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One of the most vital misconceptions I held as true for the longest time about the whole "idea" of spirituality - well let me put it this way , Spirit , Master of the Universe , God. - stemmed from one word , CHOSE ! I mean everywhere you look , it's God chose this , He decided on that and so on and so forth . And it seemed to me (at that time(s) ) that people did not or could not do anything unless God chose that they do , say, act or whatever according to His CHOICE . And today , I hold that as ten thousand percent true . However , here's my snag , it saddens me to the very core of my soul , that I had lived with that misconception tattooed in the back of my head all these years , fighting , fussing , and at times down-right defying the idea of God altogether , let alone Him having anything to do with me or any other mere human for that matter , whom He chose to put a little above the animals and bellow His "angels" . With the only difference between man and animal being the ability to think , free will so to speak , (thought precedes will , action) . And because of this "misconception" the idea of instilling His Spirit in man had absolutely eluded me . And for "good" reason(s) .

Here's my "misconception" .
Though I was "brought-up" with what I consider an excellent Scripture based morals , teachings and upbringing in childhood and filled with absolute reverence and awe with His Absolute Divine Excellency , a couple of things happened in my life then , that sent me through a maze of HUH's ?!?! , but .... and I thought ....!?!?! .
As a direct result of my upbringing I looked nowhere else for answers than Scriptures , (for by then I had left home out of guilt -long story-) . Well , in so doing I came upon a verse , or rather a term , that would change the entire course of my life (till now that is) and that "term" was , " The Israelites , God's chosen people " and I went " AHA !! , I am NOT an Israelite , that why !! " .
I cant help it but laugh with sadness at that folly today , for it deprived me of better part of 20 or some years living without God and the rest is history !
I was reluctant to use the parable of the prodigal for fear of being cliche-ed , but regardless , at the end of that hiatus (however that's spelled) I came to the point of , " Wait a minute ! I was living in God's Glory with all His blessings and utmost exhilarations when I was with God , until that is , when calamity struck and God simply vanished from my mind and was miserable from then on until "giving up" on God and been miserable since , with or without God , and look at me now , I'm even more miserable without God than I was with !! . And besides , who are the Israelites anyway !! " .... Back to Scripture hunt !! ...
Weren't they always despised everywhere they went ? Never satisfied ? Always complaining of not having enough ? Forever changing their minds whenever the wind blew ? Forever switching from one god to another going this one , no , that one , here He is , no , there , there He is , "Give us signs , signs , and more signs !! " And all of a sudden , BAM , came the answer . Aren't they the sons of Adam , Caine and Abel as well ? But time and time again our All-Patient Father kept sending us people like Noah , Abraham and so on to the very end of the line , even His own SON , to show us one thing and one thing ONLY , Obedience ! .

No , I am not an Israelite , and I don't think I will ever want to be one ! If they are His "chosen" , maybe He chose them to show us what we would be like if we were to live like them ! , to this very day , as I type their land is still being bombarded , and they a still being frowned at wherever they go , all because they are still disobeying God with their refusal of obeying God and rather wanting God to obey them according to their own misconception of who or what the Messiah should be !

Is being called a one shot deal ?
You betcha , He calls once , its up to me to chose , for He says , " This is what I have for you ! , you do it now , or you do it later , but do it you will , I don't change , you do !! "

This is where I am today , any corrections I may need ? Please let me know , for that is the reason of my post .
Tank you all in advance .

In the old Testament, the Israelites were his chosen people but in the New Testament, remember Peter was on the roof and fell into a trance and God showed him that nothing He made was unclean... including the Gentiles.
Jesus said "Whoever believes in me.."

I think the problems come because God gives us free will and we have a choice. I remember when I was first saved, God told me He had a mission for me. I remember arguing with God, saying He didn't want me, He wanted my sister or someone else. But He patiently waited for my answer... I said "Yes".

Now I know that if I would have said "No" I would have still been loved and protected by our Savior, but I wouldn't be doing the works that I am doing now, reaching people.
I also know that God wouldn't have given up on the mission, He would have given it to someone else.

Some people would argue that God knew what my answer would be before He asked but I believe He gave me a choice and His Will would still have been done, even if it was through someone else.

I also know that if God gives you a gift and you don't use it, as time goes on, it starts to disappear. But the more you use it, the more it comes out. Reach for the greater gifts...

Hello Vahn,

God bless you this day.

I would suggest you read and truly meditate on Chapters 9-11 of the book of Romans. Try reading those 3 chapters in various versions of the Bible. They truly are enlightening.

Many would like to think we are more obedient than others, and that is why He chose us. Comparing lifestyles and success or failure of a people is not a good measuring device as to whether or not God loves them. God is love and He does love all His creation. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

The following is a quote from a book, that I find so awesome:
"If Adam and Eve's troubles began when they lost sight of how deeply God loved them, doesn't it stand to reason that our whole lives will change when we come to know the depth of his love for us?"

Happy reading to you, Vahn.

God bless and keep you.
Love,
Mack

Does anyone get the same thoughts as I am having now , as to "How about if I were to just ask God to install a switch somewhere where I could just shut vahn off and just simply go on Auto-Pilot and get a wake up call when arrived at Destination Assigned ?
It would be nice wouldn't it ? ( Yep for a lazy man's way of thinking , right ? )
I mean , after reading both replies and especially yours Mack , and took your suggestion of reading Rom: 9-11 (The Living Bible , paraphrased) , I didn't even get past the first 2 or 3 paragraphs without my mind going " well , someone must've tore up those pages from the Bible I was reading then !! " next thing I know I'm telling myself " Shut up vahn , just read ok ? " .

Going back to my post to check where I was at the time of writing it to compare it with the thoughts I have now that I am typing , thus checking my progress (or lack of it ) I practically had to walk away from my puter and jump in the shower just to get rid of the goose (more like ostrich) bumps . Chapter 11: 33 , 34 reads as " Oh, what a wonderful God we have ! .... How impossible it is for us for us to understand His decisions and His Methods ! 34 For who among us can know the Mind of of our Lord ? and 36 For everything comes from God alone . Everything lives by His Power , and Everything is for His Glory . " Hmmm .

No wonder I always wanted to stay a boys'R'us kid , never wanted to grow up . See , I always admired the child's mind , so vast and open , and so uncluttered that it receives any and all information without debate or argument as True , What do they know right ?
Scientific survey says even the most genius mind ever , would only use a mere 10% of their mental/intellectual capacity . (Can you imagine ? A brain taking a survey on a brain )
Except of course one little snag , the children's world is too small !! , (at least mine was !) . Family-school-church-back to family .
With all that excitement and enthusiasm with all the knowledge received , I simply couldn't wait to go "outside" and show everyone the "New shoes " I got , so to speak . And the very first day we (me and my twin) we did , all that went poof in an instant , sadly to say . Yep the enemy was hard at work from then even .

A song by Phil Collins starts with ,
We had our lives , we had our love ,
Something happened on the way to Heaven !

Little that I knew that it was God Himself that had me hear those words at the time He assigned from a source He assigned , for up until then the question of "What happened ?" was a constant occupant in my very soul , trying to find the answer myself rather than asking Him . Until that day when I heard these words , I went "Aha , got ya yousonofa....* !
Needless to say , it had been a constant battle ever since , almost daily so it seems , in fact it was only a few days ago I found myself humming that tune once again . The difference between then and now is that I don't scratch my head anymore , instead I grin , look the enemy in the eye and say "Watch this suckah !" and reach for the ARMOUR !!

What can I say ? I LUUUV to fight !

Hello Vahn,

God bless you this day.

First of all, I'd like to comment on the song by Phil Collins "Something Happened on the Way to Heaven" -- what an awesome song. What awesome lyrics -- a conversation between you and God. Awesome, Awesome, Awesome. Wooooohoooooo!!!

Lyric: "How many times do I say, I'm sorry?" Until His peace returns.

I love the lyric: "You're all I need, please believe in me."

Vahn, we have The Holy Spirit of God living on the inside of us. Because of our confession and acceptance of what holy Jesus did for us, He deposited Himself within us. We now have access to all that entails.

People who have not accepted Jesus Christ as Saviour -- well, they have faith, they have peace, joy, love, patience, etc. Yep, we all have something we call by the same name as the individual fruit of The Holy Spirit, but they are not the same. Man on his own, is flawed and can only offer and experience with limitations. Because of the sin nature within us, our hearts are limited and we put conditions on our own expressions.

BUT...when we become a Christian, we have access, through the indwelling of The Holy Spirit, to that which Jesus had/has.

Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Did you get that? we can live by the faith of Jesus. Jesus had perfect faith -- and we have access to that same perfect faith. We have access to God, to Jesus, and to The Holy Spirit and all that that entails.

You spoke about man only using 10% of our brain capabilities -- well, Christians access an even smaller percentage of the love capability available to them, and that is from The Lord, Himself, because God is love.

Keep singing the song, Vahn. Awesome reminder of your relationship with The Lord.

God bless and keep you.
Love,
Mack