Commanded

[YellowStone]

Kat, you are choosing to find fault where there is none.

I feel also that you are defeating your own argument and that is if neither you or I can do anything without it being God's will for it to happen (I am not saying this is not so) then you must take up your debate with God, because I surely am not speaking my own words

I really believe you are chosing to put meanings to words that are not there. But just so that I can help you understand, I will break down what I said so that there can be no misunderstandings.

I said and I quote: "But we are to take the "invitation" or step through the doors that God opens to us when he shed His light of truth upon us. Some walk through without question, some hold back for a long time."

But you left out my very next sentence. Why?

Of course we cannot do anything of ourselves. If we could, who would need faith in God nor would we need to trust Him.  To whom do you think I was refering to in the Bold Red text in my Quoted Text.  It is God and He alone.

Where did I say or imply that man steps through the doors on HIS OWN violation, and where did I say that the same door is opened in the same way for everyone. I didn't.

You yourself have stated over and over that your departure from the church did not happen over night, but over a period of time. Did you not take small steps at first? But took them you did. Kat, we are meat eaters here, please drop the milk. Did I not say that God opens the door, this does not mean a literal door, but the door that releases all truth, sometimes it is a blinding rush; the Spirit leads the way and man must follow.

Do you believe that people just calmly give in and turn their life over to God. How may people in this forum are still finding it hard to escape the pull of the Church, but they MUST concede in their hearts that God is worthy of all Trust, and this is often the most painful lesson to learn. Are such as these holding back or not. Of course they are, but are they doing anything that God has not willed. No, of course not, but that wasn't the question.

Any one who knows me and has read my posts over the many months Knows that I do not believe what you have accused me of. 

I sure am glad that God reads hearts and knows mine.

Love in Christ
Darren

[Kat]

Darren, I may have carried that point a little far.  But the whole free will thing is very fresh in my mind from the resent transcript.  I think the myth of free will is meat and hard for many to swallow.
There are those that may only come and read on ocassion, so I like things to be really clear. Sorry you thought I was attacking you, it was a point of yours that I wanted to make clear.

mercy, peace, and love
Kat

p.s. After I stumbled onto BT, I never attended another church service since and don't miss it in the least.

[jER]

Often times - there is a certain perception, either through the senses or intellect, which denotes a particular meaning to that conveyed, by a single word.

At least that has been my experience. 

- jER

[ciy]

Kat
I agree with you about free will being one of the most powerful strongholds of the carnal man.  I have been out here several years and I have been a reader of BT for more than 2 years.  I am in my fifties and had believed and taught free will for all of that time up until about 3 years ago.  I now see clearly the truth of God's sovereignty in all things from big to little and from good to evil.  I know that God is in control and it gives me peace (when I can meditate on it or I let me say that I am growing in that knowledge of peace).

At the same time, I am amazed at how I can snap back in to my old thinking in a moment.  I will think of something in the past and begin to think, "Man if I had just done that a little differently I would be this or that now."  Then it will dawn on me that I really could not have done anything in my past any differently than the way it was done because God caused me to do exactly what I did or I would not be where I am today which is exactly where God wants me to be at this very moment.  It is sort of like knowing that calories cause one to gain weight and being determined to lose weight but in the blink of an eye one will pick up a doughnut without thinking because of old habits.  Those old habits are the tradition of men which make the word of God of none effect.  And even though you know those old thoughts are wrong before you know it you are mad at somebody and blaming them when if you would let the truth through you would know that God caused that person to do whatever they did.

That really is a truth that sets one free.  People will say so and so did me wrong or hey someone did me a great favor, but it is all God that is causing all things (big, little, good or evil) to workout to His good pleasure.  It is all about God and not about our carnal pleasures.  And I realize it is a journey that is a struggle daily to stay on the narrow path and until that old man is killed and that new man reigns in me I will continue.  Still it is the intent of my heart to seek God's truth and fill up with the word daily.

CIY

[YellowStone]

Hi Kat,

I too may have been a little pushy. Sometimes the forest (message) get's missed because of the trees (words).

I had left the church for many years prior to being led to BT.

I have no desire to return either.

Love in Christ, the Lamb.
Darren

[gmik]

CIY, excellent points.  Especially about the do-nuts!!!!

[LittleBear]

Yeah Gena and CIY,

I just KNOW that God is going to cause me to overcome this donut situation one day!

Love,

Ursula