bcool
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Post by bcool on Aug 10, 2011 4:53:08 GMT -6
Worry is not free. The flesh prefers to cling to worry so that we fret to the point of ulcers, heart attacks and strokes. And listen, trusting God involves more than memorizing a few Bible verses. Yes it is true that God has promised you and me a body just like the Son of God (Philippians 3:21). He has also promised a time when there will be no more sorrow, no more tears, no more death---the old things will have passed away (Revelation 21:4). All gloriously true! But the faith described in Scripture is not a faith in events in themselves, but a faith in the reality, nature, and character of God Himself. It is faith in the reliability of a living, supernatural, Supreme Person. We are not called to have faith in salvation, but in a God who saves; not in Divine intervention, but in a God who rules history - all in the time and manner that He chooses. If Christians believe in God's desire to draw them close to Him in spite of the problems that surround them in this life, it is because God's unfailing love at Calvary's cross is always a part of their thinking. If Christians continue to believe in a resurrection to a glorified life everlasting in spite of the prevalence of decay and death around them, it is because the triumph of Christ over death and decay on that third day lives in their hearts. We will live forever in a mansion (John 14:2-3) and will be face-to-face with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8). We count on these things to come true because we trust in God's truthfulness. With our eternal future settled, we can now focus on God as we face adversity today, tomorrow, and the next day. In God we trust no matter what!
(a slightly different perspective that somebody helped me finally understand.)
-Brad
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Post by Bud on Aug 10, 2011 8:38:21 GMT -6
AMEN AND AMEN brother Brad
I suppose it comes down to whatever our faith say's God is;That is what He will be to us.
Brad Said:
"If Christians believe in God's desire to draw them close to Him in spite of the problems that surround them in this life, it is because God's unfailing love at Calvary's cross is always a part of their thinking." I Like that.
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Post by Keith on Aug 10, 2011 9:07:09 GMT -6
I suppose it comes down to whatever our faith say's God is... I wouldn't say 'whatever our faith says God is' for He is the Lord and doesn't change (Malichi 3:6). I would say whatever our faith says God can DO in our lives, for as we grow in grace and knowledge (2 Peter 3:18) so does the reality that there's nothing, through our faith, that we can't accomplish (Phillipians 4:13). |
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ldysly
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Lord make me thy servant.
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Post by ldysly on Aug 10, 2011 10:11:52 GMT -6
There is a new song out and I wanted to find the name of it but since I'm at work I can't go to any music pages. One of the lines in it says "What if 1,000 sleepless nights are what it takes to draw you near"
Talking about how God uses our worries to draw us near to him. We humans are certainly hard headed and sometimes we think that we can fix it. But in the end only God can fix us. We tend to forget that. True faith (to me) is that we do the best we can and try our best to do what God would have us do. Everything else is up to Him. And even though I can't say that I don't worry, I'm content to leave it in His hands.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 10, 2011 10:16:00 GMT -6
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ldysly
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Lord make me thy servant.
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Post by ldysly on Aug 10, 2011 10:24:44 GMT -6
I don't know sweetie. I can get to the board on my lunch hour but music pages are blocked. I'm just grateful this wasn't blocked too. I'll listen tonight and let you know. Well lunch is over so back to work...........................no worries  |
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Post by Bud on Aug 10, 2011 10:59:41 GMT -6
Keith said:
I wouldn't say 'whatever our faith says God is' for He is the Lord and doesn't change (Malichi 3:6). I would say whatever our faith says God can DO in our lives, for as we grow in grace and knowledge (2 Peter 3:18) so does the reality that there's nothing, through our faith, that we can't accomplish (Phillipians 4:13).
Oh I agree Keith.To the extent that we believe that God is Immutable ,that is how much His never changing will effect our lives.To the extent that we believe that God is Omnipotent will determine how much He DOES in our lives.To the extent that we believe God is Sovereign will determine how much we trust that He is in control of all circumstances.We could go on with His attributes,Truthfulness as Brad mentions is the attribute we depend on for our hope of what God is going to do for us and with us future.
I think as we grow we are learning more of the attributes of God and as we mature in Grace we are relying more on them.I think God can relate to us at different levels as we mature and trust in who He is and that would be knowing and trusting in His attributes.
I,m rambling I'll stop
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Murph
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Post by Murph on Aug 10, 2011 11:08:37 GMT -6
There is alot to what ya'll have said but we all worry. It is part of being human...
But in the end we all come to the realization that the Lord knows the number of hairs on each of our heads, how many times our hearts will beat, breaths we will take, and how many steps we will go. He has our names written in the palm of His hand and will never never let us go. When I think about that I remember how safe I felt with my earthly parents and how much more so that is true with the Lord...
I try to remember that it is not about this life...we are just pilgrims, Pilgrim ;D, and just passing thru...It is all about eternity in Heaven with Jesus! Amen!
I try go give it all to Him but so often find myself taking things back several times before I give up and let Him have it. Lay the scroll on the altar and let the Lord...take it. Intellectually I know He has a better handle on it than I ever could but it is still hard to let it go and grasp that in my heart.
Luke 12 is usually what occurs to me...
"And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?"
and I can see Alfred E. Newman's picture in my mind saying..."What? me worry?"
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bcool
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Post by bcool on Aug 10, 2011 11:43:09 GMT -6
Some real honesty and good insight here. Thank you all! Here's another thought too....
It's easy when we are alone to brave the storms of life -- surrounded by the exalted atmosphere of God's matchless grace, we feel the strength of the Infinite; we rise in spirit, we think we're experiencing the ultimate of truth, that all things are ours. These moments in a busy life are well spent, of course -- but what of the rest of the day, what of the busy street, and of all the daily contact with life? Do we keep on in the same even way? Or do we fall before the outer confusion of our surroundings?
An hour a day spent in silent meditation will not save us from the confusion of life; the fifty-one percent of a person's thinking is what counts. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding.” ---Proverbs 3:5
Duck, do I relate to your comment! 'I try to give it all to Him but so often find myself taking things back several times before I give up....' What? me worry? :-)
-Brad
PS. At the end of the day (as everybody likes to say), at the end of the day God is God not because of our own speculations but because He is God. I agree with you, Keith. It's fascinating that the Bible itself does not seek to prove the existence of God; it assumes it to be true. Only the fool denies His existence (Psalm 14:1).
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Post by Bud on Aug 10, 2011 12:03:47 GMT -6
Sometimes my "Manna in the morning" doesn't get me past the first contact with a ray of sun,until my flesh is contemplating "quail" and the demand is sometimes overwhelming as the desert march continues even with a full stomach of "manna".
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bcool
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Post by bcool on Aug 10, 2011 12:19:34 GMT -6
man... I had to read that thrice Bud. But I do believe I get it.
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Post by Keith on Aug 10, 2011 16:36:37 GMT -6
I think as we grow we are learning more of the attributes of God and as we mature in Grace we are relying more on them. That's an excellent way to say what I was trying to get at Bud: It is we who change, not God. As we "grow in grace and knowledge" we learn more about Him and how He can lead us if, as you said, we learn to rely on Him... Please don't brother, I learn stuff. ;D |
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ldysly
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Lord make me thy servant.
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Post by ldysly on Aug 10, 2011 16:42:36 GMT -6
Went to the link and it is indeed the song. The lyrics are wonderful and should serve to remind us all that we can only truly count on God and all things serve Him.........even those that we don't want to face. Folks if you haven't heard this song yet, you should listen to it. We pray for blessings We pray for peace Comfort for family, protection while we sleep We pray for healing, for prosperity We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering All the while, You hear each spoken need Yet love is way too much to give us lesser things (Chorus) 'Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops What if Your healing comes through tears What if the thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise We pray for wisdom Your voice to hear We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near We doubt your goodness, we doubt your love As if every promise from Your Word is not enough And all the while, You hear each desperate plea And long that we'd have faith to believe Chorus When friends betray us When darkness seems to win We know the pain reminds this heart That this is not, this is not our home Chorus What if my greatest disappointments Or the aching of this life Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy What if trials of this life The rain, the storms, the hardest nights Are your mercies in disguise |
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Post by Bud on Aug 10, 2011 17:12:50 GMT -6
Just listened to it on YouTube Beautiful Here is where I went to.
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bcool
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Posts: 105
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Post by bcool on Aug 11, 2011 4:16:29 GMT -6
Man oh man! I believe y'all are on to something!! The issue of faith pervades every aspect of our relationship with God and our service for Him. Faith is the source of our strength, our provision, our courage, our guidance, and our victory over the world system, the flesh, and the Devil. Faith is the only thing that can sustain us in the trials and persecutions predicted for the last days. (Of course, that is, before we are raptured!) It is our knowledge and confidence in the object of faith that should become habitual in our life. Keep in mind that our puny faith per se is not worthy of any accolade. All the glory goes to the object of our faith, the very God in the finished work of the Cross. Faith does not grow in us like some kind of inflating balloon. What does increase is the application of faith to more and more areas of our lives (Hebrews 4). The size of the faith isn't really the issue then. Remember the mustard seed? It's about the consistency with which we turn in our daily lives to the God of the universe, to Abba! Father! Ah...maybe that's why Paul wrote.... "For we walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Cor. 5:7).  Thank you folks! Thank you! I get it! ...but will I remember it? " What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy
What if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are your mercies in disguise" Amen! "I have set the LORD continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken" (Psalm 16:8).
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Post by Keith on Aug 11, 2011 7:15:53 GMT -6
Faith does not grow in us like some kind of inflating balloon. Exactly! We grow in grace and knowledge (2 Peter 3:18), not faith. Faith is faith, one either has it or they don't. What we do is grow in our knowledge of how to apply that faith so His grace can manifest in our lives more and more. |
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bcool
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Post by bcool on Aug 11, 2011 7:38:28 GMT -6
For me, sometimes there's a divide between head knowledge of this walk of faith and application to the details of life. Does that make me a bad person....  |
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Murph
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Post by Murph on Aug 11, 2011 7:39:39 GMT -6
Years ago Virgil posted a really good commentary on the question, what is grace?
have thought about that commentary several times. The gist was that we can't really define grace but we can tell about what grace has done...in our lives and in the lives of others.
Virgil, do you remember that commentary? and if you do would you post it again?
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Murph
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Post by Murph on Aug 11, 2011 7:44:17 GMT -6
For me, sometimes there's a divide between head knowledge of this walk of faith and application to the details of life. Does that make me a bad person.... I think that makes you just like the rest of us who walk in the way... I have often thought...no matter what, I am going to follow you Jesus, just like a little puppy...right behind you. It is a hard walk and not for the faint of heart. Bible tells us to count the costs. "And tho He slay me, I still with follow Him..." That statement is in Job and often comes out of my mouth. The way we live and what we say so often these days, makes us very unpopular in this world but so often the level of grace to deal or cope with life around us rises to meet the occassion. |
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bcool
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Post by bcool on Aug 11, 2011 7:57:51 GMT -6
Well, one thing seems certain. There's an atmosphere of grace in this room and I like it!
Thanks.
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