Seeking Guidance on Common Law Marriage

[FeministWhoLovesABeliever]

On 4/27/2020 at 3:48 AM, Justin Adams said:

It does take a while to explain, but you are well able to comprehend. That is why I suggested Mike Heiser.

In the past, much of the scriptures have been denied people and a negative method is used to make sure believers comply. In the Septuagint, the Greek translation of Hebrew texts, the many books that Yeshua and His apostles read are just cut out of the 'reformist' bibles. They are incomplete due to the 'defenders' of the faith. I think people should be encouraged to real all and every book that was considered by the church fathers and the Qumran scribes. This is not to say they should all be canon, but just read and learned from.

Now a church that supported this would be interesting to me!  I seek inspiration and knowledge, not indoctornation. 

 

[FeministWhoLovesABeliever]

On 4/27/2020 at 6:28 AM, LonerAndy said:

So this is difficult.  I understand you want answers to your questions, rather than being evangelized to become a Christian.

Close. I'm not really interested in other people's answers. I'm hoping for thoughtful biblical dialogue. 

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I respect that.  I respect the fact that you want answers, and that you are honest and open enough to say clearly that you are not a Christian.  That speaks very highly of your character, that you are not going to fake it, or pretend to be something you are not.  I can see why he likes you, given so many are not honest about who they are, and you clearly are.

However, the reason why you are having difficulty getting answers, is because to be perfectly honest and direct with you.... a Christian man, or Christian woman, have no business being involved with non-christian people in a romantic relationship.

I want to apologize if that seems to come across harsh, but this is why everyone is talking to you about finding Jesus the Lord, because that is the answer to your entire situation.

I'm not sure that it's the only answer. The people on this forum appear to be much more "hard core" than other Christians and pastors that I've spoken to. But it is an answer that I'm willing to explore, which is why I'm  here. 

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Now I don't know how your boyfriend has been handling this up till now.  But if you stay together, how are you going to raise your kids?  Will you be fine teaching them about Jesus?  Going to baptism?  Learning Bible verses?   You want them going to Church Camp during the summer?   Will you want them going on mission trips with missionary groups?   Are you going to be fine with your husband, trying to get you to go to every Church event?

His is a grandfather of 4 and my youngest is almost out of the house, so this won't be a problem. But, I've always said that if we had kids, I would want him to baptize them and bring them to an egalitarian church.  I've never attended church with him but, now that I'm becoming interested in scripture, I think that I would like to. No I wouldn't want him to try to get me to go to every church event. Neither of us have tried to get the other to go anywhere and we both often enjoy doing our own things.  But if there was something special at the church that he wanted me to attend, I would.  I would also like to share church with him. I think that I would especially enjoy bible study. 

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How are you going to handle the family finances when your husband wants to give 10% of your family income to the Church? 

We have historically kept separate finances. I don't interfere with his spending. 

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This is why Christians marrying Non-Christians, typically do not work.

 

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I want to make this clear.  It's not because you are a bad person.  Nor is it because this man, is a good person.

It is because two people with completely different world views, and completely different life goals, often can't get anywhere.  It just causes problems.

We got further together than either of us did without the other or than he did when he was "equally yoked."  We have a long way to go but our life goals are in alignment. We both love to travel. I've especially loved service work and imagine spending most of my time in refugee camps or something similar. I suspect that he would prefer more developed countries than I am drawn to but he hasn't had the chance to experience the ones that would be my first choice yet and, if he does and still prefers developed countries, I'm fine with adjusting accordingly. We love spending time together but we are also both rather independent so there would be times when he might visit his kids while I go to developing countries or where I am with mine while he is fishing and hunting in Alaska. 

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You mentioned unequally yoked.   That's exactly why.  The term comes from putting two different animals in a yoke, to do plowing.  You know what happens when you put an ox, and a donkey in a yoke, and try and plow a field?  You spin in circles, because one is stronger than the other.  You never get anywhere.  It's not because the donkey is 'bad', or the ox is 'good'.  It's just that together, those two animals can't succeed.

Using this analogy, my husband might have to plow most of the field. But I won't be sitting on my butt and instead of having to also cook, clean, gather and care for the oxen, he will rest when he is done with his work and I will rub his shoulders. 

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So here is my advice, and I want to say I don't mean this to hurt, or be insulting or painful.  But it is the honest answer to your honest post.

If I was talking to this man, I would tell him he needs to end the relationship.  A Christian man has no business being with a non-Christian woman.

I appreciate your honesty. What do you think God would want a Christian man to do with a woman with whom he had spent 9 years pledging a lifelong relationship and assuring her that it was blessed by God? 

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Since I'm talking to you, my advice is, find the Lord.  Just be honest with G-d, just like you have been honest with us here in this forum.   My suggestion is just openly say tonight, Lord... if you are there, I need you to show me.  Just say that out loud, when you are alone.  And he may not answer you that day, or even that week, but I firmly believe if you ask him to show himself to you, he will.

I've been working on that. Will keep trying. 

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Now short of that, if you are determine that you don't believe this nonsense, that's fine and I accept that from you. 

I'm NOT calling Christ nonsense. I'm saying that I aspire to be like Christ, to beg God to forgive those who are killing me, regardless of their religion. 

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I respect it.  I would ask you to consider what I said above, and ask yourself if a long term marriage with this Christian man, is really going to work.

I think the answer to that hinges on whether or not he considers me worthy. If he does, I believe that we will have a wonderful life together, that we will learn from each other and serve each other and the less fortunate, together. I believe that we will, once again, find solace and inspiration in each others arms, as we did for so many years. I believe that our relationship can be strengthened by bringing God into it. 

Thank you for taking the time to respond to my post. Please pray for us.  

Edited April 30, 2020 by FeministWhoLovesABeliever

[FeministWhoLovesABeliever]

On 4/28/2020 at 12:15 PM, Justin Adams said:

If you have time, go to Job Martin's videos on "Amazing creatures that defy evolution". (YouTube) The kids love them and they are really amazing. Job Martin was an atheist until some students challenged him. I am pretty sure you will find it a fascinating thing to think about. Blessings in your search.

Thanks. I'll check it out. But I'm not an athiest. I don't doubt that there is one God. 

[Michael37]

3 hours ago, FeministWhoLovesABeliever said:

I don't want to turn my beliefs over to any gospel, person, or group. For me, belief isn't a choice. It's a result of knowledge, experience, and inner-knowing. I don't think that these things are separate from God, nor do I think that, in spite of my diligent efforts, these components that lead to belief are safe from the unconscious influence of my desires. This is why it's so important to seek the guidance of those I respect.

Slavery was once widely justified by Paul's words:  

“Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; not with eye-service, as men-pleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; with good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.”  (Ephesians, VI, 5-7)

God's wishes haven't changed since slavery was an institution. Our collective interpretation of the bible did. I suspect that, long ago, people who were interested in accepting Christ experienced reluctance that is similar to mine because the bible they were being told to accept as the word of God was used to promote slavery and that they too were dismissed by many Christians for being under the influence of "deceiving spirit." 

God doesn't want slavery. God doesn't want misogyny. 

Yes, there has been much twisting of the Word of God away. Actually, as you may know, the word slave appears only once in the KJV Bible, in Jeremiah 2:14, but servanthood and stewardship are to be cultivated by followers of Christ, something often termed as "the ministry of all believers".

Mar 10:42-45  But Jesus called them to him, and says unto them, You know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. (43)  But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: (44)  And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. (45)  For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister (diakoneō  *) and to give his life a ransom for many.

*diakoneō
dee-ak-on-eh'-o
From G1249; to be an attendant, that is, wait upon (menially or as a host, friend or [figuratively] teacher); technically to act as a Christian deacon: - (ad-) minister (unto), serve, use the office of a deacon.
Total KJV occurrences: 37 (Strongs Concordance G1247)

Since only those who willingly accept Christ as their Lord and Saviour can become genuine Christians, believing Him to be who He said He was and entering into a personal relationship with Him as redeemed sinners cleansed of all sin by the shedding of His blood and filled with His Spirit sent from Heaven, arguments over interpretation of Scripture and objections about historical practices of religious sects are distractions and diversions which lead pilgrims astray and cause them to stumble in darkness.

  Psa 119:105  Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.

[Debp]

22 hours ago, Behold said:

let me explain that verse to you...>"women keep silent in the church"........ Get in your time machine, and fly back to 30ad. Nineteen Hundred and Seventy years ago..   Now go in someone's house, that has a lot of people in it, sitting on a floor, as thats the "church building"...   Now, put women in there with men.    Who is going to be doing most of the talking?     Or, you have this..   The women are on one side of the living room, and then men on the other side, and the preacher is trying to teach, and has no microphone, just his voice, and you have women talking across the room loudly to their man about who is going to get the fish and the bread on the way home.   So, Paul is trying to get this NOISE to stop.    He is not trying to put a muzzle on women, he is trying to get the room to be QUIET so that the teacher can be heard.

Highlighting the above in case Feminist overlooked it.  Yes, the above is the correct explanation I've heard from a pastor.

Also, about slavery....many Christians have fought and continue to fight against slavery.   The story of William Wilberforce is quite moving...he literally gave his life in fighting slavery in the U.K.   Many Christians also helped runaway slaves to escape and find freedom in the Northern U.S.A.

The following article explains the difference between slavery in Bible times, and racial slavery in more recent times.

https://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-slavery.html

[LonerAndy]

8 hours ago, FeministWhoLovesABeliever said:

Close. I'm not really interested in other people's answers. I'm hoping for thoughtful biblical dialogue. 

I'm not sure that it's the only answer. The people on this forum appear to be much more "hard core" than other Christians and pastors that I've spoken to. But it is an answer that I'm willing to explore, which is why I'm  here. 

His is a grandfather of 4 and my youngest is almost out of the house, so this won't be a problem. But, I've always said that if we had kids, I would want him to baptize them and bring them to an egalitarian church.  I've never attended church with him but, now that I'm becoming interested in scripture, I think that I would like to. No I wouldn't want him to try to get me to go to every church event. Neither of us have tried to get the other to go anywhere and we both often enjoy doing our own things.  But if there was something special at the church that he wanted me to attend, I would.  I would also like to share church with him. I think that I would especially enjoy bible study. 

We have historically kept separate finances. I don't interfere with his spending. 

 

We got further together than either of us did without the other or than he did when he was "equally yoked."  We have a long way to go but our life goals are in alignment. We both love to travel. I've especially loved service work and imagine spending most of my time in refugee camps or something similar. I suspect that he would prefer more developed countries than I am drawn to but he hasn't had the chance to experience the ones that would be my first choice yet and, if he does and still prefers developed countries, I'm fine with adjusting accordingly. We love spending time together but we are also both rather independent so there would be times when he might visit his kids while I go to developing countries or where I am with mine while he is fishing and hunting in Alaska. 

Using this analogy, my husband might have to plow most of the field. But I won't be sitting on my butt and instead of having to also cook, clean, gather and care for the oxen, he will rest when he is done with his work and I will rub his shoulders. 

I appreciate your honesty. What do you think God would want a Christian man to do with a woman with whom he had spent 9 years pledging a lifelong relationship and assuring her that it was blessed by God? 

I've been working on that. Will keep trying. 

I'm NOT calling Christ nonsense. I'm saying that I aspire to be like Christ, to beg God to forgive those who are killing me, regardless of their religion. 

I think the answer to that hinges on whether or not he considers me worthy. If he does, I believe that we will have a wonderful life together, that we will learn from each other and serve each other and the less fortunate, together. I believe that we will, once again, find solace and inspiration in each others arms, as we did for so many years. I believe that our relationship can be strengthened by bringing God into it. 

Thank you for taking the time to respond to my post. Please pray for us.  

I'm not sure that it's the only answer. The people on this forum appear to be much more "hard core" than other Christians and pastors that I've spoken to. But it is an answer that I'm willing to explore, which is why I'm  here. 

I'm not sure what you mean by hard core.  After all, we're just posting what the Bible clearly says.  You yourself posted the verse saying believers should not be unequally yoked to non-believers.   That's pretty clear cut.  If you are a Christian, then you are not to be with non-Christians.

Obviously, if you spend your time looking for a pastor who will tell you what you want to hear, eventually you'll find one that says something that contradicts the Bible.  There are crazy people who claim to be Christians.  Branch Davidians Waco Texas, 1993.

But what does not change, is what the Bible says.  If posting what G-d said in his word, instead of giving you whatever random opinion we have, is "hard core", then I guess we're hard core. 

I appreciate your honesty. What do you think God would want a Christian man to do with a woman with whom he had spent 9 years pledging a lifelong relationship and assuring her that it was blessed by God? 

Oh I wish I had read this to start with.  This is hard on me.   So a Christian man, spent 9 years living with a woman he was not married to, and was telling her that this was blessed by G-d.

I want to double check.  Because if what you just wrote is accurate then this explains a lot. Everything I am about to write, I need you to understand that it is only accurate, as far as what you wrote is accurate, because this is going to be a bit brutal.

1 Corinthians 6:9 says the following "Do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God."

You'll notice the word Fornicators.

Along with all the others that are mentioned, the Bible specifically points out that people who sleep with those they are not married to, are not part of the Kingdom of God.    Fornication, sleeping with people you are not married to, is explicitly prohibited in the Bible.  It is a clear sin, and a Christian is not to engage in that.   There is nothing ambiguous about it.

So first point is, this man is engaging in, and violating the clear prohibition against Fornication.

Then you have the verse which you mentioned earlier about being unequally yoked.  I won't post it again, but clearly a Christian has no business whatsoever being with a non-Christian.

So second point is, this man is directly violating the prohibition of Christians being involved with non-Christians.

On top of these clearly defined evils that he is engaging in, the man additionally is saying that this evil he is engaged in, is blessed by G-d.

Jesus himself, responded to such things....

Luke 6:46 Jesus says directly "Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?"

In short, Jesus is saying why are you pretending that I'm Lord, when you don't live it out in your life?   Why do you say you are a Christian, and then do things that are entirely opposite of what Christianity teaches?

Let me ask you something...  if I tell you I am a Vegan, does that make me a Vegan?  If you find me eating a steak, and I say I'm a Vegan... am I a Vegan?    No, I'm not a Vegan.  My actions determine what I am.  I can say anything I want, but I'm not a Vegan, if I'm eating steak and sausage, and Chicken sandwiches.

What did Jesus say about people who claim to be Christian, but never follow the teachings of the Bible?

Matthew 7:22

"Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'"

You are not a Christian, if you don't live out being a Christian, and know the Lord.

So here is my conclusion, and I'll leave you with this.

Based on what you have told me about this man in your life, he is not a Christian at all.  He's not living like a Christian.  Not acting like a Christian.  And he is saying that things are blessed by G-d, that are clearly defined as evil, and prohibited by G-d.

This explains why your relationship has worked so far.  Two non-Christian people, doing whatever they want.   You have separate finances for example.  Christians generally don't do that.  Combining finances is part of "two become one".   You guys are not following that aspect of Christian teaching either.

So what would I suggest?   Well since neither of you are Christians, you can do whatever you want.  What I would suggest to him, and you for that matter is.... Find the Lord.  Turn your lives over to G-d.  He needs to do that, just as much as you do.  Neither of you are living like Christians at all.  He doesn't have something you don't.   Neither of you have it.

So... find G-d.  Find G-d together if you can.  As for what you should do in this relationship...  I don't know, now.   The Bible doesn't give rules for how non-Christians should live, and both of you are non-Christians.

Find G-d.   That's all I have to offer.

Edited April 30, 2020 by LonerAndy

[FeministWhoLovesABeliever]

On 4/29/2020 at 5:05 AM, Behold said:

 

Do you believe there is such a thing as "Divinely created human nature"?  That there is an innate complexity within the 2 genders whereby they are uniquely  different, mentally, psychologically,... and that this plays out naturally in LIFE

I do and I love that.  

On 4/29/2020 at 5:05 AM, Behold said:

We can see by our bodies that God made them different.. so, is the only difference between you and your fella?  Your body vs his body?  We can understand that estrogen and other chemicals creates the woman's anatomy to be  curvy and soft and that testosterone essentially makes me "manly" and designed to lift weights and fight.   So even chemically God has designed us as "different".... naturally.

In a marriage is there a male and a female?   Is there a "head of the household"?  Should the woman "wear the pants" and the man wear the bra and the lipstick?

No. There is no a head of the household. The feminine and the masculine each have unique gifts and challenges. Neither the masculine or feminine is more or less important than the other. There are times when each must carry the other and times when each should submit to the other. 

On 4/29/2020 at 5:05 AM, Behold said:

Is it possible for a feminist to recognize that in nature there is a divine order, regarding the magnitude of how the sexes relate naturally.... that is sometimes misrepresented as "keeping the woman down"?

LOL. Yes! There is nature in the divine order regarding the magnitude of how the sexes relate naturally and it is often misrepresented as men thinking that their unique perspectives and gifts are more important than women's and also the laughably absurd position that they are  qualified to speak to or define the role of the feminine. I would never presume to tell my beloved how men should behave and he would never do the opposite. It is for me to see and honor the masculine gifts that he provides for me and he to see and honor the feminine ones that I give to him.  

On 4/29/2020 at 5:05 AM, Behold said:

So, let me explain that verse to you...>"women keep silent in the church"........ Get in your time machine, and fly back to 30ad. Nineteen Hundred and Seventy years ago..   Now go in someone's house, that has a lot of people in it, sitting on a floor, as thats the "church building"...   Now, put women in there with men.    Who is going to be doing most of the talking?    

Really I have no idea. I think that you are suggesting it would be women but that has not been my experience. But let's say for a moment that it is, that women talk most. But let's stay in today and bring the same example to politics where, men are doing considerably more talking. And, instead of asking them to limit themselves to 50% of the time, as Paul could have done in the scenario that you provided. Lets just tell them keep silent in politics. If that doesn't sit well with you, than neither should the latter. 

On 4/29/2020 at 5:05 AM, Behold said:

 

So, setting aside gay rights, and the twisted idea of all that has become legalized.....sorry if i stepped on you there, but, just because something is legal does not make it moral, according to how GOD SEES it......... So, im not here to validate CNN or MSNBC's daily push back against anything related to morality, and im not here to redefine morality according to how one culture separates it from another's in the world.   But what i can tell you, is that according to Paul.... A woman can PREACH, TEACH, be an Apostle, a Prophet, a Missionary, translate a BIBLE,  and any other thing in the "church", but she can't play the role of a man because she's not one.  

I completely agree. (LGBTQUIA readers please know I'm not referring to your body parts but your identity.) The feminine should not try to be masculine. Likewise, the masculine should not try to be feminine. In other words, neither gender should presume to understand, speak for, or represent the other.  Instead, because each gender is blinded, they should seek insight from the other.

On 4/29/2020 at 5:05 AM, Behold said:

And many Feminist's would argue that there is no such difference, and i would argue that that is just not reality or real life or common sense.  It seems to me that many  hyper feminist's want to see " ALL COLOR" as "grey", and i dont buy it.  I dont believe that everything is equal, as Life and Nature and prove thats its not.   Common sense proves that its not.   LOGIC proves that its not..  Differences exist....so, being angry that they do, is just being ridiculous. 

As long as you are using the term "equal" to mean "the same as",  instead of  suggesting that one is more valuable than the other, I fully agree.  

On 4/29/2020 at 5:05 AM, Behold said:

Men, often, OFTEN,=  take advantage of these difference and try to control and manipulate, and that is WRONG on every level and should be pointed out and highlighted and stopped.....yes.  

In our society and in our world at large,  there is absolutely  a "glass ceiling" regarding so many situations that women face in life....= Absolutely.

Im some middle eastern Quran loving countries they will murder you just for being a feminist.   They will tie you up in a sheet, pour gas on this sheet, soak it,  & light it,  and leave you to burn  in the street.  And im not kidding.

Yes. It is horrible and we have horrible violence against women in the US as well. It's not as bad as in some primarily muslim countries. But then some of them have chosen women presidents and prime ministers. So in some ways, some of them, are ahead of us. 

 

On 4/29/2020 at 5:05 AM, Behold said:

Listen @FeministWhoLovesABeliever.. Paul never reduces the woman's role.  He instead demands that the MAN Love the woman as He love's himself, as Christ loved the Church.   And  the man is to be her security, her provider, her nurturer,  and to also provide her with physical intimacy  whenever she requires it...... Yeah, really.  Thats BIBLE.. That's PAUL Teaching...   So, don't let people who have as their only agenda, to teach this phony idea that the bible hates women and Paul is hoping its true, be your truth.  Its not true.  

All of this I can appreciate. This has been how my beloved has cherished me. 

On 4/29/2020 at 5:05 AM, Behold said:

What is true is that God took a rib that was next to Adam's heart and made him a heart partner, a 2nd half, a helper who is to be that support system and that respect giver,  as well as be considered his equal.  See, a woman is co-equal to the male, but she is not to play the ROLE of the man.....and many feminist climb walls and shout at Stop-Signs only because they can't stand this situation.   Paul understood it perfectly, and God designed it that way......

What you have written does express the most common interpretation of the original text.

Will you also read this? Please.   https://liferotp.com/acblog/2015/8/20/6-the-ezer-kenegdo . It is another Christian interpretation of the original text. 

On 4/29/2020 at 5:05 AM, Behold said:

So, accept it or not.   Thats up to you.  But either way, God loves you, and wants you to be a part of His eternal family, and does not require you to stop being yourself to be so..   And if you want to be a part of His eternal family, then you become this the same way you became a part of your family. You have to be BORN into it.  And so, you have to be BORN AGAIN into God's family , and you can't do that for yourself.   If you could, then Jesus would not have had to die on that Cross FOR YOU.

God answers Prayer.

 

Thank you. I'm working on it! 

[FeministWhoLovesABeliever]

23 hours ago, Michael37 said:

Yes, there has been much twisting of the Word of God away. Actually, as you may know, the word slave appears only once in the KJV Bible, in Jeremiah 2:14, but servanthood and stewardship are to be cultivated by followers of Christ, something often termed as "the ministry of all believers".

Mar 10:42-45  But Jesus called them to him, and says unto them, You know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. (43)  But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: (44)  And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. (45)  For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister (diakoneō  *) and to give his life a ransom for many.

*diakoneō
dee-ak-on-eh'-o
From G1249; to be an attendant, that is, wait upon (menially or as a host, friend or [figuratively] teacher); technically to act as a Christian deacon: - (ad-) minister (unto), serve, use the office of a deacon.
Total KJV occurrences: 37 (Strongs Concordance G1247)

Oh yes. I wasn't trying to say that the bible is pro-slavery. I'm sorry if I came across that way. "Slave" may have only been used once in the  but "bondsman" was also used, which is the same thing. I was just trying to point out that there are contradictions, which leaves room for interpretation. 

23 hours ago, Michael37 said:

Since only those who willingly accept Christ as their Lord and Saviour can become genuine Christians, believing Him to be who He said He was and entering into a personal relationship with Him as redeemed sinners cleansed of all sin by the shedding of His blood and filled with His Spirit sent from Heaven, arguments over interpretation of Scripture and objections about historical practices of religious sects are distractions and diversions which lead pilgrims astray and cause them to stumble in darkness.

  Psa 119:105  Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.

I think that there is a decent possibility that I may come to claim Christ as my savior. But I'm getting more and more clarity that, if I do so, it won't be because the bible tells me that it is the only path to salvation. It will be because I feel that it is the good and right thing to do. I will continue to invite Christ into my heart and prayers. I will continue to study scripture. And if God, as Christianity knows him to be, is as certain as  Christians are that Christ is the only way to God, than most certainly he will come to me and show me the way. 

 

[Blood Bought 1953]

You May find it interesting to hear about “ Lydia” , the seller of Purple ( an indication of wealth ) and her Salvation .......She was listening to the preaching of Paul, apparently not getting much out of it and then the Bible says that “ God opened her heart” and she then was able to understand what was being said and received Salvation....

Even Peter in his recognition of Jesus as being God in Flesh, did not come to this conclusion until the Holy Spirit revealed it to Him......

The initiative for Salvation is God’s , not ours......God does not need us and we can add nothing to Him.....it is only by His Mercy and Grace that anybody gets Saved.....Jesus speaking here.... “ No man comes to me lest the Spirit draw them”

If you come to be a Born-Again Believer, and I believe that you will- you are very close to it I am convinced, and I pray for you many times a day.......yes, if you become a Believer , you will be no different from Lydia or Peter - it will only be because gifted you by “ opening your heart”.....I pray that this happens! May God Bless you in your understanding of these things.... 

 

Edited May 1, 2020 by Blood Bought 1953

[Justin Adams]

1 hour ago, FeministWhoLovesABeliever said:

I will continue to invite Christ into my heart and prayers. I will continue to study scripture.

Have you seen the book UNSEEN REALM by Dr. Heiser. His videos are on YouTube so it might be worth a look for you to more fully understand the scriptures.

Blessings.