I believe that God does deliver us from immediately...sometimes.
I know people who had horrible addictions and God delivered them in a miraculous way.
I have seen this happen in my own life. I have also seen the grace of God guide a person thru difficult waters without deliverance.
They struggle. They fall, and get up and go on. And God leads and guides.
There was a time in my life when I didn’t understand that. Why didn’t God just poof stuff away?
Then the more I reflected the more I searched scripture and I see in scripture the Grace of God in action in the life of Paul.
Paul says in the book of Titus that the Grace of God that brings salvation teaches us… (Titus 2:11-12)
So I began to see Paul’s words in the light of Paul’s life.
I believe this is Paul’s thorn in the flesh. I have no proof and it certainly is no point of doctrine but this is my personal belief and it has meant a lot to me.
Paul was arrogant. He was harsh at times and self-justified in actions that can only be viewed as inflexible.
Paul says in one place that he “withstood Peter to his face” There was a conflict and Peter was wrong and Paul was right, but the indication is that this happened in public and it was ugly.
In another place we learn that Paul and Barnabas had a falling out over John Mark. The guy who eventually wrote the book of Mark.
Mark was young and Barnabas saw something in him that made him want to work with the kid. Barnabas invited Mark to make a missionary journey. Things got hard and Mark started complaining. Paul was NOT kind. In the end Barnabas and Paul had a serious falling out. They went in different directions because Paul had no time for a snot nosed kid.
But at the end of Paul’s life we see something very different. We see him saying “send John Mark to me for he is profitable for me”. ME. PAUL. Paul needed this man whom he had not been willing to help.
There was a shift over the life of Paul that softened that hardness that caused Paul grief. I think Paul knew about this thing. I think that is what Paul was praying that God would deliver him from and what God simply told him that His Grace would suffice.
Paul needed to walk thru that trial and not simply be delivered. It is instructive. WE have difficulties that we are not delivered from. That we must walk thru. God’s Grace is there. It bring salvation, but it also is instructive in our daily lives if we will bend ourselves to its instruction.
Does God deliver? Certainly. Does God deliver by his Grace, thru the fire that Peter talks of? Without question.
Yes, God sometimes delivers us speedily, and other times he won't. In my experience, there were times when Jesus healed and delivered me right away, within moments of prayer, and other times, that it took weeks, months, and even years for him to deliver me.
The way I see it, is that God is building you up, working things out of you, that needs not to be there, and strengthening you with things that ought to be, and helping you in your walk, for things that are now and is to come. Also I believe that he's testing you, to see if you would hold on to Him, no matter what happens to you; whether you'll cleave to him, only when things are good, or if you'll stay on when situations are rough. Just like he did with Job, I believe that he does the same to his saints.
__________________ Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
I believe that God does deliver us from immediately...sometimes.
I know people who had horrible addictions and God delivered them in a miraculous way.
I have seen this happen in my own life. I have also seen the grace of God guide a person thru difficult waters without deliverance.
They struggle. They fall, and get up and go on. And God leads and guides.
There was a time in my life when I didn’t understand that. Why didn’t God just poof stuff away?
Then the more I reflected the more I searched scripture and I see in scripture the Grace of God in action in the life of Paul.
Paul says in the book of Titus that the Grace of God that brings salvation teaches us… (Titus 2:11-12)
So I began to see Paul’s words in the light of Paul’s life.
I believe this is Paul’s thorn in the flesh. I have no proof and it certainly is no point of doctrine but this is my personal belief and it has meant a lot to me.
Paul was arrogant. He was harsh at times and self-justified in actions that can only be viewed as inflexible.
Paul says in one place that he “withstood Peter to his face” There was a conflict and Peter was wrong and Paul was right, but the indication is that this happened in public and it was ugly.
In another place we learn that Paul and Barnabas had a falling out over John Mark. The guy who eventually wrote the book of Mark.
Mark was young and Barnabas saw something in him that made him want to work with the kid. Barnabas invited Mark to make a missionary journey. Things got hard and Mark started complaining. Paul was NOT kind. In the end Barnabas and Paul had a serious falling out. They went in different directions because Paul had no time for a snot nosed kid.
But at the end of Paul’s life we see something very different. We see him saying “send John Mark to me for he is profitable for me”. ME. PAUL. Paul needed this man whom he had not been willing to help.
There was a shift over the life of Paul that softened that hardness that caused Paul grief. I think Paul knew about this thing. I think that is what Paul was praying that God would deliver him from and what God simply told him that His Grace would suffice.
Paul needed to walk thru that trial and not simply be delivered. It is instructive. WE have difficulties that we are not delivered from. That we must walk thru. God’s Grace is there. It bring salvation, but it also is instructive in our daily lives if we will bend ourselves to its instruction.
Does God deliver? Certainly. Does God deliver by his Grace, thru the fire that Peter talks of? Without question.
As with our special needs son, we desire relief and a miracle, but God instead delivered us in the circumstance. And thru the working of this problem in us, He has brought ministry to 30+ families http://www.coventryreserve.org/. See, His purpose is greater than our short range vision!!! God allowed evil and adversity into the world, and He has a purpose for that, He is not sadistic, He simply sees the bigger picture, much like mature parents and our children.
__________________ 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)
I believe that God does deliver us from immediately...sometimes.
I know people who had horrible addictions and God delivered them in a miraculous way.
I have seen this happen in my own life. I have also seen the grace of God guide a person thru difficult waters without deliverance. They struggle. They fall, and get up and go on. And God leads and guides.
There was a time in my life when I didn’t understand that. Why didn’t God just poof stuff away?
Then the more I reflected the more I searched scripture and I see in scripture the Grace of God in action in the life of Paul.
Paul says in the book of Titus that the Grace of God that brings salvation teaches us… (Titus 2:11-12)
So I began to see Paul’s words in the light of Paul’s life.
I believe this is Paul’s thorn in the flesh. I have no proof and it certainly is no point of doctrine but this is my personal belief and it has meant a lot to me.
Paul was arrogant. He was harsh at times and self-justified in actions that can only be viewed as inflexible.
Paul says in one place that he “withstood Peter to his face” There was a conflict and Peter was wrong and Paul was right, but the indication is that this happened in public and it was ugly.
In another place we learn that Paul and Barnabas had a falling out over John Mark. The guy who eventually wrote the book of Mark.
Mark was young and Barnabas saw something in him that made him want to work with the kid. Barnabas invited Mark to make a missionary journey. Things got hard and Mark started complaining. Paul was NOT kind. In the end Barnabas and Paul had a serious falling out. They went in different directions because Paul had no time for a snot nosed kid.
But at the end of Paul’s life we see something very different. We see him saying “send John Mark to me for he is profitable for me”. ME. PAUL. Paul needed this man whom he had not been willing to help.
There was a shift over the life of Paul that softened that hardness that caused Paul grief. I think Paul knew about this thing. I think that is what Paul was praying that God would deliver him from and what God simply told him that His Grace would suffice.
Paul needed to walk thru that trial and not simply be delivered. It is instructive. WE have difficulties that we are not delivered from. That we must walk thru. God’s Grace is there. It bring salvation, but it also is instructive in our daily lives if we will bend ourselves to its instruction.
Does God deliver? Certainly. Does God deliver by his Grace, thru the fire that Peter talks of? Without question.
Thank you for this post. I highlighted a portion of your post to make one comment. Slipping and falling with homosexuality can have deep devastating consequences to not only the individual but others around them. I destroyed a marriage by being weak one day and giving in.
Thank you for this post. I highlighted a portion of your post to make one comment. Slipping and falling with homosexuality can have deep devastating consequences to not only the individual but others around them. I destroyed a marriage by being weak one day and giving in.
As with all sin there are consequences, and most are not confined to the sinner, but to family and friends. Like a chain reaction.
__________________
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
2 Chronicles 7:14 KJV
He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? Micah 6:8 KJV
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 1 John 3:2 KJV
So you believe that God delivers us from our carnality? Why then did Paul feel the need to place such emphasis on walking after the Spirit and not after the flesh when writing to people who were already Christians?
God doesn't deliver us from our human struggle. He offers redemption for our human condition. We aren't delivered from flesh until we leave this life.
Why does God need to "transform [your] life each and every day" if you've already been delivered from everything? There's no need for any continuing work; you've been delivered from every temptation, right? You don't struggle with anything? No anger, no malice, no gossip, no strife, no jealousy, no pride, nothing?
Being delivered from the desires and wants and needs and temptations of the flesh is NOT the same thing as being delivered from sin. I Corinthians 10:13 says that God will make a way to escape (temptation); it does NOT say that we will be free from temptation.
I Corinthians 10:13 "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."
Was Paul preaching a weak Gospel there? Preaching that the saints would have temptations (from which they would need to escape), but that God would make sure that they weren't tempted "above that [they] are able."
P.S. I DO believe that God can deliver us from addiction. My Dad was delivered from addiction to alcohol. However, he was still sometimes tempted by alcohol, which is why we avoided restaurants with bars for most of my childhood years. Addiction is a condition, though; not a simple temptation.
Do you have any scripture that says God can't or wont remove my carnal nature?
Thank you for this post. I highlighted a portion of your post to make one comment. Slipping and falling with homosexuality can have deep devastating consequences to not only the individual but others around them. I destroyed a marriage by being weak one day and giving in.
I appreciate your openenss and honesty and desire to live for God. And I pray that Gods Grace will lead you and guide you and make you an overcomer.
__________________ If I do something stupid blame the Lortab!
Do you have any scripture that says God can't or wont remove my carnal nature?
Do you have scripture to say that he WILL?
__________________ "Many people view their relationship with God like a "color by number" picture. It's easier to let someone else define the boundaries, tell them which blanks to fill in, and what color to use than it is for them to take a blank canvas and seek inspiration from the Source in order to paint their own masterpiece"
I couldn't help but think of the tune, "War, What is it Good For?"
Grace! huh-yeah
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing
Uh-huh
Grace! huh-yeah
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing
Say it again y'all
Grace is our only hope. Was not Jesus our propitiation??? The sins of the elect (according to God's foreknowledge) were placed upon Christ and punished on the cross.
If salvation isn't by grace... the question arises... "How good do we have to be to earn salvation?" That's when it all gets arbitrary and subjective... because every denomination, church, pastor, and/or believer will provide us with a different list. Standards ranging from not having blood transfusions, to not seeking medical attention, to dress codes, to Sabbath keeping, to dietary laws, etc. will arise.
The only objective truth we can hold to is grace. Jesus DIED for our sins. Period. And so God applied that grace towards us as prevenient grace hounded the soul of the elect believer until surrender. Upon surrender and sincere faith, followed by repentance of sin and turning to Christ through baptism. Upon responding in faith, the believer became justified in Christ, justification allowing the believer to be able to receive the sinless Holy Spirit of God. The baptism of the Holy Ghost then brings regeneration to the spirit of the believer. Sanctification being not adherence to a list of rules... but a surrender of self and ego to Christ's indwelling reality. Reckoning ourselves crucified (past tense) with Christ... though we live. Understanding that now it is not we ourselves who live... but Christ that lives within us.
I was crucified with Christ. Now I live unto Christ through the Spirit of God.
The only "greasy grace" is a grace that provides a salvation that can slip right through your fingers.
True grace reckons our sins paid for. Because He who knew no sin... became sin... that we might become... the very righteousness of God. Armed with grace... Satan has no charge against us. Armed with performance and self righteousness... we don't stand a chance against the enemy. God now sees us as we shall be upon glorification, like Him.
Re: Something interesting about gays.
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