[unspun]

I agree, and it seems when we do, we immediately find that He effectively says, "Thank you, but do keep your will; I have given you what I have given you and want you to allways bring your will to all things along with mine."

[Alamo-Girl]

Thank you so much for your post!

I agree, and it seems when we do, we immediately find that He effectively says, "Thank you, but do keep your will; I have given you what I have given you and want you to allways bring your will to all things along with mine."

We each have such marvelous direct experiences in our walk with the Lord and it is always a delight to share them. I do not doubt you at all, but my experience has not been like yours.

With me it has been a dividing of spirit between the new me who never feels apart from Him and is where I (my consciousness) reside - and the old me, the carnal me (the “her” in my previous posts.) I can see her, spiritually speaking, and she is an annoyance and sometimes goads me into doing or saying things I loathe. But usually I can just rebuke her and she withdraws.

So, in my experience, the new me is never outside of Him. Perhaps I am a weaker person than you and He wishes to keep me here for my protection, or perhaps you have a different job to do, a Paul type job, that requires a strong self-will.

Whatever the reason, I know I am where I am supposed to be, I am exceedingly happy - and I do not doubt that you are also born-again and in service to Him in your own arena.

[unspun]

I haven't found the time and concentration to respond yet in the way I've promised. When I do, though, I'll probably talk about the "child in the playground" which is a picture that is brought up by a good pastor, maybe Ted Haggard or Dallas Willard... and I've got to do my work. :-)

I mentioned consequences. Among them good and bad, I'll also try to talk about the spinning of wheels that can be done by seeking and seeking and seeking the Lord, which can lead to passivity and one way or another become idolatrous. All the time, the Lord may be showing us things in which we may become engaged if we only motivated ourselves to in God's approving grace. Henry Blackaby has written about this, in Experiencing God.

I'll try to cite sources or at least refer to the teachers, and of course the Scriptures --but be brief. (Maybe that will even stem a thread in the stodgy "Religion Forum" ;-) And how does one stem a thread, anyway? Is that what happens when you put it into the needle?