I respect your thoughts. I found for myself that opinions I may have about God will likely be limited due to my lack of knowing all the details that God would definitely know, so I am open for clarification when questions arise. I know that if God is real, and certainly believe it is (just speaking rhetorically), then His wisdom is so vast that my understanding of Him is simply less than scratching the surface. So I exert faith. I trust Him. When it looks like He did something odd, I trust He has just cause involving reasons I may not comprehend. God is too big for me to think otherwise.
And I really do find serving Him awesomely easy and simple. I have battles of course, but it gets better all the time, despite battles. And I am seeing more and more wonders and miracles all the time.
To be fair, I don't believe that I know everything, or understand everything about God. I believe He exists, and I do believe that it's impossible for a mere human being to ever truly understand Him. However, thus far in my journey, I find the idea of a genocidal God irreconcilable with a God of love.
(I also find it ironic that most Christians condemn the Oral Roberts types for saying that 9/11 or Hurricaine Katrina was God punishing us for some type of sin or other. But these same Christians have no problem believing that God acted that way in the past!)
And I do, in my own way, have faith in God. Of course, my faith lies more in the direction in believing that it's OK for me to make mistakes. That it's OK to be wrong, and not to know everything. That every single decision and action that I do in the course of living my life does not have dire eternal consequences for myself and everyone around me.
I'm sorry, I just couldn't live under that kind of pressure!
I also have faith that everything DOESN'T happen for a reason. I don't think God allows people to get sick, and children to die, and other horrible things to teach them, or humble them. I don't think it's all part of his master plan.
And lastly I have faith that God understands my doubts, my questions, my skepticism, and that he not only forgives me of it, but actually loves me because of it. And maybe it's not the optimal that I keep Him at arm's length, but I think he understands, even better than I do, why I do so.
To be fair, I don't believe that I know everything, or understand everything about God. I believe He exists, and I do believe that it's impossible for a mere human being to ever truly understand Him. However, thus far in my journey, I find the idea of a genocidal God irreconcilable with a God of love.
(I also find it ironic that most Christians condemn the Oral Roberts types for saying that 9/11 or Hurricaine Katrina was God punishing us for some type of sin or other. But these same Christians have no problem believing that God acted that way in the past!)
And I do, in my own way, have faith in God. Of course, my faith lies more in the direction in believing that it's OK for me to make mistakes. That it's OK to be wrong, and not to know everything. That every single decision and action that I do in the course of living my life does not have dire eternal consequences for myself and everyone around me.
I'm sorry, I just couldn't live under that kind of pressure!
I also have faith that everything DOESN'T happen for a reason. I don't think God allows people to get sick, and children to die, and other horrible things to teach them, or humble them. I don't think it's all part of his master plan.
And lastly I have faith that God understands my doubts, my questions, my skepticism, and that he not only forgives me of it, but actually loves me because of it. And maybe it's not the optimal that I keep Him at arm's length, but I think he understands, even better than I do, why I do so.
All fine and dandy, whether I agree or not.
However, keep in mind that there is a devil, and his work primarily is done in our minds and thoughts. And if God is real, rhetorically speaking, it does not matter who we think He is or is not, He is what He is. "I Am that I Am." And that means he is right and we cannot hope to begin to challenge that any more than an ant could justly and sensibly challenge a human being. So, the good thing you believe there is a God. At this point, it matters not whose version is correct. The point I think is that you exert faith towards Him and in all sincerity, with no search for loopholes, ask and believe for Him to confirm the path for you rather than concoct your own path.
Personally, and this is only my opinion, I think you focused on the negatives too much, and robbed yourself of the positives about the Biblical God. But I would offer you to try the route of actually believing and praying in faith for God to direct you, and in His name ask forgiveness for anything wrong in your life whether it has as dire consequences as some might have stated or not, and then command any works of the devil towards you to cease while God goes to work.
__________________ ...MY THOUGHTS, ANYWAY.
"Many Christians do not try to understand what was written in a verse in the Bible. Instead they approach the passage to prove what they already believe."
those who seek after righteousness they shall be filled and you have not because you ask not.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Timmy
Wrong.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Timmy
I should elaborate.
If I have not (the answer you think I should have) it is NOT because I have not asked. There must be another reason.
(I might add that it is also not because of not seeking after righteousness.)
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheLegalist
sigh.... context
Isn't context awesome? So useful! It can make things mean whatever you want them to mean (in case it literally says something bad or untrue or silly)! It works for scriptures and also for posts! E.g., there must be some context that makes your post not say that I am not seeking after righteousness. You don't even have to spell it out for me. Just say "Sigh.... context" and we're all just supposed to nod and understand.
__________________
Hebrews 13:23 Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty
(I might add that it is also not because of not seeking after righteousness.)
Isn't context awesome? So useful! It can make things mean whatever you want them to mean (in case it literally says something bad or untrue or silly)! It works for scriptures and also for posts! E.g., there must be some context that makes your post not say that I am not seeking after righteousness. You don't even have to spell it out for me. Just say "Sigh.... context" and we're all just supposed to nod and understand.
Context isn't as subjective as you make it here. In fact, it helps avoid subjective and "private" interpretations.
ha! That's a first! It's usually the other way around!
Quote:
Originally Posted by mfblume
All fine and dandy, whether I agree or not.
However, keep in mind that there is a devil, and his work primarily is done in our minds and thoughts. And if God is real, rhetorically speaking, it does not matter who we think He is or is not, He is what He is. "I Am that I Am." And that means he is right and we cannot hope to begin to challenge that any more than an ant could justly and sensibly challenge a human being. So, the good thing you believe there is a God. At this point, it matters not whose version is correct. The point I think is that you exert faith towards Him and in all sincerity, with no search for loopholes, ask and believe for Him to confirm the path for you rather than concoct your own path.
Personally, and this is only my opinion, I think you focused on the negatives too much, and robbed yourself of the positives about the Biblical God. But I would offer you to try the route of actually believing and praying in faith for God to direct you, and in His name ask forgiveness for anything wrong in your life whether it has as dire consequences as some might have stated or not, and then command any works of the devil towards you to cease while God goes to work.
I guess this is where it gets a bit tricky. I do believe that there is evil in the world, but I'm a little more cloudy on the whole concept of satan / the devil. I think we give him way too much credit and ascribe to him entirely too much power. What is the purpose of serving an all powerful deity, if He is so easily side-tracked by a lowly rebel angel?
(And Yes, I have heard the adage that the greatest lie satan has ever told, is to convince the world that he does not exist!)
If I have the spirit of God in me, (which I believe to be true), I don't think I have anything to fear from satan.
As I sit here writing this, I thought to myself, maybe I should test this
And so I prayed "God, if he's right, and I'm completely deceived and the Spirit inside me isn't you, but something else, I ask that you refill me and clear the blinders from my eyes and show me the true path."
And then I paused for a minute and said "Ummmm..God...wait...nevermind"
And then I laughed. Not irreverently...more at the irony. Because it's true, at least to a certain point. I don't want to be wrong. And I certainly don't want all of you to be right! I never want to go back to that place, to that prison. To me it all equals misery, heartache and pain. Maybe I keep God at arm's length because on some level I still fear that. If I ever were to find out that that's what God is truly like / truly expects, I would have no recourse but to reject him entirely.
Well I don't know about anybody else but I thank the Lord for allotaaaaa Mercy and grace.
And a whole LOTTA HOLY GHOSTTTTTTTT..........:0)
So the answer is............Its easier to live for the Lord than it is for the devil.........and the benefits of living for the Lord is absolutely wonderful........wooohooo
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