiously awaiting the return of his wayward son. I saw Him as a loving and compassionate Father who cares for His own, even those who stray from Him. And, I think I learned to love Him, and to serve Him out of love rather than fear.
This verse helped me to change my mindset: Hbr 11:6 But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. We seek to please God because we love Him, not because we fear (are afraid of) Him. We diligently seek Him, not because we are fraid of what might happen if we don't, but do so, because we really want to know Him.
What does it take to please God? I don't know...the Bible is full of things that please the Lord. Thats where faith comes in. I try to use faith to determine what it is that pleases God- and do my best to do that which pleases Him. Always successful? Hardly. But, I try and I think thats what pleases Him the most. I try, I fail, I cry out to Him, and He helps. That, IMO, pleases the Lord- when I come to the realization that I can't make it without Him. And He doesn't expect me to, nor does He want me to. I'll always need Him because He is always there and thats why I love Him.
Haven't read the entire thread, though I know there have been some good thoughts put forth. If I say something that someone else is already said, just look over me. But I can relate to what the original poster said. The question I have to ask is this: Do we serve God out of fear... or out of love? I can remember a time when I served him out of fear. I was so afraid of making God angry. I think this came from sitting under a ministry that painted God as some tough Master who was just waiting for an excuse to strike me down for some petty infraction and send my soul to a burning, tortourous hellfire to spend all of eternity forever separated from Him. In short, I was afraid of God.
That fear of God actually drove me from Him. During those fearful years, my Christian experience was so shaky. So, I turned from God and spent several years away from Him.
While away from the Lord, I spent a lot of time studying the Word. Actually, I think I spent more time studying the Word while I was out of church than I did while I was in church. And I came to see God in a different light. I came to see Him as a Father leaning on a fence, anxiously awaiting the return of his wayward son. I saw Him as a loving and compassionate Father who cares for His own, even those who stray from Him. And, I think I learned to love Him, and to serve Him out of love rather than fear.
This verse helped me to change my mindset: Hbr 11:6 But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. We seek to please God because we love Him, not because we fear (are afraid of) Him. We diligently seek Him, not because we are fraid of what might happen if we don't, but do so, because we really want to know Him.
What does it take to please God? I don't know...the Bible is full of things that please the Lord. Thats where faith comes in. I try to use faith to determine what it is that pleases God- and do my best to do that which pleases Him. Always successful? Hardly. But, I try and I think thats what pleases Him the most. I try, I fail, I cry out to Him, and He helps. That, IMO, pleases the Lord- when I come to the realization that I can't make it without Him. And He doesn't expect me to, nor does He want me to. I'll always need Him because He is always there and thats why I love Him.
Beautiful!!!!
__________________ For it is written, "As I live, says the Lord every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall give praise to God. (Romans 14:11- NASB)
The Mark of the Beast, the endtime and the Tribulation was taught a LOT when I was growing up. The fear that it provoked really drove a lot of my early decisions. I didn't go to college, and I married young because the Lord was coming back any day, and what was the point of college?
I was terrified of the tribulation. Absolutely terrified. The stories that were told were horrendous. Torture, starvation, the most awful things you could think of were predicted to happen to anyone who wouldn't deny God. Your kids were going to be slowly tortured in front of your eyes until you'd deny him. I used to pray 'God, the day before this whole thing sets into motion, please kill me and my entire family in a car wreck.' And I was serious about that.
It was such a relief to me to move to a church for a while that believed in pre-trib. I got a break from the Fear Factor for a while. Although, in that church, the fear was about God himself. He was a real meanie who would smack you for getting slightly out of line.
Fear comes when things get out of balance. When we place way too much emphasis on one thing, it can cause fear. I think that the closer we get to God, and the more balance we find, the less fear will have a hold on us.
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Hybrid Mode
