They do not believe me?

[orion77]

I think this should be an interesting topic, because we all deal with this.  Why is it, when God is truly working in our lives, that many others do not believe us?  Or worse, look down at us and think us strange?

To me, it is important to look at how God Himself has been treated, thought of, misunderstood, misapplied and falsely accused.  I don't remember the verse, but is says, as He is in this world so shall we.  We are in good company and dont think it strange the fiery trials we go through.

(Pro 2:1)  My son, if thou wilt receive my words, And lay up my commandments with thee;

(Pro 2:2)  So as to incline thine ear unto wisdom, And apply thy heart to understanding;

(Pro 2:3)  Yea, if thou cry after discernment, And lift up thy voice for understanding;

(Pro 2:4)  If thou seek her as silver, And search for her as for hid treasures:

(Pro 2:5)  Then shalt thou understand the fear of Jehovah, And find the knowledge of God.

(Pro 2:6)  For Jehovah giveth wisdom; Out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding:

(Pro 2:7)  He layeth up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to them that walk in integrity;

(Pro 2:  That he may guard the paths of justice, And preserve the way of his saints.

(Pro 2:9)  Then shalt thou understand righteousness and justice, And equity, yea, every good path.

(Pro 2:10)  For wisdom shall enter into thy heart, And knowledge shall be pleasant unto thy soul;

(Pro 2:11)  Discretion shall watch over thee; Understanding shall keep thee:

(Pro 2:12)  To deliver thee from the way of evil, From the men that speak perverse things;

(Pro 2:13)  Who forsake the paths of uprightness, To walk in the ways of darkness;

(Pro 2:14)  Who rejoice to do evil, And delight in the perverseness of evil;

(Pro 2:15)  Who are crooked in their ways, And wayward in their paths:

(Pro 2:16)  To deliver thee from the strange woman, Even from the foreigner that flattereth with her words;

(Pro 2:17)  That forsaketh the friend of her youth, And forgetteth the covenant of her God:

(Pro 2:18)  For her house inclineth unto death, And her paths unto the dead;

(Pro 2:19)  None that go unto her return again, Neither do they attain unto the paths of life:

(Pro 2:20)  That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, And keep the paths of the righteous.

(Pro 2:21)  For the upright shall dwell in the land, And the perfect shall remain in it.

(Pro 2:22)  But the wicked shall be cut off from the land, And the treacherous shall be rooted out of it.

(Isa 63:7)  I will make mention of the lovingkindnesses of Jehovah, and the praises of Jehovah, according to all that Jehovah hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses.

(Isa 63:  For he said, Surely, they are my people, children that will not deal falsely: so he was their Saviour.


Gods true blessings are spiritual, for He is spirit.  He made us weak (fleshly), so is it a great thing to be physically blessed, admired, and loved in this world?  Who are the ones who want these things?  Are they true in heart towards God?  These would not believe Him, so will they believe us?

Any thoughts?

God bless,

Gary

[berny]

hi gary,
just read your post, over the past 2 years alot of things have happened within my family and i kept telling them i was praying to god and leaving things in his hands he would sort out what was best at first i think they thought oh here she goes again, but you know what god sorted everything out and they were gob smacked even my husband could not believe it. to me gods love and what he thinks of me is what counts other peoples opinions just don't matter when you look at the big picture. hope this helps,
berny :lol:

[knuckle]

Hi all-----------

      Some time ago I worked with a fellow who had a drug problem.He began to carry a bible to work with him and he would read it on his lunch hour and he would pray.For weeks folks talked about this man "putting on a show" and being a "sham"--------- church goin folks at our job  thought it blasphemus a "crack head with a bible".This guy kicked the drugs after a long while and you know not one of those detractors admitted they were wrong?Not one of those church folk joined the man in praising God for helping him get clean of drugs. I think that there is a part of the fleshly nature that loves to see our brothers fall because it believes that it can't be up unless someone else is down.

                                much love-----knuckle

[Harryfeat]

Hello Gary,

What I find interesting is that anyone going against the "norm" would not expect to be treated with scorn and disbelief.  It seems to be human nature.

You don't even need scripture to understand it.

Here is an example. Suppose someone arrived at your door totally nude.
What would your reaction be?

If that person were handing out free stuff you could use would you accept it?
Would you actually believe there was no catch to accepting the free stuff and more importantly would you accept anything from that person or believe anything that person had to say?  You'd probably think that person was wacko.

Since we have removed the layers of false doctrine to "expose"ourselves to the truth, why would we be so much different  to people in  organized religions than that naked person would be to us?

Anyhow that's how I see it. And that's the naked truth :shock:  :roll:   :lol:


feat

[orion77]

Being shunned, ostracized, thought evil about is a sure sign in this world that the true and living God is in you.  Years ago, I could not understand, but now:


(Rom 8:31)  What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?

(Rom 8:32)  He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not also with him freely give us all things?

(Rom 8:33)  Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth;

(Rom 8:34)  who is he that condemneth? It is Christ Jesus that died, yea rather, that was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

(Rom 8:35)  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

(Rom 8:36)  Even as it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; We were accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

(Rom 8:37)  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

(Rom 8:38)  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,

(Rom 8:39)  nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

(2Ti 3:1)  But know this, that in the last days grievous times shall come.

(2Ti 3:2)  For men shall be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, railers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

(2Ti 3:3)  without natural affection, implacable, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, no lovers of good,

(2Ti 3:4)  traitors, headstrong, puffed up, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God;

(2Ti 3:5)  holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power thereof: from these also turn away.

(2Ti 3:6)  For of these are they that creep into houses, and take captive silly women laden with sins, led away by divers lusts,

(2Ti 3:7)  ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

(2Ti 3:  And even as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also withstand the truth. Men corrupted in mind, reprobate concerning the faith.

(2Ti 3:9)  But they shall proceed no further. For their folly shall be evident unto all men, as theirs also came to be.

(2Ti 3:10)  But thou didst follow my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, patience,

(2Ti 3:11)  persecutions, sufferings. What things befell me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me.

(2Ti 3:12)  Yea, and all that would live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

(2Ti 3:13)  But evil men and impostors shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

(2Ti 3:14)  But abide thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them.


God bless,

Gary

[orion77]

Hello Harryfeat,  

Good point,  :lol:  :lol:

The reason for this post is to possibly help others, that might be going through this part of a true christian walk.  

We all experience these things from time to time.  Just thought if we talked about it, we could be a help to another brother or sister.

I liked your analogy,  that definetly would make us stand out!   :lol:

God bless,

Gary

[Gill]

Being shunned, ostracized, thought evil about is a sure sign in this world that the true and living God is in you.

As long as we're careful that we're being shunned, persecuted etc. for the right reasons.  Being persecuted for sharing the truth is one thing, being called names/ostracized for being 'obnoxious for Jesus' is another  :lol: .  I think its also easy at times to label difficult relationships with others (bosses, spouses, relatives etc.) as persecution, when in reality they should be looked at as something to mature from.

[orion77]

Being shunned, ostracized, thought evil about is a sure sign in this world that the true and living God is in you.

As long as we're careful that we're being shunned, persecuted etc. for the right reasons.  Being persecuted for sharing the truth is one thing, being called names/ostracized for being 'obnoxious for Jesus' is another  :lol: .  I think its also easy at times to label difficult relationships with others (bosses, spouses, relatives etc.) as persecution, when in reality they should be looked at as something to mature from.

Exactly, I never push the faith God has given me to others by being a bible thumping religious person.  The persecution has come from the way I treat others.  They see me in a different light than most church goers, because I do not condemn and judge as they do.

That is the whole point to persecution.  It brings about spiritual maturity, because we have lived through experience the right and wrong way to treat our fellow man.

When we push the Word on someone who is clearly not receptive, then we will reap what we sow.  The kind of persecution that comes for Him being in us and it shows through meekness, long suffering, gentleness, forgiveness and love is what makes us His disciples.  

God bless,

Gary

[mustardseed]

1Jo 4:17  Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

1Pe 4:12  Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: