Does God Use Pain....?

[Guest kitkat]

Do you think God has ever used pain and suffering to get your attention? If so, what was He trying to get across to you?

I think God used my mothers death to get my dad's attention. He was not a believer before she died, but since her death he has been going through her books and different notes and has come to realize that God is very real. He is even started to read the Bible and pray on his own now. My dad is convinced that an angel touched his hand on the night of my mother's funeral, to comfort him in his grief. And who are we to say it didn't happen, he felt so comforted by the touch it still brings tears to his eyes when he talks about it. So yes I do believe God will use whatever it takes to get our attention.

Jesus is the great healer

Marilyn

My Mother's death ultimately tore me apart. I was extremely close to her and prior to her death, I was away from God, living my life in sin. I had backslidden and her death brought me to my knees before God, not only because I felt I had neglected to visit her as often as I should, but because I wasted all that time that she was alive, having FUN with my own life, (Kurt and I both were away from God at this time living it up) and after she was gone, the things I/we had been involved with, we got away from and I totally threw it all out and gave my all to the Lord. None of these things meant anything at all to me anymore and I learned a lesson. Never neglect your family, your kids, your parents, your close friends, your business etc., just to be on the internet. It's easy to get sucked in posting on forums and on message boards and I don't see anything wrong with that, but if you spend MOST of your time being involved with that, you may live to regret it. I think this forum is a great outlet to come to and I encourage everybody reading this to post here and learn more about God and the Bible and fellowship with one another, but remember no matter how much time you spend on the net, time keeps marching on and you just may miss something.

Love in Christ,

Kat

[eric]

Never neglect your family, your kids, your parents, your close friends, your business etc.,

Kitkat you missed Jesus from your list of people not to neglect, Didn't Jesus say that if a person is not prepared to leave any of his family to take up the cross, he's not worthy of Him. Any includes, mother,father, brother, sister, and even husband or wife. It wasn't the death of your dear mother, sad and all as it was, that caused you to repent, it was the conviction of the Holy Spirit that caused that, as a result of your mother's departure. God's children are precious to Him and I cant see Him forfeiting the death of one child to gain the following of others. But Kitkat you can bet your life that's God's timing is right on target.He was there when your mother passed on with His arms stretched out to receive you and your father and your husband.

And btw, I have learned more about God and His word in the two years on this board in than all of the seventeen years I was going to church

Well that's the way I see the picture.

with respect,

eric.

[Guest kitkat]

Well my point was eric, that God opened my eyes and drew me close to him by my Mother's death and ultimately caused me to see the errors of my ways. That's why I said I gave my all to God. So, essentially, even though I didn't mention Jesus, I meant to imply that my heart was turned over to him through my mom's death and I drew closer to Him. He became first in my life. I didn't leave that part out. I implied it and I guess it could be midunderstood by the reader that I left that out. My Mother was a saint and I didn't spend enough time with her before she died and I had plenty of opportunities to do that. Yes, it was the Holy Spirit convicting me or else I wouldn't have drawn closer to God, forfeiting all the things I had partaken in. My walk with the Lord became ever so much stronger and the Lord revealed to me how precious our blessings are to us through our family, etc through this.

I've studied God's Word almost my entire life and in Church, so I cannot say that the majority of what I have learned has been here. This is a great place to learn about God and the Bible, however.

The forum we (my husband and I) were spending time on when my mom was alive was not a Christian forum like this one.

In Christ,

Kat

[eric]

Thank you Kit kat for your kindly reply. God is, as they say, awesome and His timing is perfect and I,m glad and happy for you that you yielded yourself to His call. As the aposle James said, You draw nigh to Him and He will draw nigh to you.

May He continue to bless you and yours,

eric.

[Marilyn777]

Eric I think you should simmer down. There are ways to argue a point, disagree on a point without getting confrontational. Its arguments that get personal that get a topic pulled, and that was not my intention when I posted this topic, it was just to generate conversation, everyone has different experiences concerning this subject. Everyone will interpret this question differently, there is no right or wrong answer Ok?

Its when people get hotheaded, start making accusations that gets a really good topic pulled when instead we could discuss it objectively, listen to other peoples opinions and above all respect them. I had a perfectly good topic going last month asking the question: "Should Christian's go to church" and because a few people on here decided that their opinion was the only right opinion and started getting nasty with their fellow brothers and sisters it got yanked!

That is not fair, if you have an opinion please just state it BUT DON'T MAKE IT PERSONAL! This is really making me angry, we (most of us are adults) if you can't get your point across without being nasty then please don't make it in the first place. It is a bad witness to new Christians, or people seeking to know God in a personal way and if all they see is bickering going on between each other that is not setting a good example

. YOU SHOULD KNOW BETTER---NOW STOP IT! The people that have argued about this topic need to go to each other and ask for forgiveness before irreparable damage is done. No topic is worth loosing friendships over. No wonder some people leave the boards, because of this childish behaviour. Whenever you post a reply to a topic before you hit POST this reply, check it over, ask God does this edify You, will it hurt someones feelings? This pettiness has to stop right now, its called respect for another persons thoughts and opinions.

Sorry about going off, but I don't want to see another perfectly good topic go south because a few can't hold their tongues!! Where is The Christian Agape Love

Marilyn

[apothanein kerdos]

This board is for the purpose of edifying and being edified, so at fifteen, if I were you I would chill out a bit and listen to some of the mature members we have here. I appreciate you zeal for the Lord and his word and admire your tenacity for getting to know the truth, but please dont go overboard. Everyone on this board will love you to bits, even an old grandad like me and I apologise most humbly for my rudeness.

Eric, in all fairness, you've been utterly and absolutely rude to her. She's only demonstarted her beliefs. She hasn't done anything to warrant a "time out" from you. Sometimes the elderly can learn from the young. Imagine how the elders in Timothy's church felt. They were being taught by someone 40-60 years younger than them. Sometimes we need to humble ourselves to those younger than us and listen to our ideas. Age and tenure doesn't always equal wisdom. We will never achieve wisdom or infallibility. We will learn and continue to learn until the day we die. So keep an open mind. It's uncalled for to discredit her entire post simply because she's "young". She's given scripture upon scripture and recieved nothing but insults from you. I think you owe it to her to give her a bit more respect.

With love.

[Kabowd]

Thank you. I just have to say one thing:

"Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity." I Timothy 4:12

[eric]

Marilyn and Super Jew,

I have already apologised to Tess. What do you want? What part of apologise dont you understand? Marilyn, I may be a bit short in some of my posts, but I have never attcked anyone personally, I haven't got a bedside manner, instead I like to come straight to the point. I'll let the Mods censor my posts and censure me if they have a mind to.

have a nice day.

[Marilyn777]

Thank you. I just have to say one thing:

"Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity." I Timothy 4:12

Amen Tess!

Thats a great Scripture, you have a wonderful sense of the Scriptures. I wish I had known that much when I was younger. Keep on reading Tess you are doing just great let your light shine for Him. He will use you mightly!

Luv Ya

Marilyn

[Guest LCPGUY]

Eric I think you should simmer down. There are ways to argue a point, disagree on a point without getting confrontational. Its arguments that get personal that get a topic pulled, and that was not my intention when I posted this topic, it was just to generate conversation, everyone has different experiences concerning this subject. Everyone will interpret this question differently, there is no right or wrong answer Ok?

Its when people get hotheaded, start making accusations that gets a really good topic pulled when instead we could discuss it objectively, listen to other peoples opinions and above all respect them. I had a perfectly good topic going last month asking the question: "Should Christian's go to church" and because a few people on here decided that their opinion was the only right opinion and started getting nasty with their fellow brothers and sisters it got yanked!

That is not fair, if you have an opinion please just state it BUT DON'T MAKE IT PERSONAL! This is really making me angry, we (most of us are adults) if you can't get your point across without being nasty then please don't make it in the first place. It is a bad witness to new Christians, or people seeking to know God in a personal way and if all they see is bickering going on between each other that is not setting a good example

. YOU SHOULD KNOW BETTER---NOW STOP IT! The people that have argued about this topic need to go to each other and ask for forgiveness before irreparable damage is done. No topic is worth loosing friendships over. No wonder some people leave the boards, because of this childish behaviour. Whenever you post a reply to a topic before you hit POST this reply, check it over, ask God does this edify You, will it hurt someones feelings? This pettiness has to stop right now, its called respect for another persons thoughts and opinions.

Sorry about going off, but I don't want to see another perfectly good topic go south because a few can't hold their tongues!! Where is The Christian Agape Love

Marilyn

Marilyn, and anyone else who