Christianity Oasis Forum

[Dora]

The why is not so much important as the answer of how to fix it. And mlg gave you the answer.

Praying for you.

I know it's hard work. But it's sooooooo worth every drop of effort we put into it.

[deetu]

Yes, pleasing people is actually fear of man's reaction to you. Used to be there... thought that I had to do everything for people for them to like me and found that it didn't really work. When I was down, they weren't there for me... didn't really care either which made it worse and made me want to be accepted even more. Made me do some dumb things looking for that acceptance.

But look at me now Do you think that I could say and do the things I do now if I was afraid of what peoples' reactions would be?
Nope!
I trust and believe that God will help me thru Jesus by way of Holy Spirit.
I trust and believe that the words and deeds that come from me are His for His good to help others.
AND THAT HAS MADE ME HAPPIER THEN I EVER WAS trying to please others so they like me.
I have friends now that like me for me... not the person I thought they wanted me to be.

Glad to see you went back over the first part of the study

[Mackenaw]

Hello Angelbaby

Can I be honest with you?

Warning: It might sting a little.

God bless and keep you.
Love,
Mack

[ciny]

Hi AngelBaby
love ya sis Ciny

[angelbaby]

love ya sis Ciny

I love you too Ciny

Can I be honest with you?

Yes, you may be honest with me.


Tonight was an interesting night. I went to campus ministry and the scripture was Psalms 35. I found it really enlightening to see David was in a similar place to me. Though, I also felt conflicted. People saw this a little different than me and I having difficulty wrapping fully my head around it. In the beginning verses, David was praying to God for revenage. Then, verses thirteen and fourteen I feel like there was a switch to he is trying to forgive. Finally, he continues on his rant of God wipe these people off the face of the earth. Most people in the room believed it was David still trying to tell God look at what I have done. I have done nothing wrong. It is all their fault. He did that a lot in the chapter. I think the coolest part to me is it showed that I was not alone in how I feel. This week has been the week of realizing how I can relate some biblical characters. How God chose to use imperfect people? People that in their day and even in our day would be seen with contempt. Think of Rahab and the Samaritain woman. Both of these women in our day and there day would be looked down upon; however, there is a direct line of family origin to Jesus. The Samaritian woman is the only person outside the disciples that I can think Jesus directly revealed himself. I mean out of all the people in the world he could have chosen. He chose the most unlikely. The disciples were even the most unlikely group of men a tax collector and fishermen. Can you imagine nowadays a leader choosing his cabinet men/women from people that no experience in the field they are assigned to? There would be outrage. What makes these people unique? I don't know the scripture that just popped into my head is many were called but few were chosen. Could it be that other people could have recieved, but they chose not to recieve? I am thinking of the rich young ruler that came to Jesus and asked him what do I have to do to be saved. Jesus replied go sell all your things and follow me. The rich young ruler left saddened. Why didn't the rich young ruler just give up his things? Was he afraid of losing security? Did he think that was Jesus asking too much of him? Well, I just have to hold on to this one thing. This is mine. I am one these people that I think and question:why? What would happen if things were different? I imagine if the rich young ruler have went with Jesus that his destiny would have changed. I mean who to say the rich young ruler never got saved? He was never mentioned again. He could have been saved later, but I am not sure his destiny would have changed as much as it would have if he would have accepted it earlier. There is what seems to be decisive moments in your life that change your life forever, either postivitely or negatively. That was were the rich ruler came that day when he met with Jesus. I am talking on and on. I am just typing what is in my head right now. Some of this is recent realization, and some is questions and thoughts that are just now coming to mind. I guess I am through rambling off about tonight. So what do you think about what David meant by Psalms 35?

[deetu]

Ahhh, that's the difference between the new testament and old. The old used fear, fire and brimstone to keep people in line but the new was a new convent because of Jesus with love and understanding.

Jesus talked to the lesser person and it annoyed many great people but he was able to reach the ones who mattered...the ones who needed and wanted to hear. The rich and the wise would have kept it for themselves.
Just look, Constantine, only 150 years after Jesus, changed the church from what God started, making buildings and laws that people, all people had to attend, even Pagans. Before people would fellowship in their homes and invite Holy Spirit to come. They would share not only goods but emotions, sins... Now churches are religious institutions with laws that keep Holy Spirit out. Man did that..a rich and powerful man started it but man continued it.

I believe that we have choices because of free will and that God knows the path of each choice.
That rich man asked Jesus how to inherit eternal life. So Jesus asked if he knew the commandments which the man said he followed all his life. So Jesus said that one thing he lacked, go sell everything and give to the poor then follow me. Jesus gave him a choice. He knew the man's heart before hand but gave him the choice. You would think that standing in front of Jesus, hearing God would make him choose the right way. He wasn't mentioned again because it was a lesson for us. If he did change his heart... it wouldn't have been there.
Look at Simon the sorcerer, he wanted to know Jesus but he also wanted to pay for what he saw so that HE could have the power. He didn't accept that God was above so his heart was shown.

Cool thing about the Bible. You can read something one day and another you will get something totally different from the same scripture as God leads.

[Dora]

I enjoyed your post. All except the why part. Cause I know that is just a trap to keep you from moving forward. By the way God doesn't set traps, your enemy does.

If David hadn't of fell so hard we wouldn't have that example of grace to help us let go of our own failures.

What is Joseph hadn't of been sold as a slave by his brothers? He was able to save his family from famine.

What if either had of allowed the "why" question to keep them from going forward. What if they had of stayed in the pity instead of accepting what happened happened but today is a new day and it's time to move on to something better. He does have something better for you.

[angelbaby]

Day eight seems really obvious to me. I don't know what to even really say. Maybe, I missed something. I just felt like everything that had been said was repeated. That is really all I have to say pretty sure for me.

[mlg]

hi precious sis luv ya dearly

[angelbaby]

Today has been and continues to be a battle. It has been a long war of words from me and now a hard task for me shuting up and listening. God and I have battled all day long. I have asked my questions in probably a hundred different ways. Now, I sit hear listening waiting, impatiently. I am not patient. I have trouble waiting and listening so this is a difficult task. I almost feel like Jacob when he was battling with the angel and said that he would not let the angel go until he blessed Jacob. Now, some people may ask me who do you think will win this battle? I expect like Jacob that I will lose; however, Jacob was rewarded for his persistence in pursuing God. He wrestled all night. I am stubbornly not going to stop asking questions until God answers me. If he'll answer Jacob's request to be blessed, would he not answer me? Granted, I may not like some of the answers. However, I just want answers. I am pursuing him.

[kimberly]

You can't take the Word out of context to make it fit your desires. I'm pratty sure God won't answer your demands just because you take a piece of His Word and distort it to fit what you want.

God's answer to it all is Jesus. You can change nothing, He can change it all.

Attitude is key.

Look at this not with your head...over thinking it...but with your heart. Don't YOU respong more to love, than demands that you do something according to someone else's standards?

So does God. Just spend time loving Him. He is GOD.

[angelbaby]

You can't take the Word out of context to make it fit your desires. I'm pratty sure God won't answer your demands just because you take a piece of His Word and distort it to fit what you want.

Ouchie that burns. However, I have to say your right. I didn't think of it that way. There is a temper tantrum again. Maybe, I should change my middle name to tantrum. I didn't see myself as distoring what the Bible says to fit my wants/demands. However, I might very well be. I am willing to admit that I might be (am) wrong.