All About GOD - Growing Relationships with Jesus and Others

Why?

Why do so many people look for a perfect world while living in a fallen world? The perfect world is yet to come.

Why do Christians expect an easy life on earth when God tells us that our life will be hard and full of trials and tribulation?

Has Christianity lost its way? Has the pulpit stopped presenting people with truth? Are pulpits failing to prepare them for a life of service and struggle while living as strangers in this fallen world?

Even a quick study of early church history, both from the NT era and the next two centuries tell us how difficult it is to be a Christian in a fallen world. Why do people think that the aged church will have it easier than the newly born church?

0 members like this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Leonard T on March 25, 2013 at 10:08am

Act 22:4 KJV And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Leonard T on March 25, 2013 at 10:15am

JB,

Now this is what I do agree with from your post:

It is all in the way we respond to them, that makes it hard or easy. Yes, and you admit we will have trials and tribulation according to this comment.

People suffer needlessly from worry and fear that leads to depression, sickness, disease etc. it alters our thinking process and we think about everything else but the Word, it is usually secondary. The Word MUST prevail over our mind. This is the solution to the trials and tribulation, but that does not negate that we will experience them. That is my point. People are not being prepared for them, but are being taught to expect a life perfect life here without trials and tribulation and when they come they do not know how to respond or endure.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Amanda on March 25, 2013 at 11:45am

Well said. The abundant life is ours, health, wealth, and prosperity, all for the claiming of it but with only one condition, at least have the faith of a mustard seed and speak the word. :( Well, I have to conclude that, in this case, I have no faith then since I'm not completely healthy, wealthy, and prospering in every way and abundantly. And binding and loosing doesn't work for me. Forgive my attitude.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by JB on March 29, 2013 at 9:59am

:( Well, I have to conclude that, in this case, I have no faith then since I'm not completely healthy, wealthy, and prospering in every way and abundantly. And binding and loosing doesn't work for me. Forgive my attitude.

Amanda, I over look your attitude, lol, But this is what I am getting at. “Forgive my assumption” But the Word hasn’t been given its proper place in your heart yet, because, when you say “sense I’m not completely” , or I don’t have faith, you are denying what the Word says about you. “IT IS WRITTEN !” God has dealt to every man the measure of faith. Ro.12:3,. Or According as His divine power has given unto you all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that has called you to glory and virtue. 2Pet.1:2-3, Joel 3:10, ….Let the weak say I am strong. I think you are looking for (as the old song goes)” love in all the wrong places” See everything God has given to us at the New Birth, was deposited in our spirits, in our spirits we are complete, the fact that He has given to us everything that pertains unto life and godliness, is already in our spirits, the only part that got renewed or born again and unless we renew our minds to that fact, it will just stay there unused, but we bring it forth through faith. Believing that what God said was indeed a fact, not in theory. Everything we receive from, or of God, is received the same way we were born again, “by grace through faith” and a wavering faith will not produce your desires.

I’m sure you know the power of affirmations, this is what we should do with the Word of God; what He says about you; you should make that an affirmation, you are not lying “as some would say” when we say “my God shall supply all my needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus, or by His stripes I am healed” I usually make the whole chapter of Psa.91, an affirmation. i.e. “because I have made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High my habitation, there shall no evil befall me, neither shall any plague come nigh my dwelling ”or “because I have set my love upon Him, therefore He will deliver me, He will set me on high, because I have known His Name, I can call upon Him and He will answer me, He will be with me in trouble, He will deliver me and honor me, with long life will He satisfy me and show me His salvation.” It has been proven that affirmations have been one of the most powerful and effective ways of controlling our minds, We keep ourselves in bondage with our emotions, and I believe that
it is the repetition of affirmations that leads to belief, and once that belief becomes a deep conviction, things begin to happen, especially when those affirmations are based on the Word of God. This is allowing the Word of God to prevail over our negative thinking process. Napoleon Hill says that,” through the principle of autosuggestion, any desire that I persistently hold in my mind will eventually seek expression through some practical means of attaining the object behind it”. Autosuggestion or self- suggestions are just an influencing of one’s own habits or behaviors by mental processes other than conscious thought. “Webster” This is why the Word says, “Whatsoever things are true, honest, just or pure, think on these things” In other words, we are transformed by the renewing of the mind. Rom.12… I’m reminded of the little train trying to go over the mountain, he just kept saying, I think II can, I think I can… and he did.

So keep thinking or “knowing” you can, and you will with the help of the Holy Spirit.

Be blessed,

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Amanda on March 29, 2013 at 11:02am

Hi JB. Thank you for being gracious and overlooking my attitude. I know I have a bad one sometimes. I hope this reply is still on topic for the discussion and I think that maybe it will be for I feel led to point out something here and maybe it won't sit just right with you but nonetheless I need to say that Jesus has more precedence in my heart than the Bible. Now, I understand that Jesus is the Word, as it declares in John 1 -- Jesus is the Living Word. The written word is so important and many of the verses in it are written upon my heart but Jesus is sitting on the throne in my heart.

Also, I have trouble believing that there is power in affirmations. I might be wrong and I'm still learning but right now my beliefs align more with what is stated in the following article than they do with what you have stated in your "article" -- your reply here.
http://www.gotquestions.org/positive-confession.html

As a final thought, self talk is taught in psychology. It's a method for changing unwanted emotions and maybe there is some merit in it even though many people balk at it. Negative thinking can be irrational. If we challenge it sometimes we can change it. For example, if you tell yourself that no one loves you and yet you are married and have children, it's not a rational thought, is it? Neither is telling yourself that you can drive thirty miles while intoxicated. And if you interpret a remark that someone makes as an insult and want to start a fist fight, then that's irrational isn't it? So self- talk in the way of talking yourself out of these negative reactions can be a positive thing in helping someone identify what is a rational thought versus what is irrational. But I'm not so sure this is a biblical teaching. Yet, as I said I'm still learning.

I do agree that with the truths found in God's Word we can conquer lies. It is a battle every day. I believe only God can renew my mind. I'm sure I must respond to the renewal. I'm sure that slowly but surely I am.

May you have a blessed Easter.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by JB on March 29, 2013 at 10:41pm

Hello Amanda, Thanks for responding, and I pray as well you too will have a blessed Easter. Or Resurrection Sunday.

I really do not want to try and convince you of anything; however I would appreciate it very much if you would give me your interpretation or understanding of some or all of these scriptures. Not a sermon but Just briefly ?

Also at the end I have posted a secular web site that might be of interest to you. I read a lot of other books to see if their beliefs or theories align with any of the principles in the bible. Surprisingly a lot of them do. However I still go to the Word for the truth.

Speaking for instance sends sound waves, and will have some influence on other things that are within the wave length, according to a little study I did in quantum physics. I’m sure you have heard the old question; when a tree falls in the forest, and there is no one around, does it still make a noise? The sound waves are there, but no receptors. I see this same principle with the Word of God, The sound goes out, but no ears to hear. “Spiritually” I like the scripture in 2 Tim. 3:5, Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof, they have a hard time hearing what the Word is saying, Spiritually, because the natural man cannot receive the things of God, for they are spiritually understood. I see in the article you referenced as being from; more of an intellectual point of view than spiritual. I don’t know that I have ever had a satisfactory answer using “ gotquestions.org” therefore I never go there, unless someone makes a request for me to do so.

Thanks for helping me understand where others are coming from, concerning these verses.

Mark 11:23 (KJV)
For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

Luke 17:6 (KJV)
And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.

Mark 11:24 (KJV)
Therefore I say unto you, what things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

Matthew 17:20 (KJV)
And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

Ephesians 5:19 (KJV)
Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, (Why? )singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

Acts 3:6 (KJV)
Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.
And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.

Joel 3:10 (KJV)
Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong. Let the WHO SAY I am strong??

1 John 4:17 (KJV)
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.

Matthew 21:21-22 (KJV)
Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.
And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

Romans 10:8-10 (KJV)
But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth (speaking words) the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

http://www.affirmations-for-radical-success.com/thought-control.html

Blessings to you,

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Amanda on March 30, 2013 at 7:49am

JB, I don’t feel led to debate this with you and just feel led to make two points.
First, I clicked on the link you provided and when I got to the quote by Buddha I didn’t feel led to continue reading. Eastern religious meditation is very harmful IMO. I’m working on my negative thinking by replacing unwanted thoughts with God’s truths. I often tell myself that in spite of my problems and sadness and negative feelings the Lord is always with me, helping me continue to live.

Recently I learned that Philippians 4:6-7 was written by a man who had many struggles and afflictions and God always helped him continue on through them and always kept his mind and heart in the duration as well. Thinking on things that are true is for me thinking on Scriptures. I’m doing the best I can while relying on God. I’m learning to interpret the events that have happened in my life in a different way than I did at first and I'm learning about what I can do differently now. I don’t expect others to understand let alone to agree. But it’s helping me and I believe it is a biblical approach.

In Romans 12:2 it’s obvious that the Holy Spirit will do the transforming. It’s a wonderful thing when I’ve been struggling with something and then finally realize God’s truth about it. Truth changes me.

Second, as for giving you an interpretation of the Bible verses you have outlined, I don’t feel led to go into that but do feel led to post a link that refutes the way many verses are used by the prosperity gospel and I’ve read through it and it appears to be sound teaching to me but keep in mind that I’m still learning. Dr. Kelly is a conservative evangelical dispensational Baptist best known for his work “Should the Church Teach Tithing” www.tithing-russkelly.com/id203.html

PS I tried to keep it short. I’ll pray about that and ask God to help me shorten my replies.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Amanda on March 30, 2013 at 8:01am

Another PS I think we disagree JB and we will both have to agree to disagree on this. Sorry. Moving on ...

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by JB on March 30, 2013 at 8:24am

May you find peace in your endeavors to find truth.

Have a Blessed journey,

Permalink Reply by Seek on May 1, 2013 at 9:04am

Matthew 17:20 (KJV)
And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

As a standalone message perhaps that is where some get the belief. But for those who ask to be healed and believe it and yet die....

Taken in context with the entire Bible....whatever is within God's will. And if it was not in His will that person live for some other reason known only to Him, believing wasn't going to change His mind.