You cannot get closer to God than you concept of God will allow

[Justin Adams]

2 minutes ago, Flowersun said:

Same here,maryjayne,..but I wasn't in a cult.

Yes, sadly I had a lot to unlearn about this. I guess you could say it made me into a failed father. At least, that is what i heard said about me. But to understand what a true father is requires much understanding and scriptural soul searching.

I think the upshot might be, for me, that I am beginning to think as I ought about being a father. Trusting the Lord as such is a big step and requires vacating the comfort zone of past experiences that created a certain numbness.

I know many, many others are on a similar journey yet are possibly afraid to say so. We dress up in our Sunday or Sabbath best and arrange our faces like we are off to some photo-shoot, but what lies beneath is rarely seen.

[Firm Foundation]

What do you say about scriptures like Jeremiah 15:1-3?

THEN said the LORD unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people:  cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth.  And it shall come to pass, if they say unto thee, Whither shall we go forth? then thou shalt tell them, This saith the LORD;and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for captivity, to the captivity.  And I will appoint over them four kinds, saith the LORD:  the sword to slay, and the dogs to tear, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the earth, to devour and destroy.  

This is God speaking of his own people because they sinned.

[George]

1 minute ago, Firm Foundation said:

What do you say about scriptures like Jeremiah 15:1-3?

THEN said the LORD unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people:  cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth.  And it shall come to pass, if they say unto thee, Whither shall we go forth? then thou shalt tell them, This saith the LORD;and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for captivity, to the captivity.  And I will appoint over them four kinds, saith the LORD:  the sword to slay, and the dogs to tear, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the earth, to devour and destroy.  

This is God speaking of his own people because they sinned.

... and this is connected to the topic OP how?  The question is ... You cannot get closer to God than you concept of God will allow ...

So are you suggesting that you're focus in on people's sin?  Because God is focused on it?

[Firm Foundation]

4 minutes ago, George said:

... and this is connected to the topic OP how?  The question is ... You cannot get closer to God than you concept of God will allow ...

So are you suggesting that you're focus in on people's sin?  Because God is focused on it?

Given how God treated his own children that sinned, I think it would be wise to focus on living right.  When Israel did right, they were blessed.  When they sinned, read the prophetic books and see what happened to them.  It was all based on performance.  The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.  Yes I am concerned about sin, mine and the sins of the church that bring about God's wrath on us all.  Jeremiah didn't escape and he served God.  He was in Egypt when the judgment occurred along with the rebellious children.

[George]

@Firm Foundation  ... so are you suggesting that your understanding of God is based on your "performance"?  and is His love back to you based on how holy you are living? 

[Firm Foundation]

Just now, George said:

@Firm Foundation  ... so are you suggesting that your understanding of God is based on your "performance"?  and is His love back to you based on how holy you are living? 

I am taking the scriptures as written.  I just believe what they say.  They were given as examples to us.

[Firm Foundation]

Consider Ananias and Sapphira in the New Testament.  They are our example too.

[enoob57]

OP or not  

[George]

@Firm Foundation  This is hijacking a thread once again ... seriously is every thread you're involved in about being "cast" out of God's presence?  No where in this thread is the mention of sin ... or living in sin ... or even any hint of such a thing ... it's the question I'd like to explore ...

You cannot get closer to God than you concept of God will allow.

So apparently, you don't understand the topic being discussed ... or perhaps you're living in FEAR of being "CAST OUT" of His presence and live in this fear?  Have you explored this possibility? 

The reality is if you are living in this type of fear ... then you're working from a "performance" based understanding of a heavenly Father.  If so, then perhaps should investigate this further in your own personal time with the Lord.  For now, let's stay on the topic.

I believe if we truly explore this out ... it will us to reevaluate our relationship with our Heavenly Father ... and let us go to a new level of worship and adoration.

[George]

In the passage ... that I mentioned in the OP ... look at Moses' response to hearing who God was ...

Exo 34:8  And Moses made haste and bowed toward the earth, and worshiped. 

The first response was -- MOSES fell down and worshiped!

Afterwards, it says in Exodus 34:29 -- And it happened as Moses was going down from the mountain of Sinai, the two tablets of the testimony being in Moses' hand as he went down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face had become luminous through His speaking with him.

Moses never shone before this ... think about it.  His perception of a FATHER figure was warped as he was raised in Pharoah's court.  He had "visited" with God before ... but upon this visitation of finding out about God in this way ... a God of Mercy, grace, patience, abounding in never ending love, faithfulness, forgiveness, and justice -- His entire COUNTENANCE changed ... so much so that all of Israel saw it.

Perhaps if we truly got a concept of how awesome our God is ... perhaps the world around us would be radically changed ... and people would see how our lives were radically changed!