hard situations that hurt us deeply

[ez2u]

There is a middle aged man staying with us .  I believe he came because we needed help remodeling a home.  His skills are excellent and he is a man of integrity.  Says he is a Christian.  There is a deep seated anger in him from some terrible injustice that has been done to him.  It is apparent.  I have been talking with him a little about his pain having felt that pain myself and knowing the Holy Spirit was directing me,  we have had some good conversations.  Now this is what I am getting to.  He has been afflicted, I have been afflicted too, many people are afflicted.  Jesus was afflicted by the hand of God.  I was hard for me to come to that place to know that my afflicted was purposely done for a bigger plan.  A plan of Gods'.  This was a hard thing to accept,suffering, submitting my emotions to the thing that was not stopable.  This is something to grow into.  To me there is many facets to this.  I believe this comes with a little more understanding

Joh 10:27  My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
Joh 10:28  And I give eternal life to them, and they shall not perish to the age, never! And not anyone shall pluck them out of My hand.
Joh 10:29  My Father who has given them to Me is greater than all, and no one is able to pluck out of My Father's hand.
Joh 10:30  I and the Father are One!         
Luk 24:26  Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things, and to enter into His glory?

Heb 5:6  As He also says in another place, "You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek," Psa. 110:4
Heb 5:7  who in the days of His flesh was offering both petitions and entreaties to Him being able to save Him from death, with strong crying and tears, and being heard from His godly fear;
Heb 5:8  though being a Son, He learned obedience from what He suffered
Heb 5:9  and having been perfected, He came to be the Author of eternal salvation to all the ones obeying Him,
Heb 5:10  having been called out by God as a High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek.
Heb 5:11  Concerning whom we have much discourse, and hard to interpret, or to speak, since you have come to be dull in the hearings.
Heb 5:12  For indeed because of the time you are due to be teachers, yet you need to have someone to teach you again the rudiments of the beginning of the Words of God, and you came to be having need of milk, and not of solid food;
Heb 5:13  for everyone partaking of milk is without experience in the Word of Righteousness, for he is an infant.
Heb 5:14  But solid food is for those full grown, having exercised the faculties through habit, for distinction of both good and bad.

1Pe 5:10  Now the God of all grace, the One calling you to His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, you having suffered a little, Himself will perfect, confirm, strengthen, establish you.
1Pe 5:11  To Him be the glory and the might forever and ever. Amen.
peggy

[Grateful]

Dear Peggy,

Hello!   Yes, our tribulations HURT....and HURT BAD, sometimes!!  But take heart.....for this is how we are STRENGTHENED in Spirit, for, "through MUCH tribulation must ye enter the Kingdom of Heaven."   Rejoice!  For EVERY SINGLE TRIAL brings you JUST THAT MUCH CLOSER to the Kingdom of Heaven that is WITHIN YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!

HALLELUJAH!!   (even though we must groan sometimes!)

Loving you!

Linda       (Look UP, for your Redemption draweth nigh!! )

[gmik]

Wow.  Good testimoney.  Thanks for sharing.  So many people in pain, it is just unbelievable!

I know God sent him to you!  Be Blessed!

Love ya,

[brandon h]

There is a middle aged man staying with us .  I believe he came because we needed help remodeling a home.  His skills are excellent and he is a man of integrity.  Says he is a Christian.  There is a deep seated anger in him from some terrible injustice that has been done to him.  It is apparent.  I have been talking with him a little about his pain having felt that pain myself and knowing the Holy Spirit was directing me,  we have had some good conversations.  Now this is what I am getting to.  He has been afflicted, I have been afflicted too, many people are afflicted.  Jesus was afflicted by the hand of God.  I was hard for me to come to that place to know that my afflicted was purposely done for a bigger plan.  A plan of Gods'.  This was a hard thing to accept,suffering, submitting my emotions to the thing that was not stopable.  This is something to grow into.  To me there is many facets to this.  I believe this comes with a little more understanding

Joh 10:27  My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
Joh 10:28  And I give eternal life to them, and they shall not perish to the age, never! And not anyone shall pluck them out of My hand.
Joh 10:29  My Father who has given them to Me is greater than all, and no one is able to pluck out of My Father's hand.
Joh 10:30  I and the Father are One!          peggy
Luk 24:26  Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things, and to enter into His glory?

Heb 5:6  As He also says in another place, "You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek," Psa. 110:4
Heb 5:7  who in the days of His flesh was offering both petitions and entreaties to Him being able to save Him from death, with strong crying and tears, and being heard from His godly fear;
Heb 5:8  though being a Son, He learned obedience from what He suffered
Heb 5:9  and having been perfected, He came to be the Author of eternal salvation to all the ones obeying Him,
Heb 5:10  having been called out by God as a High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek.
Heb 5:11  Concerning whom we have much discourse, and hard to interpret, or to speak, since you have come to be dull in the hearings.
Heb 5:12  For indeed because of the time you are due to be teachers, yet you need to have someone to teach you again the rudiments of the beginning of the Words of God, and you came to be having need of milk, and not of solid food;
Heb 5:13  for everyone partaking of milk is without experience in the Word of Righteousness, for he is an infant.
Heb 5:14  But solid food is for those full grown, having exercised the faculties through habit, for distinction of both good and bad.

1Pe 5:10  Now the God of all grace, the One calling you to His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, you having suffered a little, Himself will perfect, confirm, strengthen, establish you.
1Pe 5:11  To Him be the glory and the might forever and ever. Amen.

Good message. Part of swallowing solid food is knowing the true purposes for suffering. Christ Jesus, The Master, was obedient to this and the perfect example. If we aspire to truly be apart of his body, we understand pain and tribulation comes with the territory. May we all pray to grow in this aspect.

God Bless

[ez2u]

Yes there was this burning I could feel and it smells like my flesh.  ouch!!!  So   it was really hard to be thankful and ask God to bless the afflictor   but after i did it got easier and my heart was better.  Thank you Linda,Brandon and Gene.  love peggy

[hebrewroots98]

Hi guys,
I understand your pains too!
As simple as this situation may seem to you all, I was still bothered greatly by the following.  Just yesterday I was sitting at the roller rink watching my son skate away in delight (I was the first homeschool mom to arrive there.  Well every Friday this is what we hs'ers all like to do in the Winter time, plus we have the rink to ourselves since the public schooled kids are still in school.  And so in comes what used to be a friend and her kids; she went and sat all the way at the end of the seating area, away from me.  then all of the other mothers and children came in and did the same thing.  I mean, I have been with these women for over three years day in and day out at times, and they act like they never knew me.  (I did ask the first mom..."What, you can't say hello?" and she insincerely smiled at me.  All of the other women did the same thing, walked in, ignored me, and sat together in their little clique.)  I did pray for love though.  One woman came over and spoke to me and I invited her to sit and she did for a while and then went back and sat with the others.  These are supposedly the cream of the crop type of BELIEVERS!   So, ME AND THE LORD sat there together as I did some paperwork. Life IS painful at times, but, worth it in the long run.  Who knows, maybe one day we might be assigned to help Christ to rule and reign over their lives in order to teach them righteousness!

[gmik]

Yeah, that would hurt!!  Just be thinking of the one lost sheep that DID come over and speak, and try not to worry about the others.  Were their kids friendly toward Daniel???

Try to remember that they just DON'T know what you know, and they can't help themselves.

love ya lots,
gena

[LittleBear]

Ah, Susan, that's a hurtful thing. I'm sorry they treated you like that. One thing I'm learning in my own life is that we cannot control what others do. Not at all. It's too bad they lost out on a blessing by being with you. Also, it really can't feel good for them being so unloving.

Ursula

[hebrewroots98]

Thank you for your encouragement Gena and Ursula!  No Gena, these parent and their kids just ignore Daniel and are all very easily offendable if he just says hi to them; thank God that HE has given Daniel a heart of unconditional love, compassion for them and forgiveness.  He does not get easily offended at all.  I do remember that they don' know what I know, and I too realize that they don't want to know either.  I have spoken a few of these BT's with some of them and now they all know what I believe; and of course they are adamantly opposed to them.  God has them there and HE is teaching me that it's just HE and I alot of times anymore... which I can handle  

[hillsbororiver]

Hi Everyone,

This single verse sprung into my mind while reading this thread;

Act 14:22  Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

We all need to encourage and edify each other in the knowledge that this obstacle course gauntlet we pass through here in the flesh was specifically designed for each and every person he has drawn to a higher calling.

His Peace and Wisdom to you,

Joe

[carol v]

I am sorry that you keep having to go through this stuff with the homeschoolers Susan but count yourself blessed!  It is hard sometimes to feel quite so separate and "peculiar" but somehow learning several years ago that being "peculiar" is a great thing has been the most comfort to me. I, too, have spent an entire lifetime being on the outside of every group. The only thing that changed was my reaction to it. I've gone from tears of sorrow to tears of joy.

For whatever His reasons, it seems that being separate is a common theme around here.

Love ya girlfriend

[hebrewroots98]

I agree Carol, I seem too have always ended up being on the outside of every group as well ...groups such as my family, churches, neighbors, social groups, homeschool groups...just to name a few!  You would think that I would learn by now to not let it bother me, but, some tribulations are easier than others for me to get through...but, being ignored like I was a nobody to them just gets to my flesh sometimes!  The Lord is still growing me up...  

[Deborah-Leigh]

I am not a home school-er Mom and I too have perceived rejection from other Mom's but actually Susan, do you know what it REALLY IS? No REALLY! Do you know what this rejection REALLY IS? 

It is their FEAR!  They are in prison TOGETHER.

Just last week I was sitting at a sports day event. I know by now to sit alone. I am okay with that. Really okay.  I do not sit at a distance to anyone but just where I am comfortable if you know what I mean. At the end of the day all the Moms had very quietly gathered around me and were sharing their stories and sandwitches. I still was OUT OF IT. When they "included" me in their drama show conversations I realised that they have NO CLUE...that their conversation is like food torn out of a magazine. It appears good only but is paper to the gut and tasteless to the mouth. These poor lost souls! Oh I pity them so!

Even as they sat next to me they weren't even close! Their fear and confusion is stoked only by what we know is true and Who we know is LOVE.

I think that on this unusual occasion that they gathered around me, is because I am learning to become invisible

Peace to you sisters

Arc.

[hebrewroots98]

No doubt Arc, you are so right!  They absolutey are in their collective prison together and of that I want no part of.  I too have pitied them and have tried to love them regardless, but they don't want any part of me, until of course there is no one else around them to support their hypocritical ways and then they will resort to talking to me.  Of course I do not trust them...but I will speak to them in hopes of showing love to them...but it is trying on my part.  My flesh really wants to tell them how hypocritical they are toward me but I doubt that I should.  

I know this happens to all of us here, both men and women here have their times  to endure this treatment from others whom we had once had good relationships with at one time...

AHHH, truly I am blessed Arc to be in this position...I just need reminded sometimes...I just wish that there was someone in my town that could be here in the unity of spirit with me...

Blessings!

[Deborah-Leigh]

I know what you mean Susan.

Having a "human" friend in unity of Spirit is a blessing. I have just recently been given such a friend and she is studying and appreciating the teachings by Ray. We do not study together and she works entirely at her own pace.

Our friendship began with her passing some teachings on to me and I was able to show her acceptance of where they were correct and a new way of seeing where they were in error. This opened up the occasion where I could lend her some teachings appropriate to her conversations with me at the time.

She now knows that I believe and adhere to the teachings here in BT and that there are some teachings that she has not yet seen or grasped. She is okay with that and so am I. She knows I have brethren here who are near and dear to me.  She is new in this area but is doing so fine in her progression to learning and understanding. Today and seemingly out of the blue she said... "RAY SMITH says...."

It was like WOW! Someone else knows RAY SMITH! You could blow me over with a feather! It is wonderful to hear someone else talking about Ray Smith instead of my own voice all the time!

I can say this Susan....I have needed to study what is here in BT because the first thing that happened between me and my new friend was....questions questions questions....Not having the answers could have blown away any hope of fellowship!...So keep studying...keep on learning and thinking of ways to answer questions that can come out of new formed fellowships that may last for more than a day or may simply only cross your path leaving meaning and joy....

What becomes even more important is LIVING the truths we find in our trials and circumstances and not only referring to the Truths as some academic formula for passing the time! Now that is the real deal...living it!

Peace to you sister

Arcturus

[Martinez]

I was just reading this thread and it made me realise that we really are one body!

What I mean is that We can share in each others experiences with out actually going through all of them personally.

Most of us don't feel the need to hide from each other like the vast majority in the world (both of them) so we get the benefit of each others hurts, weaknesses and pain.

It's almost like gaining the experience from having multiple lives!

Hope that doesn't sound to dumb?

[hebrewroots98]

Congrats Arc on finding a believer in your area to fellowship with.  What a blessing that is!  She will advance soon I am sure, especially having you there to show her the practical side of it all. 

Yes, I do need to study more so that I can have those scriptures at the tip of my tongue when needed.  Yes, living the truth is a lifestyle that had better not be just an event that will help one to just pass the time, that is unless one doesn't mind not being one of the elect; and to me that would be very sad.  My Dh says to simply ignore these ppl b/c they want  no part of me...hbowever, with their fickleness in talking to me, I have a hard time just letting them go and ignoring them, plus to me this is not the loving way.  Maybe I am wrong, if so, let me know...anyone.   

[Deborah-Leigh]

We have to do unto others as we would have them do unto us. This is not easy because to be objective is so difficult.

How would you wish to be responded to if you were on the wrong path? Would you want a real wake up call or would you want to be treated as if there were nothing wrong?

I believe this is where Ray gets it right. He treats his detractors and underminers as I truly believe he would want to be treated if he were blind, in order to catch a wake up FAST! So keeping to social graces and polite expectations goes by the way side in order to call a spade a spade and I really do think this is the most loving thing, most selfless sacrifice and obvious way to be either persecuted some more or regarded as being righteous, forthright and in preference to be in good standing with God rather than man.

If you treat people as they are, perhaps they will see themselves as they are. If a cowering hypocrite, liar, two faced doubleminded self deceived person thinks that dishonesty is cool, that lying is part of the game of success, that deception is acting and the best act gets the best returns and being in with the crowd is what life is all about, then how will they ever repent or change. I am not talking judgment to condemnation or holier than thou or I am better than you sort of thing. I am not doing that. I am saying that honesty in responce to peoples self deception, self approvals and self idolatry,  can be most stringently healing, redirecting and beneficial for them. I think that is what the Spirit of Christ does. It redirects, benefits and heals.

The redirection hurts and that is where persecution, retaliation, spite and malicious intent can arise if benefits of  redirection do not find the good soil of the heart to grow into healing, humility, regard for God and His ways in a gentle non violent, turning away from man and his.

Peace to you sister.

Arc.

[Bradigans]

Through affliction God is trying to get our (the called) eyes off of the cares of this world.

- 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 - For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

- 1 Peter 4:12-13 - Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

There's a whole other world here right now.

- Mark 1:15 - The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

It can't be discerned with physical senses, but has to be discerned by faith.

- Hebrews 11:1 - Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
 

Bonafides, don't fall away, for God's seed is at work (Luke 8:11- Luke 8:15).

- Luke 8:13 - They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.

It gets deep and heavy sometimes, I know. Don't fall away though, because i'll be needing your prayers tomorrow... I may not even make it through the day because the tempter is something else.

[truthistforjesus]

First of all, this is a wonderful story of how the Lord works within everyone!  What a communion to have a 'new' spiritual brother that you can grow and experience with.  I too have been afflicted in my life.  Mostly this was done because I was doing 'my will' instead of my Father's.  It truely is a blessing to try to become better and better everyday in trying to follow the leadings of the spirit.  He has opened my eyes to greater truth and most especially greater truth in OTHERS... Even though I tarry and learn, it all seems to come back to assisting others.  The Brotherhood of Man.  I find myself in these situations where I can use my faith in order to help someone in need.  I am asking the Father daily for guidance in these matters.  "Help me better assist others Lord."  It has been rough though, beating down the emotional walls, preconceived notions, and mindal habits of my past 'lost self.'  As I rekon backwards in my mind, like all of us do, I perceive differently.  I see that it all WAS God's plan, for me.... Of course the 'me' involves others as well... This is not a ministry of selfishness, but, selflessness.  It was not the Devil intervening.  If this were the case, the Devil would have to be working with God.  Didn't God choose us before we were born?  He surely would've KNOW and FORESEEN all outcomes, possible decisions, paths, dissappointments, hopes, fears, etc.  in our lives... He created us!  So, not to 'deny' the Devil, it almost pains me to capitalize his name, but, I simply will not let the 'thought' of HIS intervention be in my mind... If I think about the Devil, Lucifer, Satan, etc, I am giving him life in my mind, even though I am not afraid of him because of my faith in Christ.  The more and more I experience trials, the more and more I say, "Thank you Lord!"  Does not these particular,seemly 'negative', events ENRICH our FAITH??? Sure we stumble, but we move on, sipping on the cup of rightousness.  Learning, loving, learning and loving again.  This is NOT 'new age' philosophy.  Little do they know how close they are.  The great distortion with 'them' lies in the attitude of 'self-worth'.  Living for self.  Self development... etc.... I know whereof I speak in this matter.   A feeling of 'self-worthiness' can only lead to potential 'self destruction', potentially coming soon to the glory of our Lord!!!!!!  I'm rambling...Sorry.     Thanks for the forum. and your times...

Love,
TFJ