> General Discussions
Luke 23:34 - Ray's comments added, last post
GaryK:
--- Quote from: DougE6 on August 24, 2011, 09:11:09 PM ---Hi Bluzman. Keep the faith. Don't become discouraged. Sometimes realizing the extent of our weakness is vital before God begins to rescue us. But to realize the extent of your weakness, your need to try and fail. We all can relate to what you are saying. Yet I can assure that God has done great changes in me, sometimes after a long desert time. But thirst is an absolute prerequiste to His work. ( I am not going to get into yes I know the thirst comes from God even if that is true, why talk about that, we don't know when He will move, this is all about seeking Him)
Please keep your thirst for God and the things of God. Pursue righteousness. Beg God to change you. Plead with Him to change you. I promise, He will. Doug
--- End quote ---
--- Quote ---(I am not going to get into yes I know the thirst comes from God even if that is true, why talk about that, we don't know when He will move, this is all about seeking Him)
--- End quote ---
"IF"...........?
So one can keep a thirst for God even when/if God doesn't want them to thirst, or let's say, when one is caused to fall away from the first love, whenever/if that may be, we can retain our thirst for God. That's what happened with the prodigal son?
?
I'm just trying to reconcile this with what I've read. No wonder I stay in a perpetual state of confusion.
gk
JohnMichael:
--- Quote from: gk on August 25, 2011, 09:12:38 AM ---"IF"...........?
So one can keep a thirst for God even when/if God doesn't want them to thirst, or let's say, when one is caused to fall away from the first love, whenever/if that may be, we can retain our thirst for God. That's what happened with the prodigal son?
?
I'm just trying to reconcile this with what I've read. No wonder I stay in a perpetual state of confusion.
gk
--- End quote ---
Hi GK,
In answer to your question bolded above, the answer is no. According to the Scriptures:
Php 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
1Ki 8:57 The LORD our God be with us, as he was with our fathers: let him not leave us, nor forsake us:
1Ki 8:58 That HE may incline our hearts unto him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments, which he commanded our fathers. (emphasis mine)
Eze 36:26 A new heart also will I [God] give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
Eze 36:27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
Therefore, unless God is the one moving in one's heart to will and do and desire to do good, they will not. One cannot thwart God's sovereignty because it is God who puts the desire in one's heart in the first place.
Joh 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
Joh 9:33 If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.
Once God removes the desire from a person's heart to do good and follow after Him, man will go back to what he does voluntarily - which is sin. Man cannot beg God to restore that desire unless it is GOD who is causing man to do so. To imply that man could do such a thing without the influence of God is to support and believe in free will.
I hope this helps.
In Him,
John
GaryK:
Well, that's good to know.
For a milli-fraction-of-a-split-nano-second I thought maybe I would put up for auction to you fine folks all my bindings of Rays teachings of scripture.
Thank you JohnMichael------good grasshopper.
gk
Dave in Tenn:
No, Gary!! Hang onto the binders, and let what people say on the forum float softly. Salt EVERYTHING.
markn902:
This thread makes my head hurt :D
I forgot how hard it was to wrap my mind around the whole "free" will thing at first which is where,I think, this thread went to basically.
All I can say is,for me anyway, once you get there it's pretty peaceful :)
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