All About GOD - Growing Relationships with Jesus and Others
When I Am Down
When you feel down, beat-up or overwhelmed, what does God use to pick you up and get you through?
Lord Bless,
LT
TheNET Coordinator
Views: 873
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Leonard T on
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Amanda,
If there are legit reasons why you shouldn't be on the jury you can tell them and they should excuse you from the jury pool. Otherwise I trust God will enable you to accomplish the task before you as you trust Him each step of the way.
Lord Bless,
LT
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Amanda,
Many tough questions. Some of them would require me to speculate or attempt to speak for God. I will look at them and respond the best I can.
Lord Bless,
LT
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Amanda,
I was wondering, since sin has caused the fall of man, and Adam’s sin was out of his own liberty, did Adam fall into sin or slide into sin? Washer says no one falls into sin but slides there gradually.
I cannot speak for Paul Washer, but will point out that we have no idea how many times Adam and Eve congregated in front of the tree and just looked at it wondering … hmmm. We know from what is recorded that they seem very comfortable near the tree and Eve seems comfortable speaking with the serpent.
If sin is the cause of pain and death and sorrow and every bad consequence, is it ever OK to blame God for our troubles?
Sin in this context is an action and that action is caused by sinful man, not God. Thus to say God is the cause of our troubles is incorrect.
God created all things and everything happens according to His will, so why can't God take credit for the bad stuff?
His will has given man liberties. These liberties are not the causation of sin, but rather man’s wicked heart leads him to sin (excluding Adam and Eve). When we say it is according to His will we are not talking about micro-managing. I will refer back to Tozer’s ship illustration. Man has liberties as God’s world moves on towards its destination.
If we didn’t have freewill, would we be unable to love God? Do we choose to love?
We can only respond to this question based on our finite understanding of the subjects mentioned. There are people with varied views on this. The real answer is that we cannot put God in a box here. He is God and is capable of making us love Him and it all be of Him and it still be love. He is capable of doing this and making it look like our choice and we would never know the difference. My view is that He gives us the liberty to choose, but only as a response to His love for us that enables us to love Him.
Are we dying spiritually and physically because of sin? And the regeneration--new birth--will keep us from dying spiritually and when our bodies are redeemed, it will keep us from dying physically--unless we die before His return?
The unregenerate person is dying physically and is dead spiritually already. This spiritual death is a state of being and includes separation from God. When we are born-again we gain new life, spiritual life, and are not dying spiritually. The body is still decaying, but that will be changed in the twinkling of an eye. It will either be changed while we are still alive on earth or changed as it is called from the grave and replaced with the new body.
Did God plan everything, but only good comes from Him and the bad that doesn’t come from Him--how did He figure that in to His plan unless He purposed it, too?
Does God micromanage or in His sovereignty has He allowed man and fallen angels the opportunity to operate their freewill within the liberties He provides us according to His will? God allowed the fall of the angels and the fall of man. To say He planned it and caused it is different from He knew it and allowed it. If God knows the beginning from the end it is a simple thing for Him to work the pieces together as He desires.
Should we just take credit for the bad stuff?
We are responsible for our own choices. We are the casualties often times of other people’s bad choices (sin). If this were not so then freewill does not exist. We cannot on the one had want freewill in the midst of good things and then want God to override that freewill causing all the bad things to cease to take place. God has the right to intervene at any given time, but is not obligated to do so to the exception of where He has bound Himself by His own Word.
We live in a fallen world full of tragedies because of sin. But I didn’t ask to be created or to be born in sin. I don’t understand why He let it get this bad. Do you?
Even though things are so bad there are people still getting saved. I am glad God did not choose to shut down the process 50 years ago, for I would not have a chance to be in His presence for eternity. I am glad that He did not shut down the process 5 years ago. If he had numerous people I know would be destined to hell instead of heaven. God is not concerned, in a sense, with this earth. It will be transformed with fire. He is not overly concerned with all who reject Him, though He wishes that they would come to repentance. He is concerned about the bride of Christ. He is concerned about those who will come to Christ this coming year and all the way up to Christ return. We can also recognize that in the countries of the world where persecution is great often times the response to Christ is even greater.
He could rain down manna to feed all the starving children. He could stop abortions, etc...
I cannot speak for Him, but recognize that He owes us nothing. We are the benefactors of great grace. Man has failed God, not God man.
We are incapable of doing any good thing on our own, so why does He even use us to do good works when He could do them very easily Himself?
I cannot speak for Him, but only know that it is His plan.
But God is not responsible for what someone else did?Not really sure what you mean here. It could have several meanings.
Lord Bless,
LT
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Amanda,
God is in absolute control. God in His sovereignty has given man libeties. This is God's will for mankind that we have the ability to make choices. These liberties are not total freedom, but limited acording to His will and plan. Only a truly sovereign God would be able to allow man that kind of freedom without being threatened by man's actions. God is not responsible for man's actions as man has been given the liberty to act and choose. Att he same time because they are only liberties God is capable of intevening at any time He chooses, but is not obligated to do so except where He has bound Himself according to His Word.
Lord Bless,
LT
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Lori,
Amen. God uses His Word to encourage and build us up among other things.
Lord Bless,
LT
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Amanda,
It is hard to say with certainty what Jesus' reasons were as those reasons are not recorded for us. There are a number of great principles taught through this account, but the exact reason why He disguised Himself and specifically to these two is hard to say.
I will pray for your mom.
Lord Bless,
LT
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Amanda
Is it possible to shut out the voice of God and not be able to have a personal fellowship with God even though you are born again? Or does it mean you're not really saved? Jesus said, My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
It is not possible to severe the relationship with God once you become a born-again family member. He has promised to never leave you or forsake you. This includes when we fail. There are times when God appears to go silent. There are several reasons for this that I see. He lets us experience the pig-pen of our choosing allowing the pen to do its work on us that will cause us to run back to Him. There are other times that we have so many other things going through our heads that we simply miss His gentle voice. Taking the time to stop and listen is a vital part of the Christian walk. Jesus set that example for us over and over as He withdrew to pray. Often people wonder what He had to say during those long hours. I wonder what He heard the Father say in those long hours as He listened to the Father in heaven. I feel that in many circles today the art of listening has been lost.
But it’s so easy to fall into wrong doctrines.
We have at least three safe guards regarding falling into the wrong doctrines. We have the Word of God, the Holy Spirit and fellow believers. The later is not always trustworthy and must be evaluated with the understanding that we gain from the first two. The best way to identify false doctrine is to know the Word of God so well that the false is revealed. Here is a great example. Bank tellers are not trained to identify fake bills. They are trained to recognize the real deal so well that when something fake comes along they just sense something is not right with that counterfeit. One of the plays of cults and false teachers is to pull out random verses and teach them out of context. How would someone know they are out of context regarding the passage and the whole of Scripture if they are unfamiliar with the teachings of Scripture. One of my great concerns for the church today is that many people know what they believe, but do not know why they believe it. They have become parrots. Some person told them this is true and they should believe it. Many times this person is a pastor or church leader. The individual needs to verify what that person has said to be sure it is true and not a misinterpretation or outright heresy. Thus, I ask people regularly “Why do you believe that?” Josh McDowell wrote a book entitled “Beyond Beliefs to Convictions.” I believe people live according to their convictions, not just simply their beliefs, in other words core values over simply having been taught something. The Holy Spirit is also at work in our hearts convicting and giving peace.Jesus said there will be some to whom He will say I never knew you.
Could it happen to someone who never really knew God’s voice but just thought that all the religious ideas rolling around in their heads was God when it was not God at all?Yes. There are some who walk the road of religion attempting to fulfill the requirements of the law instead of coming to Christ and surrendering unto Him.
Lord Bless,
LT
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Permalink Reply by Carla on
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Hi Amanda,
Here is the scripture. I know you know it, but I'm pasting it here for easy reference:
Romans 5:12-21
12Therefore, just as through (A)one man sin entered into the world, and (B)death through sin, and (C)so death spread to all men, because all sinned--
13for until the Law sin was in the world, but (D)sin is not imputed when there is no law.
14Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned (E)in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a [a](F)type of Him who was to come.
15But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of (G)the one (H)the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by (I)the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many.
16The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand (J)the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification.
17For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned (K)through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will (L)reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.
18So then as through (M)one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one (N)act of righteousness there resulted (O)justification of life to all men.
19For as through the one man's disobedience (P)the many (Q)were made sinners, even so through (R)the obedience of the One (S)the many will be made righteous.
20(T)The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, (U)grace abounded all the more,
21so that, as (V)sin reigned in death, even so (W)grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 5:12--all humanity has inherited Adam's sin nature.
Genesis 5:3
3When Adam had lived one hundred and thirty years, he [a]became the father of a son in his own likeness, according to his image, and named him Seth. Now humanity is born in the image of Adam.
(emphasis mine)
This sin of Adam's is imputed to us. It happened once and for all (just as justification because of Jesus happens once and for all). Therefore, we suffer the consequences of sin which is physical death. We die because of this sin nature, we are looked upon as participants with Adam in that one sin. Adam created an alternate reality...which we now live in. We see this is true in our lives as we put ourselves first or our own best interests first. It seems so unfair that we are looked upon as participants of Adams sin--now God gives us the free choice to choose Him or not. Thus, salvation needed to be provided. Adam ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, Jesus is the tree of Live. Love generates free will.
3 Categories of sin (this is the bad news)--old Adam--sin is imputed to us.
1)Our sin nature
~This is the reason why we commit acts of sin
~an element in us that we inherited from Adam that causes us to sin
2)Sin itself
~The acts of sin we commit
3) Imputed sin
~we are looked upon as having participated, as being guilty of the same sin as Adam did in the garden...therefore we reap the consequences of the same sin. Death for Adam, death for us. This is why babies die before they have even sinned, because all humanity is under the pyhsical sentence of death. When we are born, we are born physcially dead. We don't die because of our personal sins, we die because in Adam we are under the sentence of death.
When Adam sinned he took our free choice away.. Christ gives that free choice back to us.
Jesus imputes His Righteousness to us when we are born again (This is the good news). We had a debt to pay, and we could not pay it..Jesus paid it for us in full. It is finished!
A contrast between Adam and Jesus
Adam brought these things to us Jesus brings this to us
~disobedience ~obedience
~condemnation ~righteousness
~death ~life
Tresspass--Adam--First Adam vs Free Gift--Jesus--Last Adam
Romans 5:15
One Act of disobedience brings one result the result is that many die (not all died--Enoch and Elijah did not die)
vs One Act of Obedience--the result--many live and cancels out many tresspasses. anyone who accepts Jesus as Saviour lives.
~Adam is the sole author of death
vs Jesus is the sole author of life
~verse 16-Adam brings death and condemnation
vs Jesus brings justification--many sins are forgiven and many will receive Eternal life
Adam--death is king
vs Jesus--life reigns as King for Christ limited to those who believe. Believers are justified in
spite of millions of sins.
Blessings, Carla
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Permalink Reply by Michael Vernon McEntire on
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Wow, what surprisingly excellent questions, Amanda! We could (and I hope we do) spend weeks discussing these points, so I hope they appear in separate forum threads. I would greatly benefit from addressing all of them, but i can't, so I'll choose the one that seems to be the most important one to me right now. Christ is the New Adam because he is the Father of a new Race of men and women. We are born into this Race by the New Birth in the Holy Ghost. we are then included IN Christ and all of Christ's Righteousness is attributed to us, just as all of our sin was once attributed to him. Halleluja! Since this is a New Birth and since those who are born cannot ever be un-born (we cannot ever become part of another race by any other re-birth), we cannot ever be subject to a dishonourable discharge from the Kingdom of God. Christ is the Kingdom of God and once we are in him, then we are in the Kingdom forever because no thing, no power, no one can ever take us out of Christ's Body.
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Great response, Michael ... amen and amen!!!
Amanda, I agree that these would be great individual questions or at least several different forums for people to ponder.
Lord Bless,
LT
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Permalink Reply by David Velasquez on
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Amanda - this is you. This is what you were born to do and you do it well. Love to you my beloved warrior sister . :)
Carol-
Beautiful poem sister. Great to have you here.
God knew that Abraham had set his son on the throne of his heart, in which only God should seat, so He asked Abraham to die to self and this life and that Saint showed us that with God all things are possible. He loved his son and he had long for him and he was the apple of his eyes, but God tested Him to show us all, that He should be number #1. The word does not detail the struggle of the saint, but it does teach us a great lesson.
Blessings and love to you both. My sisters in Christ.
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The passage speaks regarding national Israel and Gentiles (ethnos), which is the ethnic Gentiles and not a specific individual. The nation of Israel has been cut-off (set asdie) for the time being due to a lack of faith until the number of Gentiles has come in (Rom. 11:25). Then the Lord ceases His current operation and returns to His work with Israel. There has been a remnant of Israelites throughout history and there is a group of believers within the Gentiles that is known as the church. At some point the church will be pulled out and the Gentiles (ethnic) will be without faith and cut-off from the grace of God that is currently part of this dispensation and the next phase of God's plan will begin.
Romans 11:22 troubles people. All we need to do is look to how God dealt with the nation of Israel in the O.T. to understand the language here. God would send a judge in response to the repentance of the nation. The judge would liberate them from the bondage to some other people group. Then they experienced a time fo peace. After a period of years and new people being born and having no concern for God they found themselves cut-off because the nation had not continued in belief, but did whatever seemed right in their own eyes and is evidenced by their embracing idols. The Gentiles have experienced this in the N.T. era. Where faith was not evident, the church organization became weak until some cried out and God sent revival. This pattern has repeated itself many times. In every case there was a remnant, the true church, that God used in a type of judge of old to bring people freedom and new life in Christ.
If you came to faith in Jesus (which we have discussed and agree you have) then you are the bride of Christ (one part, but none-the-less recognized as the bride). You are not ethnic Gentile any longer, you are born-again. You have a new citizenship. You have a new nature, new name and a new family. This depends on God and His faithfulness. The new-birth cannot be undone.
There is a right way to live and a right reason to live that way.
Lord Bless,
LT
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