Posted on 01/25/2011 12:14:44 PM PST by Frank Broom
Sometimes when people go through something for a long time they tend to lean to the idea that things will always be that way. They get used to being in that situation. But, God is still on the throne and He hasn't given up on you and don't you dare give up on him. It doesn't matter how long you have a problem the power of God is still able to turn it around. He's still the God that it's nothing to hard for him, for with him all things are possible.
There was a woman with an issue of blood for 12 years, but when she heard about Jesus she knew the power of God could turn it around (Mark 5:25-34). There was a woman with a spirit of infirmity for 18 years, but the power of God was still able to turn it around (Luke 13:11-13). There was a man with a condition for 38 years and when Jesus saw him He knew that he had been in that condition for a long time. Did Jesus give up on helping him because he was in that condition for so long? No, the power of God was still able to turn it around (John 5:1-9).
God can turn that thing around that you've been dealing with for so long. He's not only able, but he's also willing. Like when Jesus healed the woman that had the spirit of infirmity for 18 years Jesus said "Ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond". God wants that problem turned around. A leper came to Jesus and said "If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean". And Jesus response was " I will, be thou clean" and immediately he was cleansed (Mark 1:40-42). It is God's desire to turn your situation around. And no matter how long it's been if you don't give up on God, He will not give up on you.
In the eternal perspective, our lives are not even a blink of an eye. I submit that God sincerely cares not a whit whether I live and die at an age of 120, or I die a horrible fiery death on my drive home today.
What matters, is what I did with my time I was allotted. Was I kind, did I accept his Word, did I live my life in accordance to the lessons taught by his Son.
Really needed to hear this. Thank you. Any day would be great to read these words, but today especially. God Bless you, my FRiend.
Well said, and needed by many of us. Thank you.
Bump and amen.
Behold! I make all things new.
Thank you for posting this.
I need to believe it, every time, sooner rather than later.
I think one of the things we need to do regularly is to pray for our country. More than anything else, we need a great religious and moral awakening, and only God can do it.
Matthew 17:20 says, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.
Mark 9:23 says everything is possible for him who believes.
Mark 10:27 says that all things are possible for God.
Doesn’t He know all this beforehand?
Amen
Nice thoughts. For me it’s been 16+ years.
But I guess there is hope...
If He knows beforehand - then our lives truly are pointless. We have Free Agency, and are put on earth to choose whether we will follow the Divine plan, or will we suscumb to our baser nature. Some of us are inherently 'good' and seek after goodness; others are evil and prey upon the weak for their own benefit. Our rewards in the hereafter will reflect the decisions we have made.
If we are fore-ordained to succeed or fail; then the entire exercise is utterly pointless, it is suffering for the sheer entertainment of a deity - as our suffering on earth would serve no other purpose.
You don’t believe that God knows our futures?
Why would that make our lives pointless? Succeed or fail at what?
I believe that God has certain expectations for us - but if he already knows - then what is the point?
If God knows that you will have Cancer, you will die a slow horrible death, and you are already destined to hell - what was the point of your suffering? The answer was foreordained, so your suffering is pointless.
If your life is a TEST, and you have free will (free agency), then you and your actions will determine your fate.
My faith teaches us that there was a war in heaven. Lucifer wanted man to be given no choice in the matter, they would do as ordered - and he would deliver ALL the souls back to Heavenly Father, and for doing this - Lucifer would receive the Glory for the salvation of mankind. Essentially, we would live and die; never allowed to make a choice - the choice would be made for us.
Jesus supported God’s plan, that we would be provided a body, and the opportunity to decide for ourselves; and only a portion of the souls would return to Heavenly Father - but to God would be the Glory.
A battle was fought in heaven, and a full third of the heavenly host were lost to Satan. This tells me that God places a high value on Free Will. A third were lost off the top - before the test even began.
Now here on earth, those who either supported Jesus and God; or were gutless to join Lucifer - are given our opportuntity to chose. Some of us pursue goodness, justice and to help our neighbor - following the teachings of Christ. Others choose to follow their own choices, preying upon the weak and helpless.
In the end; we each will face the consequences of our choices. For some the consequences will lead to eternal paradise; for others it will be far less pleasant.
If everythign is fore-ordained; then the test is pointless. If I give you a test I know you will fail; and you do not get another chance to take that test - what was the point of the test?
Perhaps we’re not supposed to know the point? Lot’s of people believe that we are incapable of knowing why God does things, maybe this is just one of God’s mysteries?
Do you believe that God knows the future and that He cannot be wrong?
Does God know the future ... generally speaking, yes. Specifically speaking? no.
For example, did he know that the Isaelites would build a Golden Calf? No, I think he was disappointed; this resulted in his giving the 10 Commandments.
Were the Israelites wandering in the desert for 40 yrs in the origional plan? Probably not.
Can God be wrong? There is no way a mortal man can know this. If God made a mistake, we would have to know the possible options he had, and what the possible consequences would be. There is no way to know. We do know that God is willing to consider changing his mind - Did Lot not negotiate the survival of Sodom with God? God went from absolute certainty of destroying Sodom, to sparing Sodom if Lot could find a certain number of faithful. Naturally, Lot failed - did God know that Lot would fail? Possibly.
Again, in the eternal perspective, our lives are literally NOTHING. From the universal point of view, earth is nothing - which makes us even more insignificant. Look at a phone book - now multiply that by every city in the world - now multiply that by the severity of your problems in perspective of other people’s problems.
What matters, is how we deal with our problems, do we blame God, do we accept responsibility, are we Good, do we help the less fortunate, are we merciful, are we generous with our gifts, do we follow the teachings given to us?
No matter what we do, what we accomplish, what monuments to ourselves we build - they are nothing compared to the sands of eternity. So, live a long full, happy life - or die in a slow, painful, horrible fashion after Dinner. It matters not a whit to God - it’s how we spent the time we were alotted that really matters.
If mortal man cannot know if God can be wrong or not, then how can mortal man know that God is willing to change His mind, or whether God knows the future generally but not specifically? I thought God knew the exact time of our deaths?
We know that the mind of God is willing to consider alternatives, because didn’t Lot appeal to God not to destroy Sodom? The end result was the same, but the Old Testament has God make concessions, if he can find 1,000, then 100, then 10 good men...
Again, you flirt with Determinism. I think there is a lot of ‘play’ in God’s plan. I am certain that certain individuals will be preserved - at all costs. Moses, Abraham, Saul/Paul (let’s not forget THAT story), Jesus and others. If a person plays a key role in God’s plan - he will be spared.
The rest of us - well, we are important; but in the grand scheme ours is but a very minor part. There are two very different components - physical and spiritual.
For example, are the 10 Commandments primarily physical, or spiritual in nature. I submit that they are spiritual.
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