Words of Encouragement?/Random Thoughts and Questions

Hey Everyone!

Hope all is well in everyone’s lives.

I noticed that the momentum for this forum has sort of slowed down over the last little while. I just wanted to post to encourage those, like myself, who may have questions (or random thoughts or comments) and are shying away from posting them here. This is a place free from judgement, open to all types of questions and a place where you can hopefully get an answer or just a discussion going on your topic. We have a small community here of people who are at different points on their walk, and I believe we can all be a helping hand to each other. No one here knows EVERYTHING there is to know, but we can sure learn a lot from each other and those who have been on their path longer. There is a well of wisdom just waiting to overflow.

I will admit, I have many a time wanted to post but backed out on it – hopefully by posting something here today, I will get some answers and some discussion that I need, and I hope that it encourages those who feel the same way, to open up and post something of their own.

So, this is something that I already wrote down on Sunday. Some thoughts arose after church, and while some questions have been answered, I will still post it all here just in case someone else has ever thought or questioned the same things...


My outward appearance – my thoughts/words and actions don’t always match those that dwell inside. Whether they are mismatched with my flesh or my spirit...I don’t know. I continue to struggle to make my thoughts, words and actions match both inside and out. I pray that I match them to my spirit and not the desires of my flesh, which is how it feels sometimes.

Why do we do what we do? Is it always because of what our spirit calls for or because our flesh has the desire to please others and our own selfish needs? Or is it a mix of both and we can’t tell the difference?

What have you done for God today?

What have you done in the name of you flesh?




-Jo

Allo,

Thanks for the post Joanne, and expressing some of your concerns.
I would hope that everyone does know that they are free to have their own opinion on matters as well and even feel free to have a complete opposite opinion as I or You. This is quite acceptable and encouraged. I do not want anyone to digest everything I say with out putting some of your own thought and opinion in the matter backed up with a little research. Express your anger, confusion, and questions! I'd love to hear them, and Lord willing He may provide me with answer and you just might hear something you'd like, or wouldn't like to, but that's what this is all about. Christ did come to unite people but He also came to divide... That doesn't make sense you may ask...? But think about it, He came to seperate the good from the bad, to destinguish what it is to live a righteous lifestyle for God and what it is to live a sinful life for yourself. I can't claim to be perfect nor do I suggest that I am, but I do attempt to live my life as God intended for me to live. I am truly Honest however when I say that anything you see or hear from me is not by my strength alone but by God whom gives me strength and the will to accomplish or overcome the good and the bad that life has in store for me. I understand If my demeanour seems as though I'm trying to "convert" people, but all I'm trying to do is let you know there is more to life than meets the eye, and God does truly Love every single one of you, with all His being and all His heart. If your missing something in your life right now and your just not quite sure what it might be... Give a shout out to the "Big Guy", if you feel slightyly different.. maybe just skeptical, Put God to the test. I'm not saying ask Him to turn a rock into a loaf of bread or jump off a building and see if He sends His angels to catch you. But ask Him to change something in your life, maybe a sorrow.. anger... unforgiveness, strength or even just a little bit of happines. If you allow it you can tap into the vastness of God.. and maybe even let Him out of the box that we all so like to keep Him in.

"My outward appearance – my thoughts/words and actions don’t always match those that dwell inside. Whether they are mismatched with my flesh or my spirit...I don’t know. I continue to struggle to make my thoughts, words and actions match both inside and out. I pray that I match them to my spirit and not the desires of my flesh, which is how it feels sometimes."

Such a valid a valid point Joanne! We all struggle with our flesh... or as some already know I like to call our ID's. It is a daily struggle not to react to certain things, or think certain things that once ran rampid in my mind. Before I was saved I had a great struggle with anger issues, I enjoyed getting in arguments and starting trouble.. To me it was self gratifying to make someone feel like crap physically or mentally.
Now it is by the grace of God that I overcome my flesh with the spirit and no longer give in to such thoughts or actions. That's not to suggest that I don't have thoughts about punching someone out or ridiculing some one in return for doing so to me, but I have strength from God to abstain from acting on those thoughts..

"Why do we do what we do? Is it always because of what our spirit calls for or because our flesh has the desire to please others and our own selfish needs? Or is it a mix of both and we can’t tell the difference?"

Well don't quote me on this until you dive into the word yourself... But I believe our soul has one heck of a time dealing with our Flesh and Spirit. Our Flesh is prone to self gratification, even if that means getting that gratifictation from others. But our Spirit does not work on those tendencies, our spirit does only what is good.. it won't suggest that I make funny of timmy over their to make everyone laugh, and make me look like I'm top dog, that comes from our flesh(sinful nature). Our Spirit on the other hand will lead us to go sit beside that person who alwyas sits alone, or go have lunch with that person everyone makes fun of despite what others may think, or for a more impactive example.. share or give something to someone when you have little to give. I am not a saint and I make many bad decisions.. But I do try to be the best T.H.U.G that I can and God knows that, He sees all our hearts, thoughts, and intentions. He knows our nature and how hard it may be at times not to fall into the lusts of this world, He's seen it all. Throughout the book of Romans in The Bible there is an elaborate description and understanding expressed about these inner conflicts that everyone has. I would encourage us all to dive into God's word and allow Him to teach us about our sinful nature, and what it means to live by the Holy Spirit.

Romans 8:7-8 "because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

If your interested I post an excelelnt little video about God changing an individual and removing sin from his life, and How reluctant we all may be at times to allow Him to mold us. We might not want to part from our sinful ways, or the evil that resides within us.

Thanks for taking the time to make a post, and to everyone else who may read this message. May God Bless You!
All my Love and prayers.

Dillon

Something I'm seeing more and more, as far as I see it, is the false ideology that the God in the scriptures will help man in his struggle in this world. That sounds pretty bad, but bear with me on this idea and it will make sense in the end, I hope.

It is said over and over in the religious sector that Satan is the ruler of the human world, if this is true than what is the true god the ruler of? He would be the ruler of the promised land and heaven, the places of incomprehensible beauty that man is going to know only when he is prepared in soul to become a part of it. That being said, would that not make him the ruler of the heart? So many things can go wrong in this world; problems can overwhelm you and bring you to light-less, horrid places and then how is it one gets out? God isn't going to give you something in this world for no reason other than it was asked for but what he will do is give you the strength and resolve to push through adversity. No problem in this blackened world will ever be too great for you to overcome if you allow this strength into your life, that is to say, if you stop asking for the solution and start asking for the means to make your own solution.

Only through allowing God into your heart will you be able to comprehend that we were never taken from Eden, from the promised land. We walk this world with infinite potential but God won't just hand us this ultimate utopia on Earth, but he will hand us the strength of heart to build it for ourselves. If we want back into Gods land we have to, collectively, cast off our will to do evil and realize that it was here all along, waiting for us to rebuild it.