> General Discussions

Spiritual Journey Dilemma

<< < (7/9) > >>

Stacey:

--- Quote ---But I perceive the truth to be that 100% comes from God.
--- End quote ---

Absolutely, I agree and do not think that either Joe or Doug was saying anything otherwise. Even though the effort and ability is caused by God, we endure the process to succeed or fail in all our endeavors what ever they may be we still have to do the doing part of it (effort) no matter the fact that God is causing us to do it, we have to go through the process of Him doing it all.

I believe that every bit of what has been said does apply to Joe's initial post.

Some of us are angry and disgruntled at God, some of us have lost our way and fallen back into old habits and it is God that has brought about the circumstances that caused us to make the choices we have but it is also God that has laid down the law for us to obey His commandments, to want to, to desire to, to put forth the effort, to PRAY FOR DELIVERANCE from our current position, to SEEK FIRST THE FATHER for help to get back to Him and move on from not obeying His commandments and then, we will see improvement in our current status and relationship with God.

Dave in Tenn:
Jesus is Lord.  I'll cop guilty to every sin I ever committed (and I'm far and away more perpetrator than victim).  I know I'm accountable and that 'to sin' is my natural state.  I am completely capable of sinning (in the falling short of the mark sense) even when I don't really want/mean to.   

But I don't believe I can be accountable for righteousness.  Even faith is a gift...and it's not even MY faith by which I'm saved/healed, but his.  For righteousness and Christ-likeness and bearing the fruit of the Spirit (and any other Scriptural expression of the same thought), I am not capable, even when I want to.  No amount of exertion is sufficient for that, except "struggling to enter rest".  I don't for a minute believe that "rest" is eternal retirement in heaven.  I believe it's keeping that Spiritual Sabbath and ceasing from my labor.

So I guess my dilemma is in trying to figure out just what it is I'm supposed to be striving for.  I confess I don't really understand all of what those words mean.  I'm just pretty sure they don't mean what the traditions of men and theologians say they mean.     

grapehound:
Amen Dave,

hillsbororiver:

--- Quote from: prarrydog on January 30, 2011, 11:16:11 AM ---I know this thread has gone in a bit of a different direction than the original post, but as I was checking the verse listed in the latest e-mail to ray "Homeless" I came across these verses which I think add a witness to what Joe was originally saying.  Funny how that happens huh?

Isaiah 58 - NIV

1 “Shout it aloud, do not hold back.
   Raise your voice like a trumpet.
Declare to my people their rebellion
   and to the descendants of Jacob their sins.
2 For day after day they seek me out;
   they seem eager to know my ways,
as if they were a nation that does what is right
   and has not forsaken the commands of its God.
They ask me for just decisions
   and seem eager for God to come near them.
3 ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say,
   ‘and you have not seen it?
Why have we humbled ourselves,
   and you have not noticed?’
   “Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please
   and exploit all your workers.
4 Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife,
   and in striking each other with wicked fists.
You cannot fast as you do today
   and expect your voice to be heard on high.
5 Is this the kind of fast I have chosen,
   only a day for people to humble themselves?
Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed
   and for lying in sackcloth and ashes?
Is that what you call a fast,
   a day acceptable to the LORD?

 6 “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
   and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
   and break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry
   and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
   and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
   and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness[a] will go before you,
   and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.
9 Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.

With love
Scott

--- End quote ---

Hi Scott,

What you posted is an absolutely awesome additional witness to this topic.

I want to thank you and every single person who posted as it has all been beneficial...

I have more comments to make but I can't right now.

Thanks again Scott and everyone else as well,

Joe

grapehound:
When we understand that we have no control and that God has total control, the centre of our confidence shifts from ourselves to Him. So it's only in our weakness that we are truly strong, because it's His strength we must rely on and His strength is boundless.
We are loved in our weakness. We must decrease and He must increase.

Grape

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

[*] Previous page