Brick Walls.

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brakelite

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No, this is not about election promises. You all would be familiar with the old saying, "beating you head against a brick wall", as a metaphor for being unable to make a difference, or unable to progress in life or in any pursuit of a goal. Perhaps you are looking for a spouse? A job? A new car because your present one is a danger to other road users? Even though your motives are pure, and your goals and ambitions honourable, you have come to a dead end. Progress is futile. Even in sharing our thoughts here in the forum, where it appears sometimes no-one is listening...no-one cares...no-one wants to know. Attempting to go further will result only in more pain and frustration. How many have been in that situation and given up?
What do you do when you arrive at one of these seemingly intractable obstacles? Do we try harder to break down the barriers by fighting harder, yelling louder, attacking more ferociously? Or do we give up, reassuring ourselves that "Oh, the Lord has closed the door so I will look elsewhere"..."this isn't God's will for my life"...etc etc.
Have you considered the pesky neighbor that needed bread for a visitor? Or the nuisance widow who needed a judge to hear her complaint? Have you considered that the reason your lack of progress in any matter is because you are trusting in your own strength and failing in your own incapacity to move the immovable? Consider that these times of frustration God has placed in our paths on purpose in order for us to come to Him and exercise our faith in persevering prayer and praise?
By giving up, are we denying God an opportunity to demonstrate his love and mercy toward us and exercise His power on our behalf? What opportunities for ministry have been forever lost, at least to us, because we failed to persevere in intercessory prayer on behalf of others, by breaking down their walls of resistance and hardness of heart through prayer and praise which can start a chain reaction as they take up the baton and pass it on to others. What greater joy will there be when Jesus introduces us to folk who are saved by our willingness to pray for just one person, and he responded by sharing the gospel with thousands. This is true spiritual warfare...taking the kingdom by force by breaking sown those brick walls by faith in the power of a gracious faithful loving and merciful Saviour.
 
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D

Dave L

Guest
No, this is not about election promises. You all would be familiar with the old saying, "beating you head against a brick wall", as a metaphor for being unable to make a difference, or unable to progress in life or in any pursuit of a goal. Perhaps you are looking for a spouse? A job? A new car because your present one is a danger to other road users? Even though your motives are pure, and your goals and ambitions honourable, you have come to a dead end. Progress is futile. Even in sharing our thoughts here in the forum, where it appears sometimes no-one is listening...no-one cares...no-one wants to know. Attempting to go further will result only in more pain and frustration. How many have been in that situation and given up?
What do you do when you arrive at one of these seemingly intractable obstacles? Do we try harder to break down the barriers by fighting harder, yelling louder, attacking more ferociously? Or do we give up, reassuring ourselves that "Oh, the Lord has closed the door so I will look elsewhere"..."this isn't God's will for my life"...etc etc.
Have you considered the pesky neighbor that needed bread for a visitor? Or the nuisance widow who needed a judge to hear her complaint? Have you considered that the reason your progress in any matter is because you are trusting in your own strength and failing in your own incapacity to move the immovable? Consider that these times of frustration God has placed in our paths on purpose in order for us to come to Him and exercise our faith in persevering prayer and praise?
By giving up, are we denying God an opportunity to demonstrate his love and mercy toward us and exercise His power on our behalf? What opportunities for ministry have been forever lost, at least to us, because we failed to persevere in intercessory prayer on behalf of others, by breaking down their walls of resistance and hardness of heart through prayer and praise which can start a chain reaction as they take up the baton and pass it on to others. What greater joy will there be when Jesus introduces us to folk who are saved by our willingness to pray for just one person, and he responded by sharing the gospel with thousands. This is true spiritual warfare...taking the kingdom by force by breaking sown those brick walls by faith in the power of a gracious faithful loving and merciful Saviour.
I've come to think people prefer walking by sight instead of faith. And looking for results is a lack of faith. God said his word will never return void. So we do our part and assume God sorts the rest out.
 
B

brakelite

Guest
"like" down to here :)
Spiritual power Mark. Like when Israel walked around Jericho for 7 days. Praying and praising all the way. Not giving up but persevering to the end. After 5 days I can imagine some perhaps thinking "Nah! Waste of time! What is 2 more times going to accomplish more than the 5 already done? I'm going home". But like Jesus said, "the violent take the kingdom by force". This doesn't mean people are battered on the way, or God is compelled by our own insistence and violence against Him into accepting us into His kingdom. What it means, at least to me, is that people, upon seeing the benefits and virtue of accepting the righteousness of Christ and eternal life as a gift, they snatch at it without hesitation...they press in on the kingdom with zeal and eagerness of spirit, bringing, even carrying, others along with them.
Another example I could mention is the woman in the street who had been bleeding 12 years without any help from any medicinal practitioner, despite her spending every last penny on pursuing healing, sought Jesus among the crowd just to touch the hem of His garment. She had to be determined...risking even physical punishment and ridicule and abuse if caught, because she was technically and according to Jewish law, unclean. She had to press in, through the jostling crowd, at risk of losing everything, just like a warrior, to attain her goal. That faith...that determination...that earnest expectation...brought her deliverance. To force ones way into the kingdom one must be single minded and focused as just as she was...and our faith will make us whole.
 

bbyrd009

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To force ones way into the kingdom one must be single minded and focused as just as she was...and our faith will make us whole.
ok, you can believe that, might even be some value in it, but imo you will get some bad symbology there, some signals mixed up maybe later, bc little children don't have to force anything right

"Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it."
"the kingdom suffers violence, and the violent take it by force."
 
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brakelite

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ok, you can believe that, might even be some value in it, but imo you will get some bad symbology there, some signals mixed up maybe later, bc little children don't have to force anything right

"Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it."
"the kingdom suffers violence, and the violent take it by force."
Wise as serpents, harmless as doves?
 
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mjrhealth

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God has being banging His head against brick walls for centuries, the hardness of mens hearts is not something so easy to change, good thing He is patient with us, but even he has set and end time and we are in it. In time all that has a beginning has an end, and here we are, watching it unfold right before our eyes.
 
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aspen

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God’s tastes are questionable at best.....
 

mjrhealth

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wow mjr so no offense meant, honest, but amazing how much God and you think exactly alike, huh?
God is frustrated too, you think? Wadr I don't think so mjr, imo everything is going exactly as planned
Yep exactly as God knew it would, He know the end from the beginning, which is why the bible says He must shorten this or scarcely even teh elect would be saved. The worst in man is yet to come.
 
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mjrhealth

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I still have no idea what you are on about, what has any of that to do with satan, you think on some different plane to everyone else. Please explain maybe ill get a grasp.