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[Deborah-Leigh]

“God’s not out there.” The young man leaning on the rail in front of me in the queue at the ATM. He’d told me moments before that he wasn’t in a hurry and I could go before him. I was most grateful and explained I have a shop and said in an all too motherly way to this pimply faced youth

“Bless you. “

“You are right.  God is definitely not out there. “ I noticed his disappointment as a shadow over his sweet face. Here was a youngster who God was certainly having some dealings with. His tattooed arms showed preferences for body art yet his demeanor in the moment of hearing my confirmation that God is not out there, expressed a sweeter heart of a boy who had been through the fire or was going through it.

Leaving the disappointment only as long as to not descend into self affirmation and rage, I then said.

“God is everywhere. He is not out there somewhere like a man. God is everywhere. He is not like us. “

He responded, after a somewhat brief contemplation of this new thought in his dark mind, “There can’t be a God” almost to himself.

I looked straight into his eyes and behind his eyes and affirmed, “I know there is a God. God will put you through all kinds of hell, and fire and …**&^%# .
The youth smiled. He got that one! He just didn’t know it was God. Formulating his own hypothesis, he remarked “God made a mistake.”
“Oh no He didn’t. God doesn’t make any mistakes! “

The next conclusion the young made came to was, “The world is evil.”

“Yes” I replied “God has caused it to be exactly that way. You see you cannot know the difference between good and evil unless you experience evil. Evil happens to you and you do evil things and that way you learn to distinguish between good and evil and that is what God causes. “

It was my turn in the queue. As I returned, I stopped to tell him that everything he was thinking and feeling was all because of God.

That last bit of council was more for me than him! It is good to feel that when things inside are feeling dark and complicated, sad or lonely, that it is God giving the feelings and thoughts we have as no one is immune from being caused to know good from evil.
 
Oh, I also told the young man that the beast is humanity and no Church will teach him that!

Arc

[acomplishedartis]

“God is everywhere. He is not out there somewhere like a man. God is everywhere. He is not like us. “


“God doesn’t make any mistakes! “


“God has caused it to be exactly that way. You see you cannot know the difference between good and evil unless you experience evil. Evil happens to you and you do evil things and that way you learn to distinguish between good and evil and that is what God causes. “


 the beast is humanity and no Church will teach him that!

i CAN SEE IT, and as I might have more posibilities to live longer than the mayority here, I guess I might have a longer way to go.
 
Good anecdote Arcturus and also I appreciate the way on witch you narrate it.

That last bit of council was more for me than him!

 no one is immune from being caused to know good from evil.

These kind of encourage me to get into being a little bit more open regarding my believes when talking with people whom share them not (however, it might would be more for me than for them...).

[Deborah-Leigh]

Believe it my dear brother. It is more for us than for them as we are to learn patience from their blindness, endurance from their persecution and Faith of Christ as we are scorned, rejected and refused. Why?

The carnal mind can not know the Spirit of God nor can it discern spiritual things. The youth brought to my conversation, I may never see again and it is for God alone to bring the increase or not of the words spoken into his heart and soul mind and awareness.

God is causing everything. I was grateful to hear Him speaking consolation to me in that moment after I turned away to return home.

It is well we keep the Faith and faint not in well doing, or well speaking!

Blessings to you Moises as you walk the path of our Lord.

Arc

[gmik]

thanks for sharing that encounter.

Today I went to a womens bible study and had lunch w/ about 6 other ladies.  I just held my tongue and let them ramble on. Its amazing how they can't "connect the dots".

In a couple of sentences one gal went from "God has it all planned from the beginning..why, he had slain the lamb before the foundation of the world" takes a breath..and then starts blabbling about having free choice and she's glad we are not all robots!!

I am glad the Spirit had you speak to a young man who needed to hear some pearls to "ruminate" on.  In my case, no.  Those ladies weren't searching for truth at that moment.  I am hoping as I stick around them, the Lord will lead one that I can help. (I ran out of Bablyon as quick as I could and have never gone back to church, as my friend invited me to this I did it for her)

This bible study just solidifies in me what I believe.  I wouldn't really advise a newbie to do this unless the Spirit is leading!

[Deborah-Leigh]

Hi G

It is a work of God that most women are not given to know where they are to fit and belong in the Body of Christ.

You were sitting among the spiritually abused, condemned and ostracised who in keeping up with appearances, were gathering to eat nothing, say nothing and mean less and that hurt, they keep to themselves. Go near what is paining them and they will kill you....or try to..in order to feel better, more united, more acceptable to the Harlot Babylon in which they are being blinded and kept bound ....

It is the Work of God until His Spirit shall drag out as we have been blessed to have been dragged!...running, as you ...or knocked down and dragged out, as I was!

Blessings

Arc

[Ninny]

This is so true...it has happened to me...I'm a person not afraid to speak when spoken to! I have a young male friend who sent me a message the other day telling me his sadness and depression over losing his girlfriend..and I answered his message the best way I knew how..He wrote me back very upset and said "I should have known better than to tell you that stuff...I should have known you wouldn't understand, no one does!"

So I wrote back and told him that God understands and He knows everything we go through..everything we go through is to bring us to be more like God! I told him I have gone through what he's going through, but more than my understanding or his...he has to know that God is moving and God's will for him and for me will be done!  He's very upset with me and hasn't answered my message, but I know that God will bring this understanding to him one day...I am amazed at the way God speaks to me through ME sometimes! When He gives me words to say to someone else they're ALWAYS more for me than the other guy!!

Sometimes my heart breaks for people, whether I know them or not...I just want to tell them to look at God in a different way! See that God put everything in motion in our lives. in all of our lives...nothing surprises, shocks, or catches Him off guard!! People are made to think that God is just standing helplessly by watching the world swing out of control, He has no control over us because we are free to choose the course of our life!!!?? Really?!

Can I relate one more little story?  I have always been nervous about flying...so I don't unless I'm forced!! about 17 years ago my niece was getting ready to have her baby so I went to San Antonio TX to be with her...on the way of course it started storming!! yikes!! You could just see the lightening everywhere!!  there was a young soldier on the plane sitting next to me..I could tell he was really scared...I thought he was going to cry! I looked at him and said, "Wow! I hate flying!" he looked over at me and said really quietly, " So do I!"  I told him, "we'll be landing soon, I'll be glad to get out of this lightening!" He said, "Me too!" I could see him start to relax while we were talking and I felt a calm surround us..He even started smiling! I think right at that moment he was missing his mommy...and I guess I kind of filled in for her! and amazingly enough I even calmed down..same thing...God gave me a little project to keep me occupied until the storm had passed!! You just never know who you will meet in life...something as simple as just a voice in a storm can lift you up and let you know that God is there... chance encounters?? 
Sorry if I got off the subject, Arc!
Kathy 

[Deborah-Leigh]

Kathy,

What you identify that when our God speaks through us it is for US!... MORE than for the other person..... is and has always been the case with me too! Every post, every comment and every thought has been my blessing to me, and I also believe, much more than maybe a few, who may think or have experienced differently! As women, we teach what we most need to learn! when it  comes to sharing or showing what we believe and pointing to the Teachings or Words of our God, then I believe that is not being a teacher but a sister or as a mother to those we are to encourage. Certainly, taking authority and dogmatically teaching, is not for us to do. My conversation was just like yours with the youth who approached you. We speak from our hearts and share what we believe.

Your Mother’s voice in the storm of that young man sitting next to you on the plane is just what our Lord gave you and to him, as His Work prepared for you both to enjoy and experience. That you too felt the calm of His Spirit that is Peace is evidence you were in the will of God as He has Purposed for you Kathy. That is a truly wonderful gift of God's Spirit to you and the young man in his experience of having fear banished in the presence of the Perfect Love that is our God.

I have only just recently begun to see that our voice ( the women folks) is to be just that, not leader of the troops, not manpower or swordsman, but mother, daughter and sister as our God is our God and our brothers in Christ do need us ~ that is our blessing, our gift and place so eloquently described as you sitting next to that young man on an airplane in a lightning storm.

Blessings dear mother and sister

Arc

[Ninny]

Thank you, Arc...you blessed me today...
Kathy

[Deborah-Leigh]

Thank you, Arc...you blessed me today...
Kathy

Like wise to me too Kathy!

Deborah

[gmik]

Gals, great thoughts!!

PS--I was petrified of flying so I didn't!!! for 35 years!!  When I discovered these truths about God's sovereignty, it melted away those fears and I have flown 3 times now and for the biggy--flying to Hawaii in February!!!  What freedom to know that God is in Control!!!

[Deborah-Leigh]

Hawaii in February!!!  What freedom to know that God is in Control!!!

I can not hear that enough G! God,....our GOD is in Control!! THAT is so liberating!

Hawaii.......oh my oh my how beautiful!.....

blessings dear and gentle GRANNY!

Arc

[cjwood]

As women, we teach what we most need to learn! when it  comes to sharing or showing what we believe and pointing to the Teachings or Words of our God, then I believe that is not being a teacher but a sister or as a mother to those we are to encourage. Certainly, taking authority and dogmatically teaching, is not for us to do. My conversation was just like yours with the youth who approached you. We speak from our hearts and share what we believe.

Your Mother’s voice in the storm of that young man sitting next to you on the plane is just what our Lord gave you and to him, as His Work prepared for you both to enjoy and experience. That you too felt the calm of His Spirit that is Peace is evidence you were in the will of God as He has Purposed...

I have only just recently begun to see that our voice ( the women folks) is to be just that, not leader of the troops, not manpower or swordsman, but mother, daughter and sister as our God is our God and our brothers in Christ do need us ~ that is our blessing, our gift and place...

Blessings dear mother and sister

deborah, your post was most inspiring, especially the bolded statements i have shown above. our voice. feminine, sisterly, maternal. and always hopefully a voice of reason!  

blessings to you too deborah, dear mother and sister. and to all the other sisters on the best forum on the internet!

claudia

ps. deborah, i highlighted 'swordsman' in blue, just to add that we women actually make pretty good 'swordsmen' when it comes to the Scriptures.  

[Deborah-Leigh]

 deborah, i highlighted 'swordsman' in blue, just to add that we women actually make pretty good 'swordsmen' when it comes to the Scriptures.  

....you think??!!  Okay...then let us reason together dear sister, mother, daughter of our most High and Glorious God...let me then take a more conciliatory stance for which I thank your urging me to this direction and....let us agree...the term then should be swordswomen!

I appreciate your insight shared and displayed with all gentleness and encouragement.  

The children of the Kingdom are both swords men and women, Daughters and Sons of The Sword!!  How's that?

Blessings sweet and dearest big sister

Deborah

[acomplishedartis]

Believe it my dear brother. It is more for us than for them as we are to learn patience from their blindness, endurance from their persecution and Faith of Christ as we are scorned, rejected and refused.

It reminds me of

Matt. 22:39 ''...Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.''


Quote of DIFFERENT LOVES Ray's Bible Study;

Agapao from the noun agape - love, can be intensified by doing it with all your heart, all your mind, all your soul, and all your strength.  See, intensify it, make it greater than what the word itself means, important point. 

Now, He doesn’t talk about the second commandment, the same as this, as you shall love your neighbor with all your heart, with all your mind, with all your strength.  No, it doesn’t say that.  No, that is not what He said.

Listen to me, I say this at every meeting we have virtually and I say it in my papers,
you have to pay attention to the words!  You can’t believe how much is missed in the Bible, when people don’t look at the words.  They think they know what it says... they missed it, they missed it in verse after verse, in hundreds of scriptures.  They missed it, why?  They don’t pay attention to the words.  They just read a bunch of words and think, 'I know what that means.'  No they don’t, not if you don’t pay attention to the words.

He didn’t say, love God this way and love your neighbor in the same way.  He said you love God (same Greek word agape/agapao), agape your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength and might. 

Agapao your neighbor as yourself... whoops what happened there?  What happened there, that’s different?

Let’s assume you have nice neighbors, I have nice neighbors.  When we moved here our neighbors brought us a big bowl of cookies and we share cups of sugar with our next door neighbor over here, Tammy. 

But you could have a neighbor who is a wife beating, drug dealing, God hating, you know, monster for a neighbor.  Now, does God want you or tell you, that you have to love that wife beating, drug dealing monster, with all your heart, with all your mind and soul, does He tell us that?  NO!  But I can see some self-righteous preacher giving a sermon saying, 'well yes you have to do this.'  No you don’t.

'Well, how are you suppose to love your neighbor?'  As yourself!  You put yourself in the equation.

'Oh well, I wish my neighbor would give me a million dollars.'  Well then you have to give your neighbor a million dollars...  You got to love them as yourself.  But I don’t expect my neighbor to give me million dollars or even ten dollars.  And for that reason I’m not going over this afternoon and give him ten dollars.  Can’t you see that.

But I might want to go over there and borrow his ladder, because I don’t have a long ladder.  Just like he comes over here and borrows some of my electrical drill stuff.  That’s good, it’s good we do that.  But if you don’t know what your talking about, you can get stupid with this.

Now then, do you run into contradictions in 2 Corinthians?

2Cor 6:14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?
v. 15  What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever?
v. 16  What agreement has the temple of God with idols?"

People always use this as referring to a wedding.  "Don’t be unequally yoked" together with somebody who doesn’t believe in God.  Well, that would fit.  But that’s not what it’s talking about.  That’s just one application of it, don’t be unequally yoked together with people like this.

Well, my next door neighbor, is not a wife beating, drug dealing, you know, monster.  So I can be yoked together with him, right.  No!  He doesn’t believe these truths.

My neighbor told me one day, if he caught, a particular race of people, stealing something... how he would dismantle their body with a baseball bat.  Now I thought whoa, this man could get to be a little rough, you know, if he just caught someone in his backyard.  That’s not me.  I don’t think like that.  I’m not going to be yoked to that.  So we don’t go out together.  No, we don’t go out to bars together or out to dinner together.  You know, I don’t get into his crowd.  I have no intention of going out with him, why?  Don’t be unequally yoked together! 

Then how can you love him as yourself?  Contradictions isn’t it?  No, it’s not.  How can I have nothing to do with him and love him as yourself?  I’m going to show you.


and a little later;


So now I can see some better distinctions.  It, agape, is a complex emotion, arousing appreciation or delight in and desire for the presence of it’s object; as well as to please and promote it’s welfare.

Now here is the word phileo.  We understand the word Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love - Philadelphia.  It means to be fond of, responsive, affection based on approval and regard.  That’s a little complicated, basically it’s this.  God of love -agape, is a one-way street, God loves, He gives.  It’s not based on whether the ones He gives it to, loves Him back.

While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us, right.  Why?  Because He loves us, “for God so loved the world.”  That includes all these drug dealing, wife beating, God defying people.  He so loved the world, did they love Him back?  No, very few people love God back.  It’s a one-way street... He loves.  He’s the One that loves, not getting anything back for it, He loves.
 
But phileo love, is where two people are fond of each other and they’re responsive to each other.  It has to do with affections, based on the approval of the one you’re giving out to, you see.  Why are people friends?  Because they reciprocate, right.

Bob and I go to lunch once a week.  If we didn’t reciprocate in how we think and talk to each other and build up each other when we are down, then I think that would come to an end rather quickly.

Seriously, when you have a close friend, is that somebody that never shows you close affection?  I don’t think so.
 
A close friend, a phileo, a friend that reciprocated, it’s a two-way street.  Although God is agape, you would say that’s the ultimate.  But it is not as intimate as phileo.  All my life I heard this pyramid of love.  At the top there was this agape, the ultimate.  Is it really?


(Bolding by me)



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Claudia,
Well said, all you said.

Also, even so I haven´t no been on many forums on the internet, it is good to know that you consider it the best one. At list regarding tehological matters!

[Deborah-Leigh]

It is most gratifying, Moises,  that the Spirit of God is urging you to recall what He has told you and is reminding us of as you post again the differences between Agape and Phileo Love.

Especially that this Truth is so important to Spiritual discernment! It is VITAL to help us not get bruised or scuffed against stones and thorns of shallow un-spiritual ground!

We certainly do have to treat one another as we ourselves would be treated. Yet how is this to occur if we are blind, and in a spiritual condition that can not of itself, receive, believe or even love the Truth of God. God tells us not lightly  ~  1Co 2:14  But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. ~ and the Spirit is God’s to give as God occasions.

So how are we to treat ourselves when we interact with the blind, dark, callous souls of carnality not yet given the Spirit to discern the things of our God? What this helps me into understand is:

Heb 12:3  For consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

The above became of particular importance to me as I began to feel the weight of the Truth that the blind do not see as Ray has so clearly stated for us in one of his papers! Simple, True, but Oh so very difficult if you don’t believe it!...and you think you do because it is common sense...yet down deeper than you think...YOU DON'T BELIEVE IT!

How easy is it to see Satan snatching the Word as soon as it is planted? How easy is it to experience that thorns choke His Word and shallow stony ground just doesn’t let anything of the Word of God, to flourish and grow. It is painful to that point where one has to consider HIM that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself….and accept, realize and agree with what God has said,  that shallow, thorny stony ground that is by His Plan and Purpose, unfruitful. So by understanding, that comes only by the Spirit of God ( L Ray Smith)  we faint not, under false expectations as painfully we are to experience that  our most desperate longings and desires, and prayers to the contrary, we are, as stated by our God,   powerless to defeat or thwart, change or correct that the shallow, stony ground will ever be given to produce fruit of His Spirit.  It is necessary and very painful fact..…soul destroying….to observe this truth in action,  that those seeing, do not see and those hearing don’t understand and to endure the pain  to go on, fainting not at the words of Truth given  by our Lord through which He is bringing forth  patience and making known His endurance.

Luk 8:15  But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

 The contradiction of sinners spoken of in Heb 12 : 3 is that which was endured by Christ, which  is the carnality of those who prefer the old and not the new, preferring to resist rather than receive the Spirit of the Lord in the admonitions and insights given. This is the work of God to reserve to everyone the experience of resisting His Will until He gives the change of heart.

The Truth of the Lords Word that Luk 8:5  the fowls of the air devour and.as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.

This is what I we have to experience happening. If we are to be the good soil then even if the world is awash in milk….

Luk 8:8  And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit a hundredfold…..the good ground is within   for the Kingdom of God is not outside it is within ME,  YOU, US not least of all  RAY!  and othersbeing caused of our God to be bearing fruit a hundredfold! Humans are not the fruit! Patience is! Numbers of
followers is not the fruit. Endurance is! Popularity is not the fruit. Obedience is! Frustration is not the Fruit. Love is and this all contrasts with and to  the kind of fruit that we bear within! We know ourselves by the fruit we bear.

The temptation to faint and to spiritual weakness is in bearing up after seeing and experiencing the sorrow and disappointment and getting over and past the pain of being offended by the fact   that the Word of God sown on the waysides of carnality, will not bear enduring fruit of His Spirit,  EVER and this fact is not to defeat our well doing it is to strengthen us to discerning from up close, at home, within, the difference between Phileo and Agape Love.

Your contribution is very important Moises because we all have to learn how to treat and interact with those who are still in the dark….without us fainting under the weight of that darkness. Knowing the Truth of discerning the difference between Agape Godly Love and Phileo Love is critical to not being caught in the cares of the world.

Blessings
Arc

[grapehound]

Splendid commentary Arc.
Thank you Moises

Every Blessing

Grape

[judith collier]

Moises, I see you are wondering about phileo being more intimate because of the interaction and if this is the best way but that sounds a lot like some people's relationship with God. No wonder they are disappointed when they don't get what they prayed for because they thought they deserved it for doing God's will.
And they have a reward coming.
Judy

[Deborah-Leigh]

Your appreciation is a blessing Grape. 

[indianabob]

Thank you one and all for the interesting and helpful discourse.

It is good to have a candid discussion especially for the men observing
and hearing what motherhood is all about.
I am fortunate to have my wife and many other women in my life to
reflect my innermost feelings and fears in a way that guides my
understanding of their value to me and to one another.

Too many men are missing this outwardly focused quality of care
in their life and suffer for it.

Bob

[Deborah-Leigh]

Too many men are missing this outwardly focused quality of care
in their life and suffer for it.

It warms my heart when I see your comments in the Forum Bob.

What you identify, is so incisively painfully true and women who are not yet released from their blindness and bondage,  and are hell bent on competing for power, make such demonic conditions surround their men. They need men to exorcise them! We need our anointed Lords of our Lord and Kings of our King to rise up to free us of our demons as Jesus your Brother and Crown King did for Magdalene. How else can love find value in Truth and how else is Peace going to kiss Righteousness in Holy matrimony of Love and Virtue finding sanctuary in the Spirit of God wherein there is no darkness?

Godly women needs her man to be Godly and ungodly women stop men from becoming Godly in a convolution of orders and roles and station elected by our God. When ever has a man felt like Magdalene except one in which the effeminate spirit of corruption has moved into permanent signature in the consciousness of one God has given over to strong delusion? How often have women thought of imitating the Son of God Jesus Christ in like convolution of being turned over by God to strong delusion?

It is the Godly man who’s Head is Christ that washes us poor destitute, ailing crippled women in souls and heart, appearing as mean snarling powerful feline lionesses, in the Word of God so turning us from carnal appetites of worldly consumptions, into the person and soul that moves the Heart of Christ and our God. We want to be beautiful. We don’t know how. Only a Godly King can make anything of us, by washing us and re-clothing us in the garments of His Praise, not sung vacantly in the halls of mass media, but silently as a crystal clear note, known only to our Love, our Lord our King.

Your birthday is coming up soon Bob. Happy Birthday….to come dear Bob. 

Deborah