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stunnedbygrace

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Thought I was going to be gone from forum for a bit but I was wrong. :)

Is it necessary to question whether the world is in Gods control or satans control? Doesn’t it become a moot point since He works ALL things for good to those who love Him and are called by Him?
You can go more than one way with this.

If you lack much trust/faith, something will come to you that is very hard and you will get hung up by your small trust and will insist on asking that unnecessary question and will Possibly move into a joyless fatalism, a belief that He is just hard and unyieldingly harsh in His character, and you will be oppressed and depressed. But He works all things for your good, so He will work on practicing and growing your trust so you will not be oppressed.

Another way to go is to have a clash of wills. You just don’t like the hard thing and you want a different circumstance and you exert all your power and strength to have your own will win rather than His will. You may even insist God would never have allowed the hard circumstance to occur in your life and you are doing His will in trying to change it. But He works all things for your good and so He will bring failure after failure until you submit to the circumstance you find yourself in and begin to accept and pray rather than try to change it by your own will and strength, so you will be more fit to move in concert with His Spirit.

—————————————————————————-

The world system is based on control of, and buying and selling of, men.
A rich man, or even a man with quite a bit more than just enough for the day, will usually have an exceedingly hard time seeing this.
The control, and mechanisms to not let men free from that control, come in various ways, but money and drugs are two of them. You are not meant to be free from mortgages (and second and third loans). At least not until you have been milked, at minimum, for the course of the decades of your strength. It’s the same with drugs. You are not meant to be cured but to be milked by paying for drugs needed for the rest of your life. This will not go over well and will make men teeth gnashing mad, but Jesus healed all who were sick. He did not mask the symptoms, He healed and there WERE no more symptoms. Argue as you will amongst yourselves, but I will not be answering the question of whether I ever take an aspirin for a headache.

——————————————————————————————————

It’s not the inflow that’s important, it’s the outflow.
If I’m given food/ a few talents, that helps me, but no one else. If I don’t go and share with the rest of my own body, I’ve made no profit for the One who gave it to me. I’ve hid the talent in the ground/my own soil. If I do that, what little I have will be taken from me and given to someone else.
God doesn’t give to me (inflow) for me alone. It’s meant to feed us all. Multiply to the feeding of many, fish and loaves AND leftovers (Outflow).
 
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Enoch111

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Is it necessary to question whether the world is in Gods control or satans control? Doesn’t it become a moot point since He works ALL things for good to those who love Him and are called by Him?
No it does not become a moot point at all. While the entire universe and every human being is indeed in the hands of God, God has ALLOWED Satan to become "the god of this world". And in fact it is Satan who is orchestrating world events at this very moment through his minions (many of whom are in fact demons pretending to be men, or men possessed by demons).

At the same time God has given the Church the responsibility to propagate the Gospel, so that those who repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ may be pulled out of the kingdom of darkness and be placed in the Kingdom of Light.

God also equips His saints with the whole armor of God, which includes the Sword of the Spirit -- the Word of God -- the Holy Bible. This is the most effective weapon against all the lies and deception of Satan.

At the same time Satan is also in God's hands, and God only allows him to go as far as God wants. See the book of Job. We know that if God wanted to He could easily cast the devil into the Lake of Fire at this very moment. But God has his reasons for allowing the Adversary to exist and to do much damage.
 
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Pearl

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1 Thessalonians 5:11
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up,
Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

I think too many people concentrate on the bad stuff rather than the good and kind and loving.
 
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stunnedbygrace

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1 Thessalonians 5:11
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up,
Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

I think too many people concentrate on the bad stuff rather than the good and kind and loving.
You think God working all things for the good of myself and my brothers who love and are called by Him is bad stuff, not true, not noble, not praiseworthy, not kind and loving?

You think Jesus healing everyone is the same?
 
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Pearl

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You think God working all things for the good of myself and my brothers who love love and are called by Him is bad stuff, not true, not noble, not praiseworthy, not kind and loving?

You think Jesus healing everyone is the same?
In your post you were talking about the 'world system' so I was just saying that it isn't a good idea to dwell on that. Sorry if I misunderstood your post.
 

stunnedbygrace

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In your post you were talking about the 'world system' so I was just saying that it isn't a good idea to dwell on that. Sorry if I misunderstood your post.
Oh…I see. You didn’t read the whole thing? I think I understand now.
edit: nope, that was the last thing, so you read it.

It helps me to understand how the world works and why. It has helped me to get free of being pulled back into it over and over. It has helped me to see the patterns to pick them out also in the microcosm of my own little territory, which in turn trains my hands for war and to not be ignorant of satans tactics or keep falling for them.
But we are different people. What helps me might not help you I guess.
It has actually helped me to die to the world.
 
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Nancy

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Thought I was going to be gone from forum for a bit but I was wrong. :)

Is it necessary to question whether the world is in Gods control or satans control? Doesn’t it become a moot point since He works ALL things for good to those who love Him and are called by Him?
You can go more than one way with this.

If you lack much trust/faith, something will come to you that is very hard and you will get hung up by your small trust and will insist on asking that unnecessary question and will Possibly move into a joyless fatalism, a belief that He is just hard and unyieldingly harsh in His character, and you will be oppressed and depressed. But He works all things for your good, so He will work on practicing and growing your trust so you will not be oppressed.

Another way to go is to have a clash of wills. You just don’t like the hard thing and you want a different circumstance and you exert all your power and strength to have your own will win rather than His will. You may even insist God would never have allowed the hard circumstance to occur in your life and you are doing His will in trying to change it. But He works all things for your good and so He will bring failure after failure until you submit to the circumstance you find yourself in and begin to accept and pray rather than try to change it by your own will and strength, so you will be more fit to move in concert with His Spirit.

—————————————————————————-

The world system is based on control of, and buying and selling of, men.
A rich man, or even a man with quite a bit more than just enough for the day, will usually have an exceedingly hard time seeing this.
The control, and mechanisms to not let men free from that control, come in various ways, but money and drugs are two of them. You are not meant to be free from mortgages (and second and third loans). At least not until you have been milked, at minimum, for the course of the decades of your strength. It’s the same with drugs. You are not meant to be cured but to be milked by paying for drugs needed for the rest of your life. This will not go over well and will make men teeth gnashing mad, but Jesus healed all who were sick. He did not mask the symptoms, He healed and there WERE no more symptoms. Argue as you will amongst yourselves, but I will not be answering the question of whether I ever take an aspirin for a headache.

——————————————————————————————————

It’s not the inflow that’s important, it’s the outflow.
Be back later to continue.
"Thought I was going to be gone from forum for a bit but I was wrong. :)"

Hmm, glad ya didn't!

"Is it necessary to question whether the world is in Gods control or satans control? Doesn’t it become a moot point since He works ALL things for good to those who love Him and are called by Him?
You can go more than one way with this."

Maybe not "necessary" but, it is I think a very "thin line" between control and given abilities. Job comes to mind. God allowed Satan to ruin and take away all things in Jobs life yet, was not allowed to put his hands on Job himself. Perhaps that is how it is in this world. Satan can come at us with death, disease, sorrow upon sorrow and all kinds of evil yet...he cannot kill us cause, don't you think he would have already wiped us out?

"If you lack much trust/faith, something will come to you that is very hard and you will get hung up by your small trust and will insist on asking that unnecessary question and will Possibly move into a joyless fatalism, a belief that He is just hard and unyieldingly harsh in His character, and you will be oppressed and depressed. But He works all things for your good, so He will work on practicing and growing your trust so you will not be oppressed."

Been there and don't want to go back. Yes, he works all things together for the good to those who love Him, AND are... "Called according to His purpose". This could mean so many things! First, should not all Christians be "called" to service in some way? Physical needs of others, prayer for others, Pastor, Deacon., Elder, Prophets etc. Simply lending an ear to a brother or sister in Christ going through a rough patch, can be a service to God. It can also build up our own faith. Also, this "called according to His purpose" could mean the initial calling of God in our lives? This whole verse had me scratching my head allot in the past with, certain doctrines of men...of which I will keep to myself, thank you :)


"Another way to go is to have a clash of wills. You just don’t like the hard thing and you want a different circumstance and you exert all your power and strength to have your own will win rather than His will. You may even insist God would never have allowed the hard circumstance to occur in your life and you are doing His will in trying to change it. But He works all things for your good and so He will bring failure after failure until you submit to the circumstance you find yourself in and begin to accept and pray rather than try to change it by your own will and strength, so you will be more fit to move in concert with His Spirit."

"...until you submit to the circumstance you find yourself in and begin to accept and pray rather than try to change it by your own will and strength, so you will be more fit to move in concert with His Spirit."

It's the ONLY way, really.

—————————————————————————-

"The world system is based on control of, and buying and selling of, men.
A rich man, or even a man with quite a bit more than just enough for the day, will usually have an exceedingly hard time seeing this.
The control, and mechanisms to not let men free from that control, come in various ways, but money and drugs are two of them. You are not meant to be free from mortgages (and second and third loans). At least not until you have been milked, at minimum, for the course of the decades of your strength. It’s the same with drugs. You are not meant to be cured but to be milked by paying for drugs needed for the rest of your life. This will not go over well and will make men teeth gnashing mad, but Jesus healed all who were sick. He did not mask the symptoms, He healed and there WERE no more symptoms. Argue as you will amongst yourselves, but I will not be answering the question of whether I ever take an aspirin for a headache."

Yes...Jesus did heal, completely and immediately! I have a hard time believing there is even enough faith in this whole world to heal as fully and immediately as He did. I know, they say I have no faith because of this stance. Oh well. BTW-heard someone once say to a person taking an aspirin for a headache... "Is your body lacking aspirin" something to think about although most in this world have been sold the bill of goods that the diseases (that they cause) must be treated with this wonderful new drug!! Pfft.
——————————————————————————————————

"It’s not the inflow that’s important, it’s the outflow.
Be back later to continue."

Well sheesh Jen, you can't have the one without the other! :jest:
 

stunnedbygrace

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Well sheesh Jen, you can't have the one without the other! :jest:
Lol. I’m going to add to my first post from where I stopped, now that I’m back. You will see what I mean. :)
Edit: it’s done. Now go look.
 
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Nancy

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Thought I was going to be gone from forum for a bit but I was wrong. :)

Is it necessary to question whether the world is in Gods control or satans control? Doesn’t it become a moot point since He works ALL things for good to those who love Him and are called by Him?
You can go more than one way with this.

If you lack much trust/faith, something will come to you that is very hard and you will get hung up by your small trust and will insist on asking that unnecessary question and will Possibly move into a joyless fatalism, a belief that He is just hard and unyieldingly harsh in His character, and you will be oppressed and depressed. But He works all things for your good, so He will work on practicing and growing your trust so you will not be oppressed.

Another way to go is to have a clash of wills. You just don’t like the hard thing and you want a different circumstance and you exert all your power and strength to have your own will win rather than His will. You may even insist God would never have allowed the hard circumstance to occur in your life and you are doing His will in trying to change it. But He works all things for your good and so He will bring failure after failure until you submit to the circumstance you find yourself in and begin to accept and pray rather than try to change it by your own will and strength, so you will be more fit to move in concert with His Spirit.

—————————————————————————-

The world system is based on control of, and buying and selling of, men.
A rich man, or even a man with quite a bit more than just enough for the day, will usually have an exceedingly hard time seeing this.
The control, and mechanisms to not let men free from that control, come in various ways, but money and drugs are two of them. You are not meant to be free from mortgages (and second and third loans). At least not until you have been milked, at minimum, for the course of the decades of your strength. It’s the same with drugs. You are not meant to be cured but to be milked by paying for drugs needed for the rest of your life. This will not go over well and will make men teeth gnashing mad, but Jesus healed all who were sick. He did not mask the symptoms, He healed and there WERE no more symptoms. Argue as you will amongst yourselves, but I will not be answering the question of whether I ever take an aspirin for a headache.

——————————————————————————————————

It’s not the inflow that’s important, it’s the outflow.
If I’m given food/ a few talents, that helps me, but no one else. If I don’t go and share with the rest of my own body, I’ve made no profit for the One who gave it to me. I’ve hid the talent in the ground/my own soil. If I do that, what little I have will be taken from me and given to someone else.
God doesn’t give to me (inflow) for me alone. It’s meant to feed us all. Multiply to the feeding of many, fish and loaves AND leftovers (Outflow).
:Zek:
 

stunnedbygrace

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Another thing to share.

3 For a long time Israel was without the true God, without a priest to teach them, and without the Law to instruct them.

sounds like us somewhat - “without the true God”
confusion and arguing over a 3 part God/not a 3 part God, arguing Jesus was only human, human AND God, only a prophet, to be worshiped, no not to be worshiped that word doesn’t mean worship

“Without a priest to teach them”
See above. Enough said!

5 “During those dark times, it was not safe to travel. Problems troubled the people of every land. 6 Nation fought against nation, and city against city, for God was troubling them with every kind of problem.

Needs no commentary, really. Sounds exactly like the world now. Dark times, not safe to travel about, trouble in every land, not just nation against nation but now city against city, state against state.
Hmm…for God was troubling them with every kind of problem…oh but no, it’s not God, right? It’s liberals, it’s the truckers, no it’s greedy corporations, no it’s global warming, it’s Russia causing all the shortages, no it’s the swamp drain it and we’ll be fine, and on and on

8 When Asa heard this message from Azariah the prophet, which was this: [The Lord will stay with you as long as you stay with him! Whenever you seek him, you will find him. But if you abandon him, he will abandon you] he took courage and removed all the detestable idols from the land…
Asa, when tearing down the idols, did not pass over even a family member. He deposed even his own grandmother and the idol she had made.

Idols. That would be what their fathers worshiped and defended and fought over (even with the shedding of the blood of any who spoke out.) So we are comparing ourselves against this to see what our idols are. NOT the worlds idols, but OUR idols. This would be doctrines, right? If WE/OUR fathers have ever shed the blood of others over doctrine in OUR history, we need to examine it closely. If something were given by God to a man to share with us and build us up, would that man shed the blood of any other to defend it? Of course the answer is no. That’s not what Jesus did.
If our fathers shed blood over a doctrine, it wasn’t from our Lord. If a man sees something from the Lord or something in His word that is for our building up, that man is not going to kill, maim, hang, behead or burn to death any other man who disagrees with it. Jesus didn’t, not a single apostle did, and we won’t.
Asa tore down the idol of even a family member. Wake up.
 
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Nancy

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Another thing to share.

3 For a long time Israel was without the true God, without a priest to teach them, and without the Law to instruct them.

sounds like us somewhat - “without the true God”
confusion and arguing over a 3 part God/not a 3 part God, arguing Jesus was only human, human AND God, only a prophet, to be worshiped, no not to be worshiped that word doesn’t mean worship

“Without a priest to teach them”
See above. Enough said!

5 “During those dark times, it was not safe to travel. Problems troubled the people of every land. 6 Nation fought against nation, and city against city, for God was troubling them with every kind of problem.

Needs no commentary, really. Sounds exactly like the world now. Dark times, not safe to travel about, trouble in every land, not just nation against nation but now city against city, state against state.
Hmm…for God was troubling them with every kind of problem…oh but no, it’s not God, right? It’s liberals, it’s the truckers, no it’s greedy corporations, no it’s global warming, it’s Russia causing all the shortages, no it’s the swamp drain it and we’ll be fine, and on and on

8 When Asa heard this message from Azariah the prophet, which was this: [The Lord will stay with you as long as you stay with him! Whenever you seek him, you will find him. But if you abandon him, he will abandon you] he took courage and removed all the detestable idols from the land…
Asa, when tearing down the idols, did not pass over even a family member. He deposed even his own grandmother and the idol she had made.

Idols. That would be what their fathers worshiped and defended and fought over (even with the shedding of the blood of any who spoke out.) So we are comparing ourselves against this to see what our idols are. NOT the worlds idols, but OUR idols. This would be doctrines, right? If WE/OUR fathers have ever shed the blood of others over doctrine in OUR history, we need to examine it closely. If something were given by God to a man to share with us and build us up, would that man shed the blood of any other to defend it? Of course the answer is no. That’s not what Jesus did.
If our fathers shed blood over a doctrine, it wasn’t from our Lord. If a man sees something from the Lord or something in His word that is for our building up, that man is not going to kill, maim, hang, behead or burn to death any other man who disagrees with it. Jesus didn’t, not a single apostle did, and we won’t.
Asa tore down the idol of even a family member. Wake up.
“Without a priest to teach them”. And now we have an over abundance of "teachers" itching ears all over the place, teaching totally false doctrine...WAY more of them than genuine anointed teachers of His word. Like the Prophets of old, true teachers of Gods way will not have many people around them or liking them...truth hurts when one doesn't "want" to hear it.

No, sure doesn't need any commentary...God brought these many trials to the people and still does.

Ha, yeah...doctrines as idols...interestingly put, never thought of that. I think of things like, some who put God last in their day, or not at all, or AFTER they catch up on a game to get points on time, watching too much TV with all secular garbage on it, oh, oh, just gotta do this or that before I acknowledge God. I sometimes feel as though letting the dogs out and feeding them before acknowledging Him is "idol-like" although, thoughts of Him are immediately there upon going to sleep, and upon waking.
Doctrine is so important...TRUE doctrine. What a mess humans have made of His word, His message. And for sure, knowing the blood shed over them, there should be much more interest as to why that happened in the first place! Indoctrination has saturated the church.

Asa screwed up his courage and obeyed God...yes, his own family and back then, no easy feat...nor is it now with the erroneous doctrines drilled into folks heads and locked tight cause, they think they got it all correct...sad.


 

stunnedbygrace

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I guess when we get mad enough at what has been done to us that held us back and kept us weak, and what’s being done still to explain away Gods word until it matches what we see rather than what God says, then we will move God by our corporate outcry and then we will see Him manifest.
 

stunnedbygrace

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and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of mankind, but on the power of God.

In demonstration of the Spirit and of power…where is that today? Where is the God of Paul?
 

Nancy

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I guess when we get mad enough at what has been done to us that held us back and kept us weak, and what’s being done still to explain away Gods word until it matches what we see rather than what God says, then we will move God by our corporate outcry and then we will see Him manifest.
Yeah, folks love to create their own god.
Oh yes, for sure our God will manifest and not in a really nice way, despite the church and her outcry. Most folks are just fine where they are; sitting under false teachers basically telling them it is okay to sin. SMH :(
 
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stunnedbygrace

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I’m really weary right now. A bit disheartened.
Send out your light and your truth, let them guide me. Let them lead me to the place where you live. There I will go to God—the source of all my joy. Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God!
 
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Pearl

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and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of mankind, but on the power of God.

In demonstration of the Spirit and of power…where is that today? Where is the God of Paul?
A few weeks ago as i was praying I came to realise that the river of life is dammed up - I even posted about it - DAMMED UP

And yesterday as I sorted out my desk I came across a page from church on which was printed a prophecy from some years ago and which said the same thing.
 

quietthinker

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Thought I was going to be gone from forum for a bit but I was wrong. :)

Is it necessary to question whether the world is in Gods control or satans control? Doesn’t it become a moot point since He works ALL things for good to those who love Him and are called by Him?
You can go more than one way with this.

If you lack much trust/faith, something will come to you that is very hard and you will get hung up by your small trust and will insist on asking that unnecessary question and will Possibly move into a joyless fatalism, a belief that He is just hard and unyieldingly harsh in His character, and you will be oppressed and depressed. But He works all things for your good, so He will work on practicing and growing your trust so you will not be oppressed.

Another way to go is to have a clash of wills. You just don’t like the hard thing and you want a different circumstance and you exert all your power and strength to have your own will win rather than His will. You may even insist God would never have allowed the hard circumstance to occur in your life and you are doing His will in trying to change it. But He works all things for your good and so He will bring failure after failure until you submit to the circumstance you find yourself in and begin to accept and pray rather than try to change it by your own will and strength, so you will be more fit to move in concert with His Spirit.

—————————————————————————-

The world system is based on control of, and buying and selling of, men.
A rich man, or even a man with quite a bit more than just enough for the day, will usually have an exceedingly hard time seeing this.
The control, and mechanisms to not let men free from that control, come in various ways, but money and drugs are two of them. You are not meant to be free from mortgages (and second and third loans). At least not until you have been milked, at minimum, for the course of the decades of your strength. It’s the same with drugs. You are not meant to be cured but to be milked by paying for drugs needed for the rest of your life. This will not go over well and will make men teeth gnashing mad, but Jesus healed all who were sick. He did not mask the symptoms, He healed and there WERE no more symptoms. Argue as you will amongst yourselves, but I will not be answering the question of whether I ever take an aspirin for a headache.

——————————————————————————————————

It’s not the inflow that’s important, it’s the outflow.
If I’m given food/ a few talents, that helps me, but no one else. If I don’t go and share with the rest of my own body, I’ve made no profit for the One who gave it to me. I’ve hid the talent in the ground/my own soil. If I do that, what little I have will be taken from me and given to someone else.
God doesn’t give to me (inflow) for me alone. It’s meant to feed us all. Multiply to the feeding of many, fish and loaves AND leftovers (Outflow).
I think the whole process (if I can call it that) is organic rather than one of superimposition....this is a general summary.
The word 'control' can be understood differently depending on which angle one understands it from.

An example might be, if God is in control as the word is mostly understood, then why didn't he sort Lucifer out at the outset? it would have negated considerable heartbreak for all concerned.

I think this is a valid question which has a valid answer. The problem as I see it is that our 'theologies' ie, our understanding of God and how he is, does not allow the entrance of the implications of such questions to be fleshed out.....why? because our 'theologies' are sacrosanct and the fear of threatening them keeps critical questions like this at a distance.

So, the question of control remains. One might ask and argue; the planet maintains its rotation by whose power and will? and therefore conclude or establish that God is in control.

Let's take the subject re control surrounding Jesus. Popular theology argues that God's justice requires a blood sacrifice before he forgives or in order to enable him to forgive.
We created labyrinthian arguments going from effect to cause to justify this view quoting scripture left and right. Dare we consider there might be another possibility?.....one that reveals that God is not as in control as we imagine he ought to be?......Could it be that God submits to men and demons at Calvary for the purpose of highlighting the nature of his character? and thereby surrendering 'control' as it is generally understood?

I suggest that God is far more beautiful in character than we imagine. His gentleness allows the organic process to run its full course......working within it and in spite of it......for Salvation.
 
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stunnedbygrace

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Aug 18, 2018
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When I read your post I thought of Jesus saying we would do the works He did and even greater works. So we obviously have gone wrong. And then, having gone wrong, we just believe and vigorously defend all kinds of bad doctrines that got us to that weak state and keep us in it. And nobody even stops to think about it.
 

Pearl

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Apr 9, 2019
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When I read your post I thought of Jesus saying we would do the works He did and even greater works. So we obviously have gone wrong. And then, having gone wrong, we just believe and vigorously defend all kinds of bad doctrines that got us to that weak state and keep us in it. And nobody even stops to think about it.
A couple of years ago I felt God ask me to pray regularly for the Church which I did and even asked folk on here to join with me. I think we need to keep going.

It was just simple ordinary people praying with passion and perseverance that led to the Welsh Revival and the persistent prayers of two elderly ladies that ushered in the Hebridean Revival. Please God show us how to pray.