johnj

IF we have faith and IF we know God is in charge and IF we know He will take care of our needs and IF we are to spend eternity with Him in a future perfect world, THEN how can we be worried? Well, the answer is we are all human with our selfish needs and wants and doubts and sins and .....worries. Jesus knows these failures and our frailty. This is His reminder (and maybe a little bit of an admonishment). At the ripe old age of 23 I had a job interview with a small private company. After an employment offer was made, I was wondering aloud about the company. "The salary is ok, but they have no retirement and just a little medical benefit......." A professor overheard me and screeched " Retirement?!! What are you worried about that for?!" We sit in the presence of the Creator of the universe who holds our lives in his hands. He made us and put us here for His pleasure. He has has promised to take care of us. Yet we worry about tomorrow, as if we could do anything to change it. Hey! It's His plan! If we stand back and look at this picture (and can laugh at ourselves) our worries are laughable. Not mocking. Not unkind. Not mean-spirited. But, rather, somewaht sadly laughable. (Today, I don't even intend to retire.)

I frequently enjoy the responses of others. But more than a few of the ones to this question trouble me. What might the 'rewards' in heaven be? A bigger 'mansion'? Maybe a wider 'street of gold'? Or better yet a cul de sac? Maybe lunch with Jesus? Or a seat closer to God during praise time? Better food would be nice? Or a little extra attention now and then? But all these are things of this world. What are the rewards - the things valued - in heaven? A pure heart? If I could see the world as I did as a child, that might be a reward. Simple, straight forward and honest. Selflessness? If I could rejoice when others recieved everything and I nothing, that would free so much happiness. Unchallenged love and attention for the will of my God and Creator? That might be an eternity of reward. Maybe if we could store up treasures like these on earth, they would be worth sending ahead to our next life. Personally I don't want the others. The heaven I long for has no other treasures than the things God values and He has made them clear for us to strive for in this life. To think we should do without things here - only to be rewarded with them in heaven - seems to miss the point.

If we understand that all we have is from God, then how do we treat 'our posessions' and 'our surplus'? I recently heard someone say God gives to us for our lives. Then He takes everything away only to give to others. Things and wealth move through God's creation at His will, never to be 'ours' only to be loaned or borrowed. Maybe the subject of this story was focused on 'his stuff' not 'His stuff'. When we take God out of the picture our plans typically are sinful. The sermon on the mount points to the values God upholds, in contrast to values frequently upheld in our world. Covetousness, self centeredness, greed etc are all demonstrated here, but the greater failure may be generally dismissing God. The Lord met this man's needs and also gave his abundance. But all was God's. How many of us today would give away our one and only cloak? Or open our homes to one in need? Share our food? Loan our savings without interest or forgive a non payment? Why did I just use the word 'our' four times?

I wonder if forgiveness is a 'act' or a way of being. To suggest we should continually ask for forgiveness implys we should become people who are forgiving not simply people who can forgive. I know I will sin today. Likely many times before the day is over. How might I respond? Defensive? Self justifying? Sad? Sorrowful? Questioning? I seems God does not want us to respond to our failures in any of these ways. The life He has planned for us is to understand our shortfalls - to care about the things He cares about. When we fail our failure should be heart felt - we are outside the will of God at these times. But He does not intend for us to live in the past with these failures. These are times when we should be learning about His will. We live in today. He forgives our transgressions, knowing that as His children we want to live closer to His will. He forgives and we grow closer. If I recognize a fault, in myself or another, - and then have the presence of mind to stop and say 'I forgive...' or 'God forgive me...' or ask someone else to forgive me - then that says one thing but just like a snapshot. It's gone in a instant. But if my way of life is forgiving, then maybe I don't have to stop to recognize a fault at all. Maybe I can accept my sins and the faults in others as life the way God created it. It's like the reason God gave us rules to live by in the first place. They are not given to limit us but rather to show us His will and so we can know when we are outside of it. He is in control. He is the judge. I must forgive others because it's God's way. If I can't ask for forgiveness or render it to others then I am outside of His will. Hey! That would be a sin and I'd have to ask for forgiveness. HA!

This is one of my favorite questions! I have three daughters. All have been raised in a loving household but also raised to be responsible. There are many times when I know they have a need. But they don't ask for help. I love to help but don't ask them to ask. I do give to them even when they don't ask, and they are always quite grateful. But how much more of a relationship might we have if they were to come with their problems. Not to beg or manipulate but to share a need. I know their hearts. None would ever take something not given or ask with out a real need. (Why wait for despiration?) So we are of a simgle mind. But their 'I want to do it myself' attitude is a barrier to the relationship. I think the Lord wants us to come to Him so we will share our deapest desires with him. Not so He can be 'in charge' of our lives, but so He can share our lives. He wants that kind of a relationship, and (though we may often not know it) we need that kind of a relationship with Him.

In my case, giving more is limited becasue I really don't know who to or how to, and yet remain a 'good steward'. I frequently see people at street corners with signs: 'homeless please help'. Same people, same corner week after week. Is this really a needy person? I wonder every time. Through church, I see so much waste and glitter that I can't believe they have or serve needs. There are a few shelters where I both help and serve. But even here there are many resources for these places. And the people who control the resources are not beyond abusing them. When there are ways I can touch someone really in need, I help. My heart goes out to others. However, even in thie endevor, I have loaned money to people I thought I knew, when they expressed need, only to find I was cheated. If I have such little discernment, how should I manage the Lord's resources? He has seen fit to take much of the material wealth for which I worked most of my life. Sometimes I wonder if it's due to my lack of discernment. Or more likely to get my attention. These days my giving is limited to family who I know first hand to be in need, and also giving of my talents to help non-financial needs where ever the opportunity arises. It seems to me this is a place to which the Lord has led me.

The problem seems to be pride. Could this be taken one step fruther? Is it pride before men, or pride before God? If I consider the question from that perspective it clarifies things for me. We could never be prideful before God. He eclipes all things so anything we might do would pale. So any pride we exhibit would have to be before men. In that context we put men's praise before God's. Isn't that the issue? Can we value the opinions of sinful, fallible men over the the perfect judgement of God? Seems just another slight to His Lordship. Organizations built by men seem to often be built on self-importance and self-praise. The values are too often the things men want rather than what God wants. Can prideful men judge themselves, their actions and their values as God judges them? I think this is a blindness God deals with when He 'ruins' some people's lives. Out of the blessed ashes He may create His better workmanship.

J V Mcgee once gave a perspective on perfection. He said in California (where he had a long ministry) they had a contest called 'jump to Catalina Island'. The island was several miles off the coast. His picture was of people running down the dock and jumping toward the island. J Vernon said, that's about how close we get to perfection. Some might get 20 feet, others fell right off the end. As I recall he pointed out that individual 'jumpers' would scoff at each others' performance. To carry J Vernon's story one step further: For years I fell off the dock. Now, my objective is to be able to understand where the island is located, and clearly appreciate how far short of the goal my performance is. I have prayed that the Lord will give me that perspective of Him. To me maturity is seeing Him more clearly, always gaining a better understanding of the gulf between us, but never attaining much more than a 20 foot jump.

I don't think it's in God's nature to call any of us to be perfect. He knows we have been born in sin and can not be perfect. Seems to me the verse is highlighting that God loves us all and is willing to forgive all. When we sin we wrong Him. If God did not love those who sin (and behave as His enemy) then we all might suffer His wrath. 48 may be telling us about God and showing how He treats us when our behavior is an afront to Him. This is a challenge to us: to consider His perfect love for all His creations. He choose to make both us and those we might consider our enemies.

Although I haven't time to read them all, there are a lot of great replys by others. My thought is that our great commission is to win others for Christ. With that as an objective, how do we react when wronged by another? There seem to be three possibilities: 1. resist, 2. take the 'wrong' and walk away, or 3. give more. Resistance may only result in greater resistance and likely little 'glory' no matter the result. Certainly God is likely not to be honored. Greater force might be used on the next victim with greater damage done. Giving what is taken and walking away only feeds the wrong but solicits no attention. The other person gets what they intended to take and will likely be encouraged not discouraged from future wrongs. But to give more than is taken may at least evoke some attention and give God the opportunity to touch the other person's heart. This is a different reaction than the common one expected by 'the world'. In another context, it also occurs to me that this seems to be God's way of dealing with us. We seem to view things as 'fair' and 'right & wrong'. He does not simply deal in ways that we humans value as 'fairness'. He has gone many extra miles with me and I pray He will continue as I stumble through life.

The Word seems clear about the unforgivable sin. It's not divorce. With that said, living in sin is not a condition we would expect God to endorce whether it's a marriage relationship or as a thief or as a murderer or, ...or .... or .... The more important issue might be the condition of one's heart and the relationship an individual has with God. Rebellion, self-righteousness, or unrepentance would be the bricks building a wall between a person and God. A similar question might be; Can a person live in a way he or she knows is unpleasing to God and still remain in a growing, fruitful relationship with Him? We may be able to judge the actions of others to some extent, but I wonder if it's for us to answer yes or no concerning another's heart.

Who decides what makes a 'good' marriage or a 'bad' one? Are we to decide for ourselves if the things God causes to happen are 'good' or 'bad'? What He causes let no man undo. It seems to me that what we are being told is that God is in control of all things and should he cause a marriage, then it's His will. Maybe it's when we decide for ourselves (rather than for Him) that things go sour. If I truely believed a marriage was intended by God, Blessed by Him and was part of His plan - whose ways are unfathonable to me - then how could I decide differently? What 'right' would I have? Does my 'happiness' or 'acceptance' trump His will? People may too often believe whatever they want is God's will. A marriage has become an easy thing to dispose. But considering this question has caused me to compare a marriage situation to others that people find themselves facing. Could someone with cancer say "This isn't God's will for me. It was a mistake. I am going to walk away from this." Or someone who lost a child. " This isn't God's will for me. I'm going to take charge of the situation and fix things." Our lives are filled with disappointments and problems. Maybe one is marital. But we endure because we trust and have faith in our Lord to know what is best. It is His plan and His will to which we all surrender.

It might be a sign of our times that in this age we associate **** with sex. I looked up the original Greek which I usually do not do because I'm not learned that way. The intended word seems to be more generally 'covet'. Yearn, desire, and thirst are all common similar words. The broader context means more to me. Anything of this world that consumes our thoughts and desires, diminishes our view of God and takes His place for a time. Interesting how this study has attuned my listening lately. Last night on the Christian radio station someone used the term 'transformation of affections'. Seems this is a familiar concept but it just had new meaning for me. A prayer: 'Lord transform my affections from things of this world to You.' I envy those who have come to the point in their lives where they **** after the Lord and His ways.

There's an old quip - Don't think about a pink elephant! Well, so much for controling my mind. But back to the question. A first thought is knowledge. We may need to first understand that God's desire for us is elsewhere. There is no place for sexual desire outside of marriage in His plan for us. It's wrong in His eyes. Also, to know that He sees our most private thoughts might be sobering. The Lord is there when our eyes and minds wander. We should be as concerned about being caught in an unholy thought as we are about being caught in an unholy act. I would suggest both are the same to God. And, our only hope might be in prayer, repentance and forgiveness. If our hearts are right with the Lord and we ask for forgiveness with true repentance, He will surely give us strength. It's achieving the point of true repentance that may be the stumbling block.

Others have said it. **** is the mental act, adultery the physical one. Should you ****, what prevents the adultery? Fear of getting caught? Fear of illness? Fear of God? Living with the mental act and not the physical one seems only a degree of a sin. Rising above either is the pureness of thought and deed our Lord intends for us.

The question may ask more of me than I am able. "How do we distinguish........?" I can't, on my own, answer without involving my sinfullness and selfishness. Suppose I'd make a bad judge. The written Word is clear and there is nothing I could add except to take away from God's command.

Rightly or wrongly, I would like to think that my offences are few. (with the exception of a couple fellow rush hour drivers) In that context it also occures to me that others may be offended even if I committ no wrong. (some people seem angry when I drive the speed limit) Am I to reconcile to their satisfaction? On the other hand, my offences against God are likely more than I can number. And those offences are rightly and justly measured. Settling my accounts with Jesus, through daily prayer and reflection, might be a better goal in life. Wouldn't it be best to reconcile now with Him than take my offences before the throne at my ultimate judgement?

I wish my answers were as quick and complete as others. Instead questions like this trouble me. Are we called to love and forgive the evil people? The Hitlers and Stalins? They may represent the worst of humanity, but the traits they exhibited exist throughout our world. Does God forgive them? Then how can he judge right and wrong? Similarly, are we to love and forgive the unrepentant? I appreciate others' answers because these are difficult questions for me. To carry the thought one step further: what does our forgiveness look like. Do we love and forgive the thief/rapist/murderer and give him the key to our house? "Common sence" may say no, but If not then what is our love and forgiveness? These have always been difficult topics for me.

I just did a quick Bible search of the word anger. Seems lots of people were angry. And the comandment is 'Thou shall not kill' not 'Thou shall not get angry'. I always thought Jesus was angry when He tipped the temple money changers' tables. God's anger is mentioned repeatedly, too. Sin is beyond God's nature, so maybe there is something else here. If we are made in God's image could this be one emotion through which we might identify with Him? Anger is certainly a heightened emotion. And anger, taken to an enraged extreme, is out-of-control. That is foolish. God is certainly never out-of-control, just the opposite. But where the line is crossed between an emotion and out-of-control may be different for different people. That line may define foolishness. On the other hand, being consumed by a grudge. Remaining angry and not 'getting over it' certainly is foolishness, too. Anything that consumes our being comes between us and the Lord. How sad to come the day of judgement, to stand before God, and have to face Him to say 'I was too angry about ....... to build a relationship with You'.

We are to demonstrate our belief in God and reflect Him as best we are able. Letting other see God through our behavior.

It seems to me that those of us who sin cannot have pure hearts, can we? This seems more a goal to aspire to rather than one to achieve. Some people are certainly more pure in heart than others but all likely fall well short of Jesus' perfection. If one really has knowledge of Jesus' teaching and wishes to be 'like' Him and know God, then there are certainly times when we will be able to reflect His purity. We seem to get snapshots of God when we demonstrate purity, but when our sin nature pokes through we must certainly be blinded. How to achieve purity? Change something every day? Maybe two things? Read and study more? The best I seem to be able to do is read a little, pray for God's will and plead for mercy.

<p>I wonder if many Christians define the 'world' by all that is unrighteous. I seem to see both righteousness and unrighteousness in the world. We are all part of this world and our sins (there is none righteous no not one) add to this world we challenge.</p> <p> </p> <p>If we reach that point of spiritual poverty expoused as an earlier point of discussion, would we be so inclined to look outward to condem the 'world' or rather be <em>completely</em> focused on who we are individually and our relationship with God. Which is to say I am personally wary of my own self-righteousness.</p> <p> </p> <p>One dilemma is how to <em>know</em> God through his works as they exist on this world He created. Can we really, individually, decide what is righteous and not righteous simply by looking at 'the world' and making our own judgements. Even with His Word as a guide, we can only make judgements through our sinful nature. I wonder if we can be confident, since everything we see is through our own sin-shaded glasses. Certainly there are things we would all likely agree that taking other's lives, cheating, stealing, etc are unrighteous. But there are many other subtle topics that are not so obvious.</p> <p> </p> <p>For me this is the essence an 'intense desire for righteous'. My desire is to understand that bit of God's nature which is exposed to me with this life He has given. And, to share what I can with others in the hope it will help them with a similar walk. Those who confuse or confound, or those who do not share a similar desire to know God, are the 'world' with whom I seem to be at odds.</p> <p><span style="display: none"> </span></p> <p>God's word promises us all that if we seek Him, that portion of His nature that He chooses will be revealed and we will we draw closer to Him. That is desire for us.</p> <p> </p> <div id="cke_pastebin" style="position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 264px; left: -1000px"> </div>

It occured to me, as I read others' replys, that spiritual poverty might be likened to financial poverty. A native lost in a remote jungle may be perfectly content with little. When exposed to the vastness of the modern world, this person might then realize his poverty. Until there is some point of comparison, there is no measure. Jesus gave us similar examples. Most of which I did not grasp. A blind man given sight would certainly understand the void of blindness. Giving health to the lame again makes the point, too, that experience gives one a measure. It seems that many times Jesus used examples from daily life as a micro view of how we need to become the person who understands what nothingness is like in order to grasp the grandure God. .....and the grace He shows to us. How must the blind man and the lame have responded to Jesus' gifts. And these gifts were not eternal! We, lost in our sins - our nothingness- can not truely comprehend the vast riches of God's grace until we first realize the 'poverty' in which we live. Anything of this world on which we may rely, could be that crutch that clouds our vision. Maybe we must first come to realize our true situation as dirty rags, before can we appreciate the vastness of the void between us and perfection of God.

There are cults and non-biblical teachings that are big ways, but there are also the little ways that can destroy even a 'good bible teaching' congregation. Things of the world can be more than just a distraction. I have moved around the country and been part of many different congregations and the undercurrents can become the focus of peoples' worship. They miss the mesage and the opportunity to worship because other things consume their thought time. One way a church might lose its first love is to focus on might be termed 'measures'. How much money did we spend? How many members do we have? How big is the 'other' church? What do we want to do to increase the 'numbers'? Another way might be to focus on the details of 'worship'. What kind of music? How loud? What instruments? Who sits where? What time should we start? Or end? How long did he talk today? Did the order of worship change today? Then there is the 'who do we want?' way. Which might really be the 'who don't we want?' way. It could include: Did you see what he/she was wearing? Do we want 'them'? Should children be permitted? How many black/white/hispanic/professional/oriental/etc. do we have? 'Those' people waved their hands and arms when we sang! When the focus is not on God, it's easy to go from one thing to another and never get back to the real reason for worship or the real reason for a church. When you go to small group meetings for months and all the talk is on topics like those above, you have to wonder 'where is God?' and 'where is Jesus?'. Genuine signs of love? I am not sure. For one, there is a love for, an interest in, the bible. People read the word and want to learn. People take an interest in one another's lives. There is a desire to help one another with no self-interest or gain other than to help. And I think another sign is an outreach to the community. An interest in showing others what a christian life can be. And an interest in helping others come to know the Lord. Maybe not by knocking on doors or having a basketball league. But by sharing one-on-one with people. Not to get them to come to chruch, especially, but to help them know Jesus. Maybe the people in a healthy church could plant seeds and cultivate. Then let the Holy Spirit do the reaping. Change is not comfortable. Any change in a person's life, or a church's life, will only happen once a real need to change is realized. The question might be 'How do you get a church to see it doesn't love Jesus?' John seems to use confrontation from someone who has respect. Even some threats and fear-of-the-Lord. Not all 7 of these churches listened.

I did not recognize the distinction. In that sense, though, the divinity of each is maybe why. Both exhibit the divinity attributed to God, although in different ways. God the father is the beginning and the end. Who was always and will always be. The creator, the law giver and the judge of all of us. Jesus is the living personification who has returned from death and will come again to give eternal life. (Maybe not as we know it. That's not yet clear to me.) But He will come again as He promised to give live and to rule. This world is, and will be, His. Implicit in this is that it was Jesus who walked on earth and who taught in person among the Jews. It was He who gave all of us hope and encouragement to believe.