God is faithful
- Thread starter FollowHim
- Start date
-
- Tags
- god faithful
-
Welcome to Christian Forums, a Christian Forum that recognizes that all Christians are a work in progress.
You will need to register to be able to join in fellowship with Christians all over the world.
We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!
How do you know whether you believe a pipe dream or really know the King?
I was in church one day and was sharing with another brother about loneliness in my heart being touched by Jesus.
I knew then I had found home.
They responded with surprise, as if this was actually impossible. Faith to them was still a balanced risk taking, and they were not sure it was true yet. Many in house groups confess their own doubts on faith and trust in God, it is always interesting to hear these layers of belief and revelation in ones heart.
Another brother, blessed by the Lord was shaken by an incident with their son. They found they could not forgive them, and this became between them and the Lord. They knew the block but chose rebellion over forgiveness and reconciliation. It was so surprising, and so sudden.
So we stand by faith, like Peter, impetuous, claiming so much, not knowing our foundations might not be as firm as we believed at first.
We stand by the Lords grace, and His will. Very fragile, very vulnerable, but also very much in His hands. God bless you
Last edited:
God is faithful to Himself. He promised eternal life before He created anything, and He intends to fulfill that promise!
God justifies the ungodly. Justification is to make innocent. We are innocent by decree, and by a new creation.
Much love!
What struck me about hyper grace believers is their presumption, that God will give them everything for literally nothing in their lives.
Peter knew how much he loved Jesus, yet he denied Him, on that dreadful night. It was his shadow, the ultimate enthusiastic follower undone by being too loud and forward before he had quite got there. He listened to the rich young man, and how he turned away. Peter was shocked, and told Jesus how impossible it all was. And Jesus agreed.
Peter later says if it is hard for the righteous to find God, how impossible for those who do not even raise a finger.
Yet with all this before believers they are happy to rebel and ignore it all and then claim God has them secure, when they simple have not met the living God, just listened to some corrupt deceived teachers who want followers at any cost, and will make everything as easy as possible.
God bless you
It's an interesting use of language. In all relationships there are gifts and also obligations. To dissect it all to just one aspect denies the whole.
Love as in Christ changes us, it is life, the air that we breath, our morning, our day and our night. We praise Him and honour Him in all that we do because His treasure is within. Amen, Praise the Lord.
Earning a response sounds like the intention is selfish, but shinning as a light to bring Him glory is our privilege, and calling, Amen
Selfishness like that part where one is trying to earn His reward. What can we do to possibly out do God??
I quiet agree.
Luk 17:7 But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat?
Luk 17:8 And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink?
Luk 17:9 Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not.
Luk 17:10 So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.
So I will let Him receive all the glory for He has earned and deserves it all.
Joh_19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
God had done everything He needs to do for us to be saved, Have Faith in God, that is our part, its enough for Him.
If you agree that to be the elect we respond to Christ, it is who we are, then amen, we agree.
There is always trouble when we try and define Gods work and our work, as if they are separate. Nothing is separate, in Christ everything is given and inspired through Him. We feel bad about our failures, but Christ is working so we know they are there. If we open up, they change, God works, and we move forward in Him.
The discussion has always been about focus. Do we have praise for God and sorrow for our failures, and victory as we overcome?
I realise painfully, how slowly and how small each step we need to take is. But equally 1000 steps is a long way, and where we get to after 1000, is even small when it is 10,000. But if we devalue each small step in Christ, we never start, and time goes by, the word dries up, our hearts go cold and we miss what we once had.
I cannot describe how each step matters, but it is Gold built on the foundation of the cross and faith, that will last for eternity.
Praise the Lord, Amen.
God is faithful in the light
Let us walk in the light. Someone hurts me. I feel it, I remember the feeling. Each time I interact with them the feeling returns. It is an emotional conclusion of where we are, and it will not go away. It is not a judgement, it is not revenge, it is just what to expect from that person. For some their emotional conclusions they leave with everyone burn, and they wonder why they are alone.
Some have pride in their emotional conclusions as if they have earnt the reputation, as if it is a badge of honour.
Jesus called us to have emotional conclusions of grapes and figs, not thorns and thistles.
It is what I see in Jesus. He is offering life to my failures, light to my darkness, resolution to my conflicts and complexity. And God is faithful, He will answer when I call, and will help me work it through.
But what if the emotional conclusions of who we are devalues us, makes us feel like nothing? See the cross, see Christs emotional conclusion to our state, "I love you, to take all your pain and forgive it, to give all I am to save you"
Our emotional conclusions are never the end, just points on a journey. In Christ they can become gifts of love and grace, offering service and acceptance where there is only rejection and judgementalism. That is Gods faithfulness, while there is still light there is still hope.
Let us walk in the light. Someone hurts me. I feel it, I remember the feeling. Each time I interact with them the feeling returns. It is an emotional conclusion of where we are, and it will not go away. It is not a judgement, it is not revenge, it is just what to expect from that person. For some their emotional conclusions they leave with everyone burn, and they wonder why they are alone.
Some have pride in their emotional conclusions as if they have earnt the reputation, as if it is a badge of honour.
Jesus called us to have emotional conclusions of grapes and figs, not thorns and thistles.
It is what I see in Jesus. He is offering life to my failures, light to my darkness, resolution to my conflicts and complexity. And God is faithful, He will answer when I call, and will help me work it through.
But what if the emotional conclusions of who we are devalues us, makes us feel like nothing? See the cross, see Christs emotional conclusion to our state, "I love you, to take all your pain and forgive it, to give all I am to save you"
Our emotional conclusions are never the end, just points on a journey. In Christ they can become gifts of love and grace, offering service and acceptance where there is only rejection and judgementalism. That is Gods faithfulness, while there is still light there is still hope.
In that I agree, bus as to whom is the elect that is His, only He knows. We can claim a lot of things does not mean it is so.
I agree with most, but are you so sure that every ones elses conclusions are emotional. When I stood in heaven being given the opportunity to Judge my X and her boyfriend, there was no emotion, just His Love to forgive.
This is a classic difference of the use of the word emotion. Often we say someone is getting emotional we mean they are showing emotions that are outside the expected emotions for the situation. The emotional conclusion in your situation was acceptance of your x and her choice, and your ability to forgive what went before. Amen to forgiveness and love.
What emotional conclusion, what has emotions got to do with God, thats all the flesh.
Emotional validity
Our emotional states need to be balanced always. It is the balancing of them that makes life possible, literally.
Jesus takes us to a new place, with the cross and forgiveness, of ultimate healing and freedom, but it takes faith.
God is faithful if we ask and seek Him. How someone feels does not define a legitimate response, just that that is their response. The next step is to talk about appropriate responses, love, care, needs of all parties and finally what is a reasonable conclusion.
Abuse often begins when one individuals response predominates, and everyone is a slave to how they are feeling, which often leads to exploitation and manipulation. I learnt many years ago inappropriate responses must be shown simply as inappropriate and dealt with as such. The Lord is so concerned about appropriateness, a child who goes too far should be executed. This is so extreme but it illustrates the point, life is built on appropriateness and culture that dictates how people can be approved of, or offence is taken.
Various pressure groups have attempted to manipulate society, by changing the emotional rules around acceptability and approval. Unfortunately it does not work, it merely confuses the issues and dilutes what a culture is and how it works. So now we have so many subcultures it is difficult not to upset someone without knowing it. And worse still the loudest voices claiming they are being insulted often get heard the most. In my own family, with my kids, some subjects make me "disgusting", and so bad I cannot be talked to. And in reality it is just the emotional baggage built up that creates this feeling, but it is very real and very damaging.
Some hyper grace groups have equally used the same approach, looking for a phrase to heap total anger, aggression and hatred on, and use phrases like "puke on", "spit on", "worse than a murderer", "evil", "demonic", "from the pit". And the cause is some theological emphasis.
Once the group have labelled an individual as beyond trust, the emotional conclusion is continually used to justify abuse, being rude, mockery, lying, or anything that would cause deep hurt to a friend.
God is faithful, because through the cross we find resolution, and know in Him we overcome, and our emotional conclusions to everyone is peace, love and acceptance.
Our emotional states need to be balanced always. It is the balancing of them that makes life possible, literally.
Jesus takes us to a new place, with the cross and forgiveness, of ultimate healing and freedom, but it takes faith.
God is faithful if we ask and seek Him. How someone feels does not define a legitimate response, just that that is their response. The next step is to talk about appropriate responses, love, care, needs of all parties and finally what is a reasonable conclusion.
Abuse often begins when one individuals response predominates, and everyone is a slave to how they are feeling, which often leads to exploitation and manipulation. I learnt many years ago inappropriate responses must be shown simply as inappropriate and dealt with as such. The Lord is so concerned about appropriateness, a child who goes too far should be executed. This is so extreme but it illustrates the point, life is built on appropriateness and culture that dictates how people can be approved of, or offence is taken.
Various pressure groups have attempted to manipulate society, by changing the emotional rules around acceptability and approval. Unfortunately it does not work, it merely confuses the issues and dilutes what a culture is and how it works. So now we have so many subcultures it is difficult not to upset someone without knowing it. And worse still the loudest voices claiming they are being insulted often get heard the most. In my own family, with my kids, some subjects make me "disgusting", and so bad I cannot be talked to. And in reality it is just the emotional baggage built up that creates this feeling, but it is very real and very damaging.
Some hyper grace groups have equally used the same approach, looking for a phrase to heap total anger, aggression and hatred on, and use phrases like "puke on", "spit on", "worse than a murderer", "evil", "demonic", "from the pit". And the cause is some theological emphasis.
Once the group have labelled an individual as beyond trust, the emotional conclusion is continually used to justify abuse, being rude, mockery, lying, or anything that would cause deep hurt to a friend.
God is faithful, because through the cross we find resolution, and know in Him we overcome, and our emotional conclusions to everyone is peace, love and acceptance.
14 Then the LORD's anger burned against Moses
Exodus 4:14
23 If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry.
24 My anger will be aroused
Exodus 22:23-24
15 do this with gentleness and respect,
16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.
1 Peter 3:15-16
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Phil 4:4-6
15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace
Col 3:15
26 "In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,
27 and do not give the devil a foothold
Eph 4:26-27
Emotions are often seen only as anger, an obvious spilling out of one emotional reaction to a situation.
But peace, joy, gentleness, rejoicing, being anxious are emotions also. Everything we do and are is underpinned by our emotional life. It is often quiet and in the background, for some so repressed and controlled, they will say they are monotone grey, not emotional at all. All this means is they behave as they expect others to see them, while removing anything that reflects their internal life. But this is life in a prison, life without freedom, life of the mask, life of pretend and true repression. This is not Christ or the cross, truth and freedom. God bless you
Your speaking of worldy things not Godly things, things of teh flesh not the things of God. When one is with Christ there are no emotions yet when when He chooses He can pour out His love and it will flood you.
God bless you to
"When one is with Christ there are no emotions"
On a simple level, just life as it is, I would worry for you if you think this is what eternal life is like.
Jesus wept for Lazarus, when he died.
Rejoicing and being anxious are two very emotional states, one which is to be encouraged and one which is to be balanced with faith in Christ. One of the issues with mental illness is the swings in mood, and for women their cycles. It is not something we can control, but it is something we can balance out. One thing guys suffer from is total emotional repression or one could call this depression, where a monotone pain is all that is felt. Now these are the extreme extents of our lives, but are a growing problem in the isolated and disconnected world in which we live.
If one wants to know love and ministry, reaching out to others, the first lesson is to learn our own internal balancing we do each day.
My daughter who is very anxious and has had therapy claims of course I know nothing of my internal life because I have not had therapy. Interestingly I cannot talk about my lessons, because that causes too much instability in herself, which she cannot cope with.
I pray as she gets older, she finds a real way through. It is these prisons Jesus came to proclaim freedom from, where the fear of death no longer holds a sting. And it is our emotional language that can answer desires of the flesh with spiritual desires of reality and love.
One reason why our emotional life to me is so important, because out of 11 cousins, 1 commited suicide, another attempted it, 3 spent their adult lives on anti-psychotic medication, 2 are very withdrawn, and only one socially integrated family with good emotional balances brought about a successful family. For some learning the reality of the heart is life and death, literally, the balance between psychosis and normality.
Unfortunately another family I know closely lost their son to suicide and another their father.
So I speak not from ignorance, or intellect, but from hard reality, and learning what makes us who we are. God bless you
Last edited:
It is the gift of God, not of works, lest any should boast.
To the one that works, then it is a reward, and not a gift.
Justifying the ungodly, God then gives to us Christ. And what exactly are we to add to that? To give as a price from our hand?
Much love!
There is a difference between a statement and a transformation.
As Paul said, he did not accept someones conversion until they could show works of repentance.
I can claim anything but my actions declare what I really believe. Jesus justifies the repentant sinner, not the sinner who claims all the promises but refuses to leave wickedness.
The argument is leaving wickedness is a choice ie earning reward or the fruit of a real change in ones heart. Sad for all concerned it is both. God is faithful to the righteous, as Job declares.
But to square this with repentant sinners, a sinners must become righteous, which is done by faith. To deny righteousness from the heart, is to deny the very free gift Jesus has brought.
The dilemma is in repentance are there sins Jesus does not forgive, even if not known about. The answer appears to be no. It is walking clean from this point onwards that is our challenge. It is what creates the tension and often disappointment when people discover they are so far from Jesus, the cost is very high, and such a change seems impossible.
Paul calls this aiming at perfection. It is marked by perseverance, fight, grit, determination, self control, love, service, giving.
Similar threads
