Seeking Guidance on Common Law Marriage

[FeministWhoLovesABeliever]

23 hours ago, Coliseum said:

What is so beautiful about the Bible is how our human condition has no make-up on it put there by God. None of the human rough edges are smoothed. Many times in movies we see the star in all their glamour without a wrinkle, blemish, or mole. They are "perfect." That does not happen in reality, and so, God portrays reality as it is. Some believe that God is Judge, and they approach Him that way; and they are quite right. He is Judge. But some believe Him as Savior, and they approach Him that way; and they are quite right. He is Savior. If Jesus suddenly popped up out of a mountain, the many who might see Him would say, "OMG. He's real! Give me the papers. where do I sign"? But they see God as Judge, and it is already too late because they would be coming to Him out of fear. Some who already know Him are waiting for that very day He appears. Their very hope is in His appearing because they know they are already accepted and loved by Him. Again---and it will always be---what do you believe? Do you come to Him in fear as your Judge; or do you come to Him accepted, as your Savior?

This is beautiful. Thank you. I know god as fierce, powerful, generous. I know that she demanded more from me than I thought was fair and would not accept my refusal. I know that when there was no more to give, long after my ego and sense of self had escaped, and I was beyond logic in an animalistic state, she entered my body. And when she did, infinity was tangible to me and I could feel the connection between myself and all other living beings. But that isn't exactly right. It's more that she was the connection between all living things and I was not separate from her. How I longed to stay there with her! 

I am so grateful that she transformed me from a defensive and righteous person to one of grace and service who strives to do what I believe that she wants of me and for me, instead of from ego, as I did before my awakening. 

Please understand that I cannot accept an exclusively male god without denying the one who saved and transformed the wretched soul that I was. 

23 hours ago, Coliseum said:

The first time as an atheist I read the first 1/2 page of Genesis. After a half hour, I slammed the Book down on my floor, frustrated, bewildered, and disgusted I wasted so much time. But after God came into my heart, I turned to the Book of Romans, unwittingly, and began to read some of the passages. I at first could not believe that I was actually understanding it. I closed the Book momentarily to think about it, wondering if it was only an accident. When I opened it a second time to read, I still could not believe that it was making sense to me, and I closed it again to compose myself. But when, after the third time I was grasping the words, I began to weep. For three hours! I knew then that God's Word was just as it proclaimed: "For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." There was no more guessing. I knew! It took me 38 years before that moment happened.

This is beautiful also. I'll keep reading and praying for such a moment. 

23 hours ago, Coliseum said:

When a man understands, by the Holy Spirit, what God is revealing, it is no longer just a book, but a love letter written personally to the human heart. You don't hide a love letter. You read it over and over and over again. You simply have fallen in love, and you know there is nothing you desire more than to live with your Lover. "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,  neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." It is no longer just a bunch of words that are to be analyzed and intellectualized, but lived out and experienced.

It would be wonderful to have such a love letter from god. I hope that, as I continue to read and study the bible, I will be able to find more of the love. I also hope, for myself and humanity, that the changes that misogynistic fallible men made to god's love letter will be identified, so that we may better know and live god's word to us. 

 

 

[FeministWhoLovesABeliever]

22 hours ago, Willa said:

Eph 5:22  Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

Thank you. Have you looked up the original word that was translated to "submit" to see if there are other interpretations? I just read that it could be something closer to "cooperation" which, unlike submission, is desirable for me, in relation to both my husband and god. 

 

22 hours ago, Willa said:

Eph 5:23  For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.

Eph 5:24  Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.

Eph 5:25  Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,

Eph 5:26  that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,

Eph 5:27  that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.

 

Poetic but really? I am to be seen as if I've no spot, wrinkle, or blemish, instead of as a fallible human? 

 

 

 

[FeministWhoLovesABeliever]

22 hours ago, Willa said:

These are spiritual truths that can best be understood by the Holy Spirit and interpreted to us.  Should you ever choose to follow Christ it will all become much clearer to you.  Now you might understand a little but it is still very confusing.  After Jews accept Jesus as their Messiah this becomes very clear and they get so blest and excited.  We had a short plump Jewish man explaining his traditions to us that he had come to understand, and he got so excited he started jumping up and down till he fell through the speakers platform!  He said he used to run the Dippy Duck car wash and now he baptizes Christians.

That's a wonderful story :-)  If christ asks me to deny god as I know her to be and all other religions interpretations of god, I will do so. But until and unless Christ asks me to do so, I will continue to understand as best as I can. 

[FeministWhoLovesABeliever]

21 hours ago, Justin Adams said:

I understand your ideas. If you wish, please check out the book or videos of UNSEEN REALM by Dr. Heiser. You may then understand that the world's powers have been displaced, and God is welcoming His scattered nations back to Him.

It is a long and involved story. Perhaps you only see some of it at present. God in no way will condemn the world because He came to save it. John 3:16.

This requires some life and death study to get all the facts.

I watched the trailer and read some reviews. Fascinating. This is the sort of thing that I would love to read and discuss, with my beloved. 

One of the reviews says "However the book in many ways leave me with more questions than answers." I think that the reviewer means this as a criticism. But I think that it's wonderful and that we are given minds and free will because we are supposed to grapple with these questions, particularly with those who have different faiths. 

If my beloved, the bible and Christ want me to grapple with important questions, I am all in! It is the being told not to question and not to engage my mind and the unique experiences that god has given me that feel like an absurd command to deny god and my life. 

Thank you for taking the time to write to me. 

[FeministWhoLovesABeliever]

12 hours ago, Billiards Ball said:

All my points are rooted in Bible passages.

Yes. But I'm trying to draw my own conclusions of the bible passages and god's desire for me and my husband. 

[FeministWhoLovesABeliever]

7 hours ago, Behold said:

Why do you think that Jesus died on the Cross?

Because men would not relinquish their control over others. 

[Coliseum]

9 minutes ago, FeministWhoLovesABeliever said:

Thank you. Have you looked up the original word that was translated to "submit" to see if there are other interpretations? I just read that it could be something closer to "cooperation" which, unlike submission, is desirable for me, in relation to both my husband and god. 

 

Poetic but really? I am to be seen as if I've no spot, wrinkle, or blemish, instead of as a fallible human?

When Jesus, who was sinless, was hanging on the Cross, he took all of man's sins upon himself---past, present, and future. But God cannot look upon sin, and He turned away from Jesus. Jesus cried out---the Son that was never separated from the Father---"Father, why have you forsaken me." That was the most agonizing moment in his life---separation from the Father. Do you know what His answer was? Nothing. He remained silent. For the first time, Jesus had to exhibit the same faith he commands us to have. When we sin, our relationship with God remains, but our fellowship with Him is broken. When a man has the Spirit of God indwell him, it means that Christ is living in that man's heart. Christ is sinless, because he took all of our sins and buried them with him when he died on the cross, and was resurrected without sin.  So when God, who cannot look upon sin, looks at us, who is full of sin, He sees only His Son. Yes. That's right. God is seeing us just as He sees Christ: perfect. Positionally, the saved man is as if he were already in heaven, but objectively, he is still here on earth, full of sin in the flesh. So Jesus says, we see ourselves in a mirror dimly, but soon we will see clearly. That is why, when you have Christ inside you, God sees you without "spot, wrinkle, or blemish." Not poetry---reality!

[Blood Bought 1953]

You seem to have ignored my post.....may I ask why?

[FeministWhoLovesABeliever]

6 hours ago, Coliseum said:

What god are you praying to? What is his name? That is all I will leave you with. Best to you friend.

Thank you for all of the engagement. To answer your question, sometimes I call her mother, sometimes just god. For the past couple of years I've also often been using the name christ. 

[FeministWhoLovesABeliever]

3 hours ago, Blood Bought 1953 said:

 

 

 The more that I am told that I must submit to men's interpretations of Christ, the more the "born again bible" repels me. 

 

Nobody’s “ interpretation” is required......no man originated the Truth that everyone MUST be “Born Again”....... it came straight from the lips of Jesus, and that is Who your argument is with......Satan has blinded your eyes......please set aside your arguments, excuses and rationalizations ......get to  What is Crucial if you truly want to be a Christian and join the Saved.......Realize the fact that  you are a Lost Sinner , headed for Hell,  whether you agree or not.....

It all starts with seeing your Lost Position before a Holy, Perfect God. You need to see yourself as God sees you.Your argument is not with men—- admit it—- your only Problem is with God.He knows that and you are smart enough to know it yourself.You are smart , but you lack insight about your Lost Condition. Do you want the insight that can lead to your Salvation? Make the wisest move you could ever make —- Ask God to give you “ eyes to see” and read the first chapter of Romans. If that does not convince you that you are a Lost Sinner.....read what Jesus said about Sin and it’s Consequences in His Sermon on the Mound, Matthew 5...... This is  VERY Serious stuff......don’t be “ stiff - necked” about it .Stop arguing and see what God has to say...You are in my prayers......

 

Thanks for praying for me.