Unequally yolked

[Deborah-Leigh]

Hello Michele

Your questions are beautiful. Some of them are rhetorical. Some of them have been echoed down the corridors of the ages finding their way into Ancient Greek philosophy, winding forwards and bursting into multiple religions that entertained a bias for one interpretation or another.

Jesus asked...."Who do you say I am?"..... I feel your anxiety. My own  anxiety  propelled me to leave my first love..... I was pushed by my own anxiety and pain to leave Jesus Christ in search of the Truth not knowing He is the Truth!

In this He etched for me His plan for my own painful experiences.........of which (as I perceive ) your sufferings now,  bear some resemblance to what I experienced in my past. My Father was from Jewish lineage and my Mother was Catholic.

I feel some futility to call to your mind the words of Jesus "Peace...BE STILL"....because I know if Peace is not on the agenda within Gods timing for you, then it is not going to happen no matter what. Only Jesus can say, "Come" and only then we can anyone walk on water.

I know what it feels like to see Him NO WHERE in sight!....I can softly and sympathetically advise you to quietly and prayerfully read the teachings on Free Will. See the Home Page. As you read, stop at each place where you do not understand and wait.........Write to us and ask one question at a time........There is Christ's Spirit of Wisdom, Council and Understanding here.......

Take your time....there is no need to rush....there is only need to wait,...ask.... and pray................................Who do YOU say He is?... Only He can reveal Himself to you.....not the world, not the Ancient Greek Philosophers, not religion, not people, not one side of your family or the other, nothing you can do and no one but HE can reveal to you who HE is.....EVERYTHING we do is a consequence of HIM. Praying is a consequence of HIM....Understanding is a consequence of HIM, waiting is a consequence of HIM, Peace is a consequence of HIM....

Keep studying Michele...... 2 Cor 3 : 18  And all of us, as with unveiled face, because we continued to behold in the Word of God, as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendour and from ONE DEGREE of glory to another, for this comes from the Lord Who is the Spirit...

I believe, I percieve, He is moving you from one degree to another in His transfomation of you into His image and likeness and He is ..."not unable to understand and sympathize and have a shared feeling with our weaknesses and infirmities and liability to the assaults of temptation....." Heb 4 : 15  He is our High Priest....


Peace to you

Arcturus 

[andrevan]

Hi Michele, your post reminds me in certain ways of how I was some years ago, I can understand where you're coming from. i'll try to answer most of your points raised, as i'm still learning myself, forgive me if I make some mistakes, my forum friends please correct me if i'm out of line 

Thanks I'll check out the links.  I don't think anything that has to do with "creationism" will have any effect whatsoever on persons who are already adverse to the whole idea of God.  Or otherwise known as non-believers.....which they are because God hasn't "dragged" them to him yet, Yes?

Here's the thing: we do not know who or when God is going to drag someone to Jesus Christ.  We preach the message of reconciliation if prompted, and leave the rest to God's spirit to do His will in that person. Many atheists have been dragged to God through many different methods, this is the awesome thing I find about how God works. We should never underestimate what God can use, whether it's "creationism", preaching, TBN, Bible tracts or whatever. I used to be a "Sunday" Christian [unconverted/apathetic] for many years, because I used to believe in alien life and parts of evolution, until God placed a few people in my path. He completely destroyed the idols of my heart, I came out of confusion and intense fustration and into the Truth, but it took years.

I am Still trying so very hard to let go of  the thoughts that was pounded into me as a child about having to "save" others from hellfire. It's hard to stop the fear.

One side of my family that I married into is nearly all athiest and the other side of my blood family is traditional fundamental christian.  One side believes that God/Bible and everything associated with it is a myth, the christian side believes that everyone but the few who "believe through faith" are going to burn in "hell" for eternity.

And in the midst of this all i have a daughter to raise.

I feel very scared and alone a lot.  I'm trying very hard to wrap God's truth around me but it's hard letting go of the fear even though I want to with all my heart.

Remember that all of us here on the forum are with you every step of the way in spirit and in pray, so stand firm in the Truth, God is working out His plan and intention, we have nothing to fear.

In the meantime, what do you do with this type of thing?
http://www.vexen.co.uk/religion/lnx.html

I wouldn't worry about this site, there are many theories & opinions out there in the world, however they count for nothing, as God's will is always done. If you have a gift for debunking that which stands against Jesus Christ, God will have put the will in you to do it. 

I'm wanting to the information clear back to the earliest versions/most accurate versions of the bible translations.  I want to have the book that you use to translate the old words into english.  I want to see with my own eyes where the translators mistranslated the word sheol into a word that most "christians" have been taught means "hellfire"but really means death/grave.  After that I want to try to tackle all the other things that I have no idea how to deal with now (Please see the above link).

My own advise to you would be to rest in God's plan, His will. We know that we can do nothing of ourselves, but it is God who inspires us by circumstances to do things. Come to a place of peace with your new found truths, when hell is no longer an issue, then take it from there one step at a time. 

I cannot answer all of those questions.  How can you even answer the basic question of your own faith?  Can't.  You are going towards God because he's dragging you to him...that's not an answer that stands up well with non-believers who obviously have not been called...yet.

Remember that God uses various methods to drag us to Him. Those God calls have in them a true desire for the truth, when they find the truth they accept it, they are the called. We know that Jesus IS the truth, there can only be one truth. Those who don't want the truth will look for things their "itching ears" want to hear, they are not the called, simple.

I'm still struggling up the mountain.  I feel inadequate to the task but feel i must try in order to keep my own sanity.


Can I make a blatant statement and see what you think.  After 30 something years of being told Otherwise, I'd like to see if a basic statement that I woke up thinking the other morning is full of God's truth and accurate:

God is dragging to him those who he wants to know him.  We did Not have anything to do with this. We did not choose him he chose us then we felt the need to come to search for Him?  Most of the people in this world are Not chosen and do not know him.  God meant for there to be Believers and NON believers.  Why? I cannot answer that one..to teach us all some lesson?  To show how merciful he is at the judgement to the non-believers?  Anyway, being a NON believer is Not the athiests or non-christians fault because this is part of God's plan.  If your spouse, friend, or child is a non-believer, despite you doing your best to show them what you know of God, then that's the way God wants it to be, for now, and you do Not have to worry about their eternal fate because God will fix it for everyone.

Is that accurate?

Close enough for me. Ray's conference in Mobile covers almost all of your questions. The audio files of the conference can be found under the announcements category, if you have not already listened to them may I recommend you do, as it helped my wife and I a great deal. I've listened to the conference about 5 times now and every time more and more parts of the false doctrines of Christendom disappear.
i admire your perseverance, you can ony give it your best shot [even that's from God ], after this you can do no more, God's perfect will prevails, we leave it in His capable hands.

I have a list of 64 questions that non-believers ask "Christians".  I cannot answer them and I don't know if anyone has ever tried.  The non-believers seem to use them to poke fun at believers, or perhaps they are perfectly legitimate questions.  Can Anyone here answer them?  If someone could help answer them we could post them here for those searching for answers.

What about Richard Dawkins and all those like him who has a new book out about (God being bogus)? Non believers love that stuff.

Of course they love that stuff, Dawkins [and others] gives them what their itching ears want to hear! God however is in control not Dawkins or anyone else. I feel God is even using Dawkins [as well as others] to "sift" people.

While we cannot deny anything that is scientific "proof" about Creation, and why would we,  it's the way they catagorically state that God is a myth, an old creation myth that always gets my goat.   Despite every doubt I've ever had I've never been able to figure out how alll the athiestic scientists (definately not all are) say that everything could happen without a creator.  They can make these fantastical leaps to how the Big bang started it all and on and on...but where did matter come from? Atoms, protons, neutrons?  All the basic elements.  ANything physical that exists, how did it come to be? People are always on about "Nature" is wonderful, power of Nature.  Well, where does Nature and the Universe get it's power from?  IT's God.  That's what I think.  And then they always say Well then miss smarty pants, where did GOD come from?  ANd that's the  end of that discussion because "God was always here" just don't cut it in the nonbelieving human mind.  It's funny or sad to me how the nonbelieving scientists are so confidant about God not existing cause "nature just happened to develop by chance all on it's own", yet despite all the technology we have today and all the knowledge about the human genome etc....man has never ever been able to create life from non-life.  What about that?

Many atheists are really not interested in the truth [they just pretend to be], if they were they would have rejected evolution long ago and become one of the called. In reality they care not for the truth [God has not given them the desire YET], again "itching ears". Evoluton justifies their atheism. They will only let it go if/when God calles them.

Should we spend out lives only in pursuit of getting closer to God?  Or how much time do you spend on trying to show others?
I"ve been told to be humble and only try to answer when someone asks something, otherwise just keep on keeping on for yourself.  And then you have this:
I do fully testify, then, before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who is about to judge living and dead at his manifestation and his reign--
preach the word; be earnest in season, out of season, convict, rebuke, exhort, in all long-suffering and teaching,
for there shall be a season when the sound teaching they will not suffer, but according to their own desires to themselves they shall heap up teachers--itching in the hearing,
and indeed, from the truth the hearing they shall turn away, and to the fables they shall be turned aside". Timothy 4:1-4. This also goes for those who would prefer to hear that there is no God.

If God wants to use you to call someone to Jesus by preaching/teaching, He will bring the situation about. Not all of us are designated preachers or teachers, but we have this,

"Yet if you may be suffering also because of righteousness, happy are you. Now you may not be afraid with their fear, nor yet be disturbed, yet hallow the Lord Christ in your hearts, ever ready with a defense [answer] for everyone who is demanding from you an account concerning the expectation in you, but with meekness and fear," 1 Peter 3:14-15
If a person rejects your reason for the hope that's in you, well that's their problem, not yours  God isn't calling them at that time. Just let them be, God will save them in the end because He loves every single one of us. None will be lost.

I am Not knowledgeable enough about the Bible to tell anyone anything other than what I'm learning, except in my case nobody asks me because they think what I'm learning here is bologna, both sides of my family think that. 

It all leaves me feeling extremely overwhelmed and completely uncertain what to do next.
I truly need a life plan, and a life plan that will help me live in as much peace and harmony as is possible being married to a nonbeliver, having a fundamental christian family on the other side, and worrying about my child all at the same time.

Can I just keep studying about the Truth of God and let everything else go?  Can I find it inside my skeptical, fearsome self to just let God have it all and stop worrying? I"m terrified of doing or saying the wrong things.

HOW do you keep others from hurting you on this journey when you believe something so different to what they think?
How do you go on when you feel so alone and persecuted...even silent persecution hurts terribly.
What do you do when you tell your child one thing and your spouse another..how's it going to know what to follow and if they don't follow what you think is True, how do you stop liiving in fear?

Thanks for your help.

"James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes in the dispersion. Rejoice!"
All joy deem it, my brethren, whenever you should be falling into various trials,
knowing that the testing of your faith is producing endurance.
Now let endurance have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and unimpaired, lacking in nothing."
Now if anyone of you is lacking wisdom, let him be requesting it from God, Who is giving to all generously and is not reproaching, and it shall be given to him."
James 1:1-5

and

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who, according to His vast mercy, regenerates us into a living expectation, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from among the dead,
for the enjoyment of an allotment incorruptible and undefiled and unfading, kept in the heavens for you,
who are garrisoned by the power of God, through faith, for salvation ready to be revealed in the last era,
in which you are exulting; briefly at present, if it must be, being sorrowed by various trials,
that the testing of your faith, much more precious than gold which is perishing, yet, being tested by fire, may be found for applause and glory and honor at the unveiling of Jesus Christ"
1 Peter 1:3-7

God bless you,
Andrevan.

[Deborah-Leigh]

Amen. Andrevan. AMEN!

Arcturus

[pstrevnglstchrls]

Thank you for all your wonderful responses. Yet I must say the greek and hebrew are limited in their interpretation of the word of God in that greek and hebrew are carnal languages and well our Heavenly father is Spirit. Praying one time I see how different people different denominations different ideas seeped themselves into the word of God.
so being in prayer I sought the Lord and asked him which ones are right and well hsis response is they are all wrong. When someone starts an interpretation of scripture with "I think" this is the down fall of our interpretation the word of God must not be interpreted
with what you or I think but rather with what God says. Than someone says well the original texts is Greek or hebrew. Intresting thing, when jesus was crucified in the book of luke 24:38 And a superscription also was written over him in letters of greek, latin, and hebrew, this is the King of the Jews. Funny how all those languages say the same thing.
well any how Ive got bad news for all our intense scholars and deep thinkers the original texts did not come from any of the languages of this earth for before it was written here it was said in heaven. So the pure translation comes through the spirit. So agree the scripture John 14:26 But the comforterwhich is the holy ghost whom the father will send in my name he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your rememberance whatsoever I have said unto you. In all my studies I have yet to find that the Holy Ghost is Greek or that the Spirit of God is hebrew and for all our wonderful skeptics out there we forgot that the scripture say the carnal mind is emnity against God and that the natural man recieveth not the things of God. so answer this question what race definition is water what era is oxygen started in? thanks

[mick24458]

I have gained more understanding from these posts than many others I have read on this forum site and others.
I completely empathise with Michelle's cry for answers. I have the same cry. Keep asking the questions.
Matt 7:7-8 "Keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened.  For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And the door is opened to everyone who knocks. NLT 

[Deborah-Leigh]

Hello pstrevnglstchrls

This is a excerpt from the teaching on the TWELVE GOD-GIVEN TRUTHS TO UNDERSTAND HIS WORD on the home page.

"None of the wicked shall understand; but the Wise shall understand" (Daniel 12:10)

TRUTH NUMBER 5[A] "It is the spirit that quickens [gives life]; the flesh profits nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are SPIRIT, and they are life" (John 6:63). "But this spoke He of the SPIRIT..." (John 7:39).[C] "And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the SPIRIT which IS the word of God" ( Eph. 6:17).Everything from Genesis to Revelation pertains to a higher SPIRITUAL meaning than the physical examples, parables, metaphors, allegories, stories and symbols in which they are written. "Let us make man in Our Image" (Gen. 1:26) are words of SPIRIT: "...Surely I come quickly..." (Rev. 22:20) are words of SPIRIT. God does not look like a six-foot man or a five-foot woman. Jesus comes quickly to us, not to the world.John tells us that: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... and the Word was MADE FLESH... grace and truth came by Jesus Christ" (John 1:1, 14 & 17). God is not "flesh." Jesus had to be "made flesh." And then AS flesh, Jesus had to "grow and wax strong" (Luke 2:40). God does not "grow or wax strong," but Jesus "made flesh" had to grow and wax strong. Jesus also had to "overcome" (John 16:33). God does not need to overcome anything. Jesus had to "suffer" and "learn obedience" (Heb. 5:. God does not suffer: God does not learn anything, seeing that God is all knowing (Isa. 46:10).Jesus was "troubled in His soul" (John 12:27). God is never troubled in HIS soul. Jesus got "weary" (John 4 6). God never gets weary (Isa. 40:28). Jesus became "exceeding sorrowful" (Matt. 26:38). God never sorrows. Jesus was famished after fasting for 40 days and nights. He was so "hungry" that he was ready to die (Matt. 4:2). God never gets hungry. God can never die of hunger. Jesus got very "thirsty" (John 19:28). God never gets thirsty. Jesus "wept" (John 11:35). God never weeps. Jesus was acquainted with "sickness" (Isa. 53:3). God never gets sick.How sad that many Christians believe that nothing bad ever happened to Jesus before His crucifixion. If it were not for God IN Jesus, Jesus would have been as helpless as a newborn baby. In fact, Jesus said with all humility and truth: "I can of Mine Own Self do nothing..." (John 5:30).Jesus Christ is our Example of just how man (mankind) is to "be made into the Image of God." Jesus is our example, our way, and our destiny: "For whom He did foreknow, [that's US, and eventually all humanity, I Cor. 15:28], He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the Firstborn among many brethren" (Rom. 8:29).Jesus was made a physical man so that He could show us the way to the spirit God.And so it was that this Jesus, in the flesh, who became human, became a man of flesh, was conformed into the spiritual "Image of God," and spoke to us through His "words of spirit." It is Jesus Who "was the word of God" back in Genesis, Who did the speaking when "...God [the Word] said, Let there be light" (Gen. 1:3). It was "the word" in Genesis 1:26 Who said: "Make will We humanity in Our Image..." (Concordant Version). What kind of words were those words, which The Word spoke back there in the garden? Why they were the words of Jesus, and Jesus plainly tells us that His words "ARE SPIRIT" (John 6:63). "And creating is God humanity in His [spiritual] Image. In the Image of God He creates it. Male and female He [spiritually] creates them" Gen. 1:27). Why of course, that is why Paul teaches us that we are, "...to be conformed to the Image of His Son." Jesus now is in the very spiritual image of God, just as He was prior to being emptied into human flesh, in the form of a servant:"And now, O Father, GLORIFY You Me with Thine Own Self with the glory which I HAD WITH YOU BEFORE THE WORLD WAS" (John 17:5).If mankind is not in the literal, physical image of God, then what, pray tell, does God look like? "To whom then will you liken Me, or shall I be equal? Says the Holy One... I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside Me... I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace and create evil: I the Lord do all these things... I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even My hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded... To whom will you like Me, and make Me equal, and compare Me, that we may be like?" (Isa. 40:25; 45:5, 7, 12; 46:5)"God is not a MAN..." (Num. 23:19), regardless of how many millions of theologians want to make God into the image of sinful man. God is not in our image: neither are we yet in His Image.Obviously the words that Jesus spoke were "spirit," seeing that His very words came from GOD, Who IS SPIRIT: "For He [Jesus] Whom God has sent speaks the WORDS OF God, for God gives not the SPIRIT by measure unto Him" (John 3:34).Did Jesus give His Apostles the power to speak words of SPIRIT? Yes, He did: "And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in the demonstration of the SPIRIT and of power" (I Cor. 2:4)."The spirit of the Lord spoke by me, and His word was in my tongue" (II Sam. 23:2). "According to the word that I did covenant with you when ye came out of Egypt, so My spirit remains among you; fear ye not" (Haggai 2:5)."For to one is given by the spirit the word of wisdom: to another the word of knowledge by the same spirit" (I Cor. 12:."And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God" (Eph. 6:17).And we too are to speak with these same "words of SPIRIT""For it is not you that speak, but the spirit of your Father which speaks [words of spirit] in you" (Matt. 10:20).And of course the same thing was true for Christ:"...the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father's [God is spirit] which sent me" (John 14:24).Now then, how did Jesus teach the multitudes, ALWAYS? In parables: "All these things spoke Jesus unto the multitudes in parable; and without a parable spoke He not unto them" (Matt. 13:34; Mark 4:33-34; John 10:6; 16:25). Parables are "words of spirit."The day that we fail to believe Jesus when He tells us that His words "are SPIRIT," is the day that we will fail to understand anything spiritual. The words of Jesus are not to be taken literally, physically, materially, carnally. All of Jesus' teachings are SPIRITUAL. I will keep this section short, as this principle overlaps with all of the rest of the principles.

It is a valuable exercise to learn the rest of the principles. I for one, am still learning!

Arcturus

[hillsbororiver]

This idea of language not being a complete or even an effective tool of communication has been pesented here and numerous other places as well as through history, what standard should "spiritual communications be discerned?"

Isa 8:20  To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

In Isa 30 it is stated;

Isa 30:8  Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come forever and ever:

Isa 30:9  That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD:

Isa 30:10  Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:


How easy would it be to be deceived by Satan if we only used "feelings" as a guide?

2Co 11:14  And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

2Co 11:15  Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

How convincing are the arguments of the deceiver?

Mat 24:24  For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

There are many examples where it is not a suggestion or merely implied to write these things which the Lord speaks, but COMMANDED. I will end this post with one last verse.

1Co 10:11  Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

His Peace and Wisdom to you,

Joe

P.S. If anyone is interested in searching this deeper, do an E-Sword word search using "written" and another search "write" be sure to bring a lunch the results are quite extensive.

[Layla]

Hi Joe - this is an excellent post.  An excellent reminder. 

what standard should "spiritual communications be discerned?"

Isa 8:20  To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

Isa 30:9  That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD:

Unfortunately, most of the members of the body (myself included) are ignorant of the law.  Jesus Christ our Lord fulfilled the law and if we are to be found in Him then the righteousness of the law will be fulfilled in us.

Rom 7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.

Rom 8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

In order to come out of that ignorance we need to study the law (not the letter of the law which is unto sin and death) but the Spirit of the Law which is unto Life.  When we are no longer ignorant of the law, then through the Spirit of Christ we are able to apply it to all that we say and do (righteous judgment).

Thank you Joe for this post    It was very timely for me.

Peace,
Layla

[pstrevnglstchrls]

You know it is an intresting concept that when Jesus  spoke parables that the Pharisees got together in groups but yet the limited disciples
went to Jesus. The Pharisees held meetings to try to figure out what Jesus said, and never knew yet the ignorant fools the disciples went to jesus, I like the way in the scripture say 1 Corinthians 3:18 Let no man decieve himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool,that he may be wise. If you get two smart people together and they start talking no one is learning because they are both talking, is it not funny that people are telling God what his word means instead of listening to Him as to what his words mean.
Just like the pharisees smart guys talking to each other and knowing nothing, discioles go to the one that spoke and asked him. You know if everyone went to God and recieved his understand then we would all speak the same thing the truth in Love. Intresting thing when people use scripture to prove their point and yet God just spoke truth, Truth needs not to be convinced if noone believed truth it would not turn into a lie, Jesus said I am the way the truth and the life. Jesus is the word.

[Layla]

Hi Pst

I loved the observation of the gathering of the Pharisees in comparison to the Disciples!

You know if everyone went to God and recieved his understand then we would all speak the same thing the truth in Love.

Amen.