When it all seems like lies!

[notsolostsoul]

11 minutes ago, enoob57 said:

One thing for sure you are being tossed about ... may I ask what is your source or /s for determining God's will in your life?

How do you know the promise came from God?

How much time do you give to the study of God's Word daily?

 

My sources, and I'm not being sarcastic, are The Holy Spirit, Jerusalem and his teachings, and God through his guidance.

These do get iffy, not on their part but in my understanding of them.

I've been asked this many times. God usually confirms it through friends, strangers, sermons, post, forums and his scripture. In this situation I wasn't even seeking these promises but while answering my actually questions, God lead me to scriptures I didn't know and verified his plans and promises, then confirmed them further throughout the years using people and sometimes while using me to deliver others messages he would confirm things to me.

Now I don't give much time. While going through my affliction I felt God wanted me to study more, in a school setting. Before that, all the time but not in the structural sense. More of waking up and speaking with God and letting him guide me to the scripture he wanted to teach me.

 

[notsolostsoul]

27 minutes ago, lemurchampagne said:

I can see your point. 

Maybe it isn't all about you. Maybe God was showing you that those loved one's that turned on you need Jesus. Because if they had him the way you did they wouldn't have acted that way in response to your exampling the same demeanor Jesus did. 

Some of the are completely clueless to living or trying to understand what it's like to live in the way Jesus wants us. Shameful thing is they will quote scripture, go to church and claim God all day long. All the while mistreating, deceiving and lying to others.

One which was a family member just flipped like a switch. Things weren't even involving her but yet she turned on me, belittling me and trying to use what shared info she had to hurt me.

Others just jumped on the bandwagon and like a crowd of uncertain insecure followers. Throwing stones not because they believed in the dispute but just to not be opposed.

Yet this people prosper. I never understood why? 

[enoob57]

1 minute ago, notsolostsoul said:

My sources, and I'm not being sarcastic, are The Holy Spirit, Jerusalem and his teachings, and God through his guidance.

These do get iffy, not on their part but in my understanding of them.

I've been asked this many times. God usually confirms it through friends, strangers, sermons, post, forums and his scripture. In this situation I wasn't even seeking these promises but while answering my actually questions, God lead me to scriptures I didn't know and verified his plans and promises, then confirmed them further throughout the years using people and sometimes while using me to deliver others messages he would confirm things to me.

Now I don't give much time. While going through my affliction I felt God wanted me to study more, in a school setting. Before that, all the time but not in the structural sense. More of waking up and speaking with God and letting him guide me to the scripture he wanted to teach me.

 

I will tell you what God told me

2 Timothy 3:15 (KJV)

[15] And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

[16] All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

[17] That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

This is what is called the sufficiency of Scripture and this alone 'IS' promised by God to be from Him... as one meditates and daily takes in

Romans 10:17 (KJV)

[17] So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

This faith will lead to repentance and true repentance to salvation... Which is a regenerating belief in Jesus upon which The Holy Spirit brings about an actual s/Spiritual rebirth. We become

2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)

[17] Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

[18] And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

[19] To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

and just like we first began as babies needing nourishment to live and grow by so now the new s/Spiritual birth needs sustenance from the Word of God...
Love, Steven

[lemurchampagne]

17 minutes ago, notsolostsoul said:

Some of the are completely clueless to living or trying to understand what it's like to live in the way Jesus wants us. Shameful thing is they will quote scripture, go to church and claim God all day long. All the while mistreating, deceiving and lying to others.

One which was a family member just flipped like a switch. Things weren't even involving her but yet she turned on me, belittling me and trying to use what shared info she had to hurt me.

Others just jumped on the bandwagon and like a crowd of uncertain insecure followers. Throwing stones not because they believed in the dispute but just to not be opposed.

Yet this people prosper. I never understood why? 

I got ya. I have a friend who goes to a bible study that a hopeful new preacher started in his home. He started his church there too hoping to get a congregation large enough to get a church going somewhere else. He's been at this for years mind you. But he never gets more than four or five people in either one, bible study or the church, at one time. And three of those people are his own family members. So one newbie, or one long suffering one and a newbie. But he's never had anywhere near a ten member group not including his family. 
The reason is, his wife is just like that one you talked about. The flipped her switch type. She goes from zero peaceful to 100 raving screaming accusatory gyrating , waving her hands in the air, screaming gibberish. And it happens when she's in bible study! You know, studying the bible? Where people read the scriptures, discuss what they mean to them, what they're trying to say in the message of the word of God? Anyone who is in disagreement with this woman sets her off. She starts doing all that stuff I told you about claiming they got the devil in 'em.

Needless to say people don't stick around for a next time.

I think there are people that go by what is called Pascal's wager. That is when someone converts to Christianity because they're padding their bases. They figure if there is to be a Hell when it opens up at God's appointed time, they don't want to go there if it really is real. So they claim to accept Jesus and become Christian to avoid the place. And the logic behind the wager is, if it's real they're safe and in Heaven. If the whole religion thing was fake, they didn't lose anything by living their life as if it was real because when they're dead and that's it, then they'll not know that anyway. 

That's the kind of Christian I've met at times. The one's you've met and described. They put their faith on like a hat on Sunday. Then when they're provoked or something upsets their attitude of being right about a thing they go off and show how wicked they really are. All church like when it suits. But cross them, have a different opinion, and boy do they flip. 

I think maybe what you're encountering are people who can't relate to what you really have alive inside you as the genuine holy spirit. Maybe because they don't have it. Why would someone get that upset at a fellow Christian if you all were equals in the love of Christ ya know? 

[lemurchampagne]

1 hour ago, notsolostsoul said:

At Lemurchampagne. Crazy that you mentioned your buddy was in an accident. I was also and very similar to your friends situation in that it could have killed me but didn't. It definitely showed me he is real. So I don't doubt him being real. I just want to know why promise me things and not hold true? I can't mistake his promises cause he flat out laid them out to me. You know how he states what he is going to do before he does it. I just don't get why he hasn't done it. Thank you for sharing. I appreciate all replies because he speaks through all of it.

Yes, he does. He's always talking. The trick is to be still and listen. That's why I think sometimes it might seem like the bible doesn't make sense to you. Because see if this follows. 
There are those who read the bible like they would any other book. Then there are people who know the spirit within and behind the words in the bible. There are those who read the word. And those who know The Word. 

I think maybe if you stop trying to make the words on the page make sense as you would a regular book, you might see the spirit that moves within the Word. I think the bible is a map that uses all sorts of tales, and imagery in order to take us away from the serious material subjective reality we're so keen on. And it tends to lead us instead to the objective reality that exists if we just let go of expectation and listen to The Word. Rather than try and figure out the words. God existed before the bible. And God spoke to people before the printing press or writing was invented. We forget that. We like to be told how in all things. When God seems to me to be a spirit that will let us live how if we trust him. 

Does that makes sense?

[When Is Jesus Coming?]

On 2017-4-27 at 7:32 PM, lemurchampagne said:

But , The Word, was God. Which was before the writings in scripture came to be. Faith is generated from God, not what is written of God. God's grace is bestowed by God himself, not because we read of God and his grace. What of the whole of that chapter 10 in John? What is to be gleaned from that in its entirety? The message beyond what was written that the Jews charging blasphemy against Jesus sought to stone him in defense of what they believed in scripture. When the man that was God himself was The Word become flesh and of much higher authority than the legend and the scrolls of the prophets. And yet in defense of those scrolls a group of Jewish men sought to kill the source that inspired the written word to come into being. 

Sound familiar in today's context? John 10 and that part of the passage is here.

³¹ The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. ³² Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?” ³³ The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.” ³⁴ Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’? ³⁵ If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be broken—³⁶ do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? ³⁷ If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; ³⁸ but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” ³⁹ Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands.

⁴⁰ He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing at first, and there he remained. ⁴¹ And many came to him. And they said, “John did no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.” ⁴² And many believed in him there.

Yes, it's true that God existed before the written word that's obvious but your wrong about how our faith is maintained as it does come from the written word:

Romans 10:17  So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

Notsolostsoul needs something to keep their faith sustained as they asked: "When hearing or reading the words just seem like lies. When the word bares no substance within. When the word seems to just be empty. What do you do?" 

Now they could rely on prayer alone but this is very risky with out the Bible to make sure what they are receiving is from God and not the devil. Therefore, reading the word essential and the best words are from God himself; i.e. Jesus. And as Jesus said the 'The Old Testament is all true' (Paraphrase) and the Old testament testifies to the New Testament. 

 

[Neighbor]

On 4/27/2017 at 10:11 AM, notsolostsoul said:

When hearing or reading the words just seem like lies. When the word bares no substance within. When the word seems to just be empty. What do you do?

 I'm going  to be bold and say that doesn't happen to me, but perhaps that is because I was such a staunch atheist and had a rather  active losing battle with God before capitulating and  repenting of my sin against Him.  Might be better to  have the doldrums of a Christian than the total denial  I embraced.

Now: If reading  my Bible I  try to pray - read  Bible text- think  -and pray.

Then I gather  commentary and sermons, seeking out perhaps the  Spurgeon Archives, Desiring God ( John Piper ), Phil Johnson and John MacArthur,  Matthew Henry and a few others depending upon the subject.

Also the use of Strong's concordance is a great help to me. Of course, I do so much enjoy my own pastor's archive of sermons with exposition that I do not really have an issue with  the words  of the Bible seeming like lies. I once listened to 52 one hour tapes of his exposition on the book of Revelation as I read the book of Revelation. I missed so much being an atheist that I always feel the need to catch up. Been catching up for  three and a half decades now. Still way behind- it's hard slogging on a mature mind.

 And as just a guess; I think I would also start reading faster if it happened that the word of God started to seem meaningless to me. Maybe take a refresher Evelyn Woods course if it happened often. In general comprehension suffers when one reads slowly, and improves when one pushes a little faster.

Just my thoughts-

[notsolostsoul]

Thank you @Neighbor

I also need to thank Worthy Christian Forums.

Through you all I was and I am able to know God is with me. 

I think I have been fighting him all this time. Actually keeping myself away from him so his words weren't penetrating because I put walls up to keep him out.

To be completely honest. I was mad at him, still might be some because he promised me things and I didn't understand why he was/is taking, what to me seems, long.

I'm Realizing now those promises are set and will happen. But besides those promises he did give me tasks. I got so caught up in the promise I slacked on my tasks.

However through you and others here I have gained more of an understanding of him and the importance of doing our part as well as him doing his part. He is firm in his, we are the ones that stumble. May seem simple for some but not everyone's lessons and teachings are designed the same way. 

I am still clueless as to why the wait, but I have been strengthened in my relationship with him.

So I am a bit more receptive of his teachings and a bit more mindful of my attitude and behaviors.

Thank you all for being the messengers of his messages.

Edited May 3, 2017 by notsolostsoul

[wingnut-]

Dear notsolostsoul,

I am so very thrilled to hear this wonderful report from you.  You have made my day, as you have been in my prayers since I first read some of your words on this forum.  You are a daughter of the King of Kings, never forget that.  Our enemy is relentless, but you are an overcomer, a child of God.

His timing is a mystery to us, but He is faithful.  Continue to fight the good fight, God bless you.

Ephesians 6:11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—

[notsolostsoul]

18 minutes ago, wingnut- said:

Dear notsolostsoul,

I am so very thrilled to hear this wonderful report from you.  You have made my day, as you have been in my prayers since I first read some of your words on this forum.  You are a daughter of the King of Kings, never forget that.  Our enemy is relentless, but you are an overcomer, a child of God.

His timing is a mystery to us, but He is faithful.  Continue to fight the good fight, God bless you.

Ephesians 6:11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—

Thank you! I am still walking with him. Thus my name. Not so lost soul. I have been hit with a lot but I am learning through all of it. Slowly building my armor. God has good things for me but I have been afraid of what that might entail. Still working on me as he is still working on me.