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great big orphanage
Joel:
Hey gk
I can relate to where you are coming from, I went through the whole Babylonia thing. And when I came out I wasn't a happy camper either, and tried to get as far away from God and religion as the east is from the west. I guess I was swallowed up by the whale like old Jonah, but without the voice of God telling me to do anything.
This went on for twenty years plus, and then one day I smacked a truck head on, and this old boy was vomited out on the pavement feeling more ready to serve God.
I have been called one stubborn so and so, and I won't offer any defense there, seeing as I have come to see that myself. Guess God has to do what he has to do to crack some of these old hard NUTS.
I had to come to my last straw before God showed himself and I feel blessed today to know him in the small portion that these feeble eyes can see.
He hears us when we pray, so I keep on keeping on, its his strength not mine. It hurts some times when he gouges out a stone or some other impurity before we hit the fire. And that's necessary so we don't crack in the fire.
I can't deny any of the evils I have done before him, and I don't think he will shuck any responsibility for any of his creation either.
I have been, and felt like a fatherless child both physically and spiritually.
All the faith I have has came from him, so I ain't here to be boasting about anything for my part.
My puny suffering here is nothing compared to Jesus suffering for us ALL, I can see that now. I guess if salvation required that we all be nailed to a cross, there would be a lot less takers and Church world would be less populated. ???
Joel
DougE6:
Lostand Found,
I commend you for reminding us all of this truth....you wrote" if pain and suffering are a (necessary!) part of the process required to change us from weak and carnal to strong and spiritual, SO BE IT! and while i can't claim to understand the full glory of the end of the story, i think there is more to it than "some mysterious, far off, hiding behind a bush better ‘spiritual’ development". mothers choose to have second, third, fourth babies even though they know through experience exactly what they will suffer -crazy intense pain- because it is WORTH IT. and once it's done, it's done. it'll be worth it. i have to believe that. i hope and pray that God will reveal to you (and us) some more of His plan." Your analogy of the mothers giving birth is very scriptural, too.....
Joh 16:21 A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world....that is one of the things JESUS SAID WHEN ABOUT TO FACE HIS BIGGEST AND TOUHGEST TRIAL< THE CROSS!! God shows us the picture here, these are MERELY BIRTH PAINS to something glorious, far more glorious than we can even grasp right now. Of course it hurts, birth pains hurt a lot.
ARE we not supposed to consider it PURE JOY when faced with hardship and pain, because of the POSITIVE EFFECT it will have on us?...1Pe 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. Why did Jesus ENDURE the cross? Because of the joy set before him! ...Heb 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
These pains are why we need to keep the faith, and to run the race, and to pray for one another, and try to support one another in the midst of it all. Gary of course I have completely felt and thought the thoughts you have. But please, beseech God, to return yourself to your first Love, as I am also asking God to do, so earnestly. That is the greatest thing one can know. To love God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. God will give it to those who ask. And do not stop knocking, do not stop seeking, until your last day. It is that important. All these questions will evaporate someday.
Deborah-Leigh:
The transition to begin talking directly TO God, unfortunately for us, requires inordinate doses of pain, to pry off obsessions ABOUT God.
Obsessions about God are like barnacles that attach to the underside of a boat that need to be scraped off before the boat can sail safely with balance and assurance.
The transition to begin talking directly TO God, unfortunately for us, requires inordinate doses of purging pain, to pry off those barnacle obsessions and imaginings ABOUT God.
To be purged of mental images of adoration of mock up mental images of Jesus, celebrates only where God can bring us into that one on One with Him.
Barnacles on the hidden underside of boats, keep many boats un sea worthy and tied to harbor, locked by anchor and going nowhere.
You’re sailing gk. I can feel the wind of His Spirit in and around you. 8)
Some of my most valuable communications with God have been the direct ones that are produced in the crucible of pain and fire.
Blessings
Arc
One Love:
--- Quote from: GaryK on January 26, 2011, 09:23:13 AM ---I have ‘serious’ talks all the time, in fact every morning standing on my porch over a cup of coffee, directed right at him. Now whether he’s listening, don’t know. I don’t see him, I don’t hear him. But he shouldn’t ever tell me I didn’t talk to him. I don't make a habit of hiding behind a bush. If he wants to have a serious talk, bring it. Serious talks should work both ways. He doesn’t need explanation from me, I need explanation from him.
This world is crap with some serious bad people and serious bad things going on. As far as I’m concerned it’s time to thin the herd a bit and rid this world of some of these non-forking family trees and it’s sorry by-product.
Before BT I used to think on God and Christ all the time, every night as a matter of fact. My favorite mental image was bowing at Christ’s feet, never looking into his face, but just asking forgiveness for what I am and what I’ve become. That’s the best I could offer. Not much of a relationship but I gripped it with a steel fisted grip.
I don’t think of that anymore.
My mind has become twisted with a little bit of deeper knowledge and all I do is point my finger at God and tell him he’s got some explaining to do himself. Flat out, I do not understand the non-free will and purposeful bad things in exchange for some mysterious, far off, hiding behind a bush better ‘spiritual’ development. Any ‘spiritual development’ on this end has become pure rot and decay, and it stinks. I don’t care for it. He wants to hide behind a bush, go for it. I’ll be standing here in the open, waiting.
He knows how I’m behaving. Badly. Always have. No good marks here, and I’m not looking for any. If he’s god then I don’t need to explain. He does. And it’s past due.
Whelp, I thought about letting go on this one but I’ll keep it sweet. Besides, there's plenty of others here who like to keep things rosey enough.
Sorry L&F, you asked, I told you. No offense to anyone.
gk
--- End quote ---
GK, you're a brave man, you remind me of the Psalmist David, Job & his friends, infact, the whole bible, good or bad, GOD took them out! Why do that? we didn't ask to be here, but GOD made it so, no way out of this life, people cried unto him, suffering was worse than now, everything under the sun is vanity. They all sleep in the earth awaiting his return. It was not better even when Jesus was on earth, but we have to hope on. Our daily cries will change nothing, nobody can please GOD. Even those who think they're good is not. Vanity! vanity, vanity!
God Bless us all
GaryK:
--- Quote from: lostANDfound on January 26, 2011, 03:09:47 PM --- i DO NOT commend your attitude towards God though. i think if you continue to shake your tiny pipsqueak fist at God without really begging for understanding first, and seeking, and waiting, it will be to your utter shame.
--- End quote ---
LOL. Maybe so.
You’re reminding me of Mrs. Horseman. When things get a little too heady she’d notch me down: “hey tough guy, you may have sovereign kingship in that barn out there, but in THIS house you weld power when I give it to you!”
That usually settled things.
Not that you’re worried L&F, but I know where my boots are planted. I haven’t flipped. I’m an inch shy of sane as the next sane person. You should see how wrought I get if someone hurts an animal. There are some souls in this world that function more efficiently as puddles.
God knows what he’s doing. I know that. He’s just showing me the ears work better when the mouth is shut. Scrapes and bruises are part of the package.
And to each and every one who has left encouragements and pointers, thank you.
gk
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