> General Discussions
"Why So Hard?"
ciy:
Patrick
Just a quick one, got to run. As with most "old sayings" that I loved most of my life, they are completely against the plan of God. They drive our attention to the carnal instead of the spiritual.
If God does not give one more than they themselves can handle then one cannot be broken. You must be broken and ground into powder to be the new creation ready for the 1st resurrection. The good news is that if you know this then count it all joy when God is chastening, judging, and gracing that old man out of you.
CIY
Deborah-Leigh:
Follow up from Randy to Ray ;D
Hi again Ray,
First of all WOW!!!!
I am blown away. I've started reading with hope of understanding and I can't believe my eyes. Tithing is really not right. when Jesus had a fish bring up the taxes and such and no other Apostle asked for tithes. Some in the church say that selling the houses were also connected to tithes. and the tithe of tithes are to begiven to teh church durning the holy dasys to help pay for the building we used for gathering I really didn't know what it really ment I just followed along.
I am so greatful God is helping me on these scriptures that seem to make more sence then ever before. As my mind was conditioned to other scripture understanding I see the truth in what you've pointed out in the bible but I still have my old thinking saying "hey maybe this and what about that" such as gathering to gether not to forsake it so I still have alot of understand and wrong ideas what the bile says that I have to purge out of my thoughts and understanding.
I've found most who go to church are emty inside and not really flowing with the spirit of God, but I've always dismissed it as something that I couldn't understand but it was ok.
I have never heard words like this before in so much proven ways.
I'm reading the lake of fire writings you have on your home page and lusifer and light bringer. I've always wondered why God in his perfection would make a creation that was perfect and later would go bad. In my eyes this would make God a incompatant creator. {spelling} but the fact satan was made to makes us become perfect in spirit {not 100% sure i have the understand all correct yet} instead of God being not all seeing and a failer in his creation.
As with the fact also that God would create people to later just destroy them show again he didn't know what he was doing we he made man seemed weird and not right but I didn't know what I've been reading in the last day.
Do you have other writtings not on the home page?
Also when the theif was on the cross by Jesus he wasn't baptizes in water when Jesus said he would be with him. I'm so awed and these new understanding and yes I was looking for something inside people and just never seen it in anyone before.I have to admit I am a little gun shy as it were because I thought I was right in my understanding before so I ask please have patenice with me.
I really hope the is more to read on your writting and believe it when I say I am no fan of reading I hate to read, but I'm looking foward to reading some more.
WOW WOW WOW
Randy
Looks like Randy would sure enjoy the Forum ;D
Martymonster:
Wow that's cool!
I love to see people set free from the tyranny of Babylon!
Some times it is hard for me to know if I'm suffering because of my own sin or if I am being chastened and pruned (I really hope it's the latter) but one thing I am starting to realise is that I am starting to get to know myself a lot better through Him, and I realise there really is no good in me!
That's what these trials are for, to show us that there is nothing good in us except Christ!
It is disconcerting though when the beast rears his ugly head, for example I get angry! not towards people so much but inanimate objects mostly, if I trip over something and hurt myself, you don't want to be in ear shot of my potty mouth!
I actually want to be broken down, I don't want this beast to rule, He only brings tyranny and oppression, I don't want to be forced to worship him anymore!
Come on Lord, lead me out of Egypt already!
rocky:
--- Quote from: hillsbororiver on January 20, 2007, 11:53:53 AM ---
--- Quote from: rocky on January 20, 2007, 10:49:57 AM ---Something I've been thinking about is what is the suffering we are to experience to enter the kingdom of God?
No one in this world is free from suffering. Wounds run deep, for followers of Christ and non followers of Christ.
I'm thinking the suffering is different for Christians, and the result is different. One leads to worldly sorrow, and one leads to Godly sorrow.
2Co 7:10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
there's a verse somewhere that talks about suffering for doing good or suffering for doing bad, (can't find it at the moment)
Just wondering if any have some examples of the differences, or insight.
--- End quote ---
Hi Rocky,
I can give a short, personal response in regard to the difference between my own worldly suffering and Spiritual suffering. When I was oblivious to the Spirit and totally engrossed with day to day life in the world I would blame any setbacks or suffering on others, any time events did not go my way it was either someone else who screwed me or by their incompetence I had to overcome something that "never should have happened."
Now when things are not going the way I would desire or prefer I see it as part of the trials and tribulation I must endure to purge this carnal heart from it's inherent wickedness. Instead of looking outward for someone to blame I look inward and see how far I have yet to go.
There is comfort in knowing that God is in control and that He is creating His Sons and Daughters, as Patrick mentioned we are the clay and for a pot or vessel to be worth anything it must endure the kiln's fire.
His Peace and Wisdom to you,
Joe
--- End quote ---
I agree Joe, whether we look at trials through carnal eyes or spiritual eyes is the key. But do you think that is what this verse is meaning?
1Pe 3:17 It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.
Joey Porter:
I find that most of the tribulations I go through are inward (though I've had my share of outward ones, to be sure). But I'm talking about spiritual tribulations - wars between the flesh and spirit. Feelings of inadequacy. Wandering about in a spiritual funk. Feeling no spiritual fire or excitement burning at all.
Romans 7
21So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22For in my inner being I delight in God's law; 23but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!
I guess that's where true faith comes into play. Seeing how weak I am yet believing that I will be delivered moreso day by day from the desires of the flesh. I am sure that God wants us to feel no confidence about what we can do ourselves. The hard part is still having faith even while we're seeing our wretchedness.
It's tough, because I think the natural human reaction, when we see our weaknesses, is to run from God, or to block out what we see in ourselves. Ignore it, pretend it's not there. Remember what Adam and Eve did in the garden when they saw their nakedness - they hid and tried to cover it.
I think that could be one of the things that separates the ''called'' from the ''chosen.'' The ''chosen'' are brought to a point of facing their sinfulness face to face, and acknowledging it. Not just the open sinfulness like debauchery and drunkennes. That is the stuff that everyone sees, and of course, even many of the called repent of those things.
I'm talking about that deep, dark yucky stuff - hypocrisy, cowardliness, hatred for fellow man, etc. All the things that only we ourselves can see in there.
Just like the pharisees, the ''called'' have an idea that there are some nasty things lurking on the inside of their dish, but they just block it out and go on doing good works for the Lord (making fig leaf coverings for themselves) and never go through the spiritual tribulations that help us to grow and conform to Christ's image. God brings the chosen to a point of cleaning the inside of that dish.
So many people expect that "Great Tribulation" to involve microchips and dictators and so forth, and many people even believe they won't be here to experience it. But they totally miss the fact that we're to be going through an inward "great tribulation" throughout our walk.
I know how that emailer feels. There are seasons when I do feel lost and useless and doubtful about what I thought I knew. And there are seasons I go through when I don't even seem to care about anything spiritual. But then I get dragged back in and begin to learn new things. Just part of the tribulations we have to go through to enter the kingdom I guess.
I was thinking the other day about lifting weights. When the muscles are used to lift heavy weights, they are torn down and need time to rest and recuperate so they can rebuild. And each time they are torn down and rebuilt, they rebuild themselves a little bit bigger and stronger than they were before.
Maybe God made the muscles of the human body that way as a symbol of what our spiritual growth is like. I think about Jacob wrestling with God. I think that's what we have to do from time to time. He brings us to a point where we question things, question ourselves, question God, struggle, get frustrated, feel lost, see our weaknesses, etc.
But we have to go through these things, and He always (hopefully) brings us back to a point of coming back to Him for rest - but we have to wrestle with Him and probably endure some chastening first. We do our ''heavy lifting'' as we wrestle with God and search for answers. But then He brings us back to rest for a season. We have peace in our spirit, and during this time of rest, our "spiritual muscles" rebuild a little bit bigger and stronger than they were before.
Or maybe I'm just crazy. But Paul did say:
1 Timothy 4
7Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. 8For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.
Paul does make somewhat of a comparison between physical training and training ourselves to be godly. All physical training, whether it's lifting weights or endurance training or just hard work - it's all very taxing at the time. But it benefits us and makes the body stronger and able to handle more and more each time we do it.
I could go on and on about this, but I guess that's enough for now. :)
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