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Trouble
Oatmeal:
Hi everyone
Now that I know that no one will suffer eternal torture it has come to my mind: On what basis did you accept Jesus? – if it was to escape eternal torture then your receiving of Jesus was done on a false basis and is not valid.
I wasn't expecting this. Any advice?
Do I really receive Jesus? Truly, from the heart? Even on a shallow level?
These questions are coming to mind – if you were rich would you continue, if you were rich and had a loving wife and family would you continue? How do I know what I really think? (the heart is deceitful).
You will be saved whatever you do.
If you were tortured – would you continue?
How do you know that those who go through the indignation of God (the lake of fire) don't end up better off? Through pain there is gain, and the more pain the more gain. It is logical that they will be higher spiritually after going through such a painful time. Why don't you just go and enjoy yourself?
But God warns us to flee from His wrath. If I trust God then I will do what He says.
I just know that I am very weak and pathetic.
Can I really forsake all? If someone came on took all my belongings could I really treat it as nothing? I'm afraid.
Jesus said to count the cost. I know.
When I look back on my life it really seems that God has called me. So I am going to continue on that basis. But I am sooooooooo weak.
God, please hold me, please guide me, please cause me to walk in your ways.
Please pray that prayer for me. And for understanding. Thanks
And there's one other thing I should mention. I've been going to a church. I want to be able to share, well actually, to preach (don't laugh). One of the elders (the church is run by elders) is very very open. Please pray for that situation.
Kat:
Hi Oatmeal,
God has you right where He wants you now... where we all have been. When you come to the point where you 'know' you are nothing, then He can pick you up and work with you. We are all 'weak' it is only by His strength that we can do anything.
John 15:5 "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
Eph 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Don't worry about all the 'ifs,' what good is it to worry about what may never happen. Just concern yourself with what 'is.'
Mat 6:34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Concerning what basis we received Christ, well we were all in the church when we first received Him and I guess it could have been under any number of pretenses.
2Tim 1:12 For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.
Now I would suggest you go slowing about 'preaching' to others. You need to get yourself well grounded in these truths before you can teach them to someone else. I think a person may be sympathetic to your new found excitement for 'truth,' until they find out what it is you really believe.
Mat 7:6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast your pearls before the swine, lest haply they trample them under their feet, and turn and rend you.
mercy, peace and love
Kat
arion:
Now I would suggest you go slowing about 'preaching' to others. You need to get yourself well grounded in these truths before you can teach them to someone else.
I would echo that caution as well. Ray has shared numerous times about people who learn a truth and then want to try to correct their pastor on something and the snake makes a fool out of them. I started to learn these truths about three years ago and I kept my mouth shut for the first couple of years as I was like a child learning how to walk for the first time. So many of the things we are taught are so plain wrong that we need a solid foundation of these truths under us before we go forth.
Also consider;
1Pe 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
If they ask you first then they have opened the door for you to testify.
Stacey:
Hi Oatmeal,
--- Quote --- I want to be able to share, well actually, to preach (don't laugh).
--- End quote ---
I hear ya! I think its only natural to want to share the REAL GOOD NEWS!
This was me too. Then I found out just how much most people, especially some of my own family members, hate to hear the truth. Their lips would curl and faces contort and they'd get real ugly and defensive about hell and other parts of Christendom theology. So to make a long story short, the truth doesn't go over too well most of the time for most people.
Another example: I introduced the LOF series to a co-worker who was struggling with wether or not he was going to burn in hell for the sins of his father, he said he was a ******* child and firmly believed he had no other designation but hell. He claimed to love Jesus and that he had went through all the motions of being saved and attended a local church and all but was still believing some how that he was going to hell and had many doubts. I gave him my printed out copy of the LOF a few parts at a time and he fell in love with it and Ray. Guess what happened next? He wanted to tell his preacher about the truths he had discovered and even though I warned him about what to expect, he went ahead and came back with about the same story I mentioned earlier. So I would second what Kat said,
--- Quote ---Now I would suggest you go slowing about 'preaching' to others. You need to get yourself well grounded in these truths before you can teach them to someone else. I think a person may be sympathetic to your new found excitement for 'truth,' until they find out what it is you really believe.
--- End quote ---
AMEN TO THAT KAT!! :)
Dave in Tenn:
The churches put way too much emphasis on this "accepting Jesus" idea. We know that NOBODY can even come to Christ unless the Spirit draw (drag) him. Jesus is not waiting patiently in Heaven for us to "make the right decision". He is sovereign God and is doing exactly what He wants with us. Even if we seek Him with all our hearts, it's only because He has let us know He's there to be sought, and given us a heart to seek after Him...even down blind alleys. If He hadn't, we couldn't. It's by Grace we are saved, through faith, and that faith is itself a Gift of God. We can't even believe--much less follow--unless He causes us to believe. He really IS our salvation. Without Him we can do nothing. Without Him, we are--quite literally--nothing.
So it doesn't matter what we think our motivation was to begin to follow Christ "back in the day". The twelve followed him for years before they truly knew why they were doing it. Paul was kept in the dark for at least a while until the Lord began to show him all the things he must suffer in following Him. In the same way He chose them, HE chose US. We didn't choose Him, even if we were so foolish and childish in our faith as to believe we did. His motivation is the only motivation that matters. His motivation is to create humanity in His image. We've been priveledged to get a glimpse of HOW He is going to accomplish this, not just for ourselves, but for all His creation. And beyond that, we've been given a mission to participate, once He has made us fit.
This 'making us fit' is His job, too. He'll do with each of us whatever is necessary to fulfill His own Will. And He'll do that until every enemy is under His feet and all His human creation is in the family of God. And He'll get all the credit (glory) because all of it is due Him...literally.
The more you know what is true, the less you struggle with false assumptions and babylonian baggage. It just doesn't stand up next to worshipping God in Spirit and in Truth. You're in the race. Hang in there.
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