Christianity Oasis Forum

[beenawhile]

Hi,

Apparently, I placed my first post in the wrong place. That said, I am from Missouri (USA) and looking forward to getting to know my brethren from around the world. Born Again in 1994, I have learned some things along the way in my walk with the Lord, about Him and about me, as I am sure many of you have as well. Looking forward to learning and growing with all of you wherever you are physically or spiritually.

Brian

[dema]

Welcome. I answered you in the other place. I've been a Christian since I was a child. Born again since teen years. There are good studies on here. The study they call Christian counseling is excellent.

[beenawhile]

Sorry,

I did not realize you answered me because the home page shows 0 new profile feedback, 0 comments, and 0 new friends. So thank you for the personal welcome, I appreciate it.

[dema]

Yes, forum responses don't show up in the profile. If you want to PM then those answers will show up. My profile is set up to notify me by email when someone posts in a forum where I've posted. You can set that up too.

Do you see God working in your life? Often I hear God by hearing the same message from different places several times in a short while. Maybe it will be in my daily devotional, the Sunday sermon and something I'm reading. At one point I heard the same message 7 or 8 times in two weeks and I was beginning to spin around in confusion. Everywhere I looked and the message didn't seem to make sense. I eventually figured out what it meant. It was about Sarah and Abraham and the promise - but it was an odd twist. The usual message is about patience. And it wasn't about patience, it was about ... I don't know, maybe God being unexpected or something. Don't quite remember. But it was a comfort to me at the time when I figured it out. And that's mostly what it was - a comfort. Oh, I know what it was - it was telling me not to do something. To hold fast on what I was told - it wasn't really patience, it was facing a choice. I think - anyway - whatever it was - I got it at the time.

How is your life?

[beenawhile]

Dema,

Yes, I have seen God working in my life, and I also have found that He is doing so even when I am not seeing it. Lately however, I have not been as spiritually sensitive as I should be; I feel...well, three years ago we were active in church, then I got a job, then another, then another, and it has always been (since I met Christ) that when I am working I am drifting. That probably doesn't make a lot of sense to you. But I am an all or nothing kind of person; I always have been...like Jesus when He said, "No one can serve two masters; for he will either hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other.You cannot serve both God and mammon." (Matt.6:24, NKJV).

Thus, when I am working I am 100 % work, and when I am serving I am 100% servant. But how to do both eludes me and I have often wondered if God is trying to show me something through that. I say that because I am one that has followed the Lord places most people will not go..."Foxes have holes and birds have nests." After marrying Angie, I stop following the Lord in that capacity. The drawback is that the comfort zone is a faith killer, because faith is not known by its words but by its action (James 2:14-17). So yes, I have seen God work in my life, but not lately, except for the fact that I am here :-)

In closing, and something you may find interesting: On one recent job I quickly observed that my boss's speech was Christian. He did not claim to be nor did he even act like a Christian, but he used words that only Christians use, like faith, confirmation, rebuke, etc. So I told him one day, 'your speech betrays you." He said, "What do you mean?" I explained to him what I just explained to you. He paused for a moment then shook his head and walked away. Over the next two years I got him to talk some, but it came to pass that after being fired from his job and his wife filing for divorce, he called me one day and confessed to me that he had been a preacher for ten years, and he said, "What was it the second day you worked for me, you called me out, and you were dead on." Anyway, as I meditated on that memory today, I was reminded of the book of Acts where Peter preached at Pentecost and everyone heard the good news in their own language. But they were perplexed and said, "Look, are not all these that speak Galileans? (Acts 2:6:7). Just as those recognized that Peter and the other disciples were from Galilee, other Christians recognize one another through speech; are we not all Galileans like our Master?
Thanks for the information, and God bless you Dema for helping me get back home; I pray that you continue to do so.

[dema]

Yes, I understand about Christianity being a culture. I like to read books by Christian authors- murder mysteries and other fiction that has nothing to do with faith directly but they pray when the killer is about to get them and their investigation includes church. Christianity is a culture. Or should be. I live, work and ballroom dance with people who are mostly part of that culture. I am respectful of Jews and others. We talk about it. I talk to God all day off and on. Do you? If you don't have quiet time each day and little conversations with God through the day, I highly recommend it. He'll talk to him in the restroom. .

Going to visit grandkids today.

[beenawhile]

Hi Dema,

Yes, a culture. that is a good way of looking at it. I talk to God throughout the day...today I had a rough day. It seems like the enemy was launching an all out assault on me; I did not handle it well at all. This happens every time I begin to draw close to God, life becomes very difficult, and I mean every aspect. Well, Angie has been a blessing to me but everything else is frustrating. I even hit a pothole two blocks from home tonight then my truck began making this popping sound in the front end, so it looks like I am riding my bike tomorrow, hopefully I will have no problems because I cannot afford any more right now. In any case, thanks for writing back, I hope you have a great time with your grandkids!

[dema]

Be careful about giving the devil too much attention. He loves attention. I was told to praise the Lord for bad things about thought it was stupid. The Bible says in all things. But what I have found is the devil wants attention so if when there are devilish things I praise God and give Him the attention it frustrates the devil and he stops. You have to do it for a while. Have you ever dropped several things and it was like they almost did it themselves? Or caught your clothes on things a bunch of times when there is no reason. Or stubbed toe? Anyway try P raising two more times than anything you said about the devil.

[beenawhile]

Dema,

Thank you, you give good advice. It used to be when I was first born-again that every time I got frustrated or angry and I wanted to shout an expletive I would shout God Is Good! It is a good habit, and the devil hates it. Of course, it is his nature to hate, so he hates regardless. But, if it is the enemy's nature to hate, then it is God's nature to love!

[dema]

Went to a new church today. I can feel how little my old church was feeding me. I really like this one.