Let's look at the Holy Spirit...

[ethical.atheist]

He wants me to have the holy spirit's child?

Now that was a silly response. Playing games won't get you anywhere with God.

Sorry about that. It slipped past me as I was forming the quotes and such in the post.

[ethical.atheist]

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom."

"The angel of the Lord camps round about those who fear him."

Wow. That reminds me of stockholm syndrome.

With stockholm syndrome, you have to be terrified of someone and find yourself helpless under them...then you fall in love with them. ...really scary huh?

Besides... who would fear Jesus? He is less frightening than a baby puppy.

[sweetycakes]

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom."

"The angel of the Lord camps round about those who fear him."

Wow. That reminds me of stockholm syndrome.

With stockholm syndrome, you have to be terrified of someone and find yourself helpless under them...then you fall in love with them. ...really scary huh?

Besides... who would fear Jesus? He is less frightening than a baby puppy.

Yeah, but it's not the same kind of fear that you would normally understand.

It's more a kind of reverence.

Like when you are in love with a girl for the first time. You have been in love, haven't you?

And this fear, or nervousness, or reverence, ....well....it is a kind of fear, I suppose....only magnified a few thousand times, because you realise in whose presence you are standing

[ethical.atheist]

Yeah, but it's not the same kind of fear that you would normally understand.

It's more a kind of reverence.

Like when you are in love with a girl for the first time. You have been in love, haven't you?

And this fear, or nervousness, or reverence, ....well....it is a kind of fear, I suppose....only magnified a few thousand times, because you realise in whose presence you are standing

So wait... you love God because he makes your hands sweaty and your tongue stop working?

Huh... Well I guess it would make more sense if people suggest I be nervous in God's presence instead of afraid.

[sweetycakes]

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom."

"The angel of the Lord camps round about those who fear him."

Wow. That reminds me of stockholm syndrome.

With stockholm syndrome, you have to be terrified of someone and find yourself helpless under them...then you fall in love with them. ...really scary huh?

Besides... who would fear Jesus? He is less frightening than a baby puppy.

I'm finding it hard to convey my true meaning in this explanation, E.A.

I'll try to address the issues one at a time, in the hope that you'll understand them.

As regards Jesus being less frightening than a puppy. Yes!

But if you're going to bring our perception of total love and total innocence into this...well...I would say that, being in the presence of Jesus causes your heart to melt in a way that you've never experienced before...simply because He is so filled with love for you.....regardless of what you have done. UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.

But reverence because He at once sees through all your defences. All your 'hiding'. And shows you your utter sinfulness, together with His total and utter HOLINESS. This is humbling in itself. In the extreme.

FEAR. Have you ever seen a ghost?

I have.

Maybe a lot won't agree with me on this, but I know what I saw once. I was sixteen. I saw a SOLID BLACK SHADOW, in the shape of a man, emerge from the FLOOR, in my living room. in my full field of vision, right in front of my eyes, when my sister had gone out to the shop, at 10 o'clock at night, and my dad was in bed. Well, the fear aspect of it kicked in because I was looking at this 'thing' for about 10 seconds, and the scariest thing was, I didn't know what 'power' this thing had. It was something I had never encountered before, and I didn't know what it could do to me. It walked right across my living room wall and exited through the front living room window.

I saw it.

The same kind of 'fear' has always gripped me when confronted with Jesus, because I know I am helpless in His presence. Whatever He chooses to do, He can do.

We (man), are not the be-all-and-end-all of what is actually present on the earth, and in our lives. There are things in this life which we can't understand, can't comprehend, and have no control over.

I speak from experience.

[sweetycakes]

Yeah, but it's not the same kind of fear that you would normally understand.

It's more a kind of reverence.

Like when you are in love with a girl for the first time. You have been in love, haven't you?

And this fear, or nervousness, or reverence, ....well....it is a kind of fear, I suppose....only magnified a few thousand times, because you realise in whose presence you are standing

So wait... you love God because he makes your hands sweaty and your tongue stop working?

Huh... Well I guess it would make more sense if people suggest I be nervous in God's presence instead of afraid.

Maybe nervous is the right word, E.A.

Maybe afraid is.

He can certainly stop your tongue working. Because you dare not speak.

Afraid, also....yes.

Because He can damn you, or save you, with just one word.

This is the truth.

[sweetycakes]

I'll tell you something, E.A.

Whenever I use the words, Fear, Reverence, Humility, etc.

These are not examples of 'sensationalism' to impress you.

You can take any of the above words, and magnify them many times over. You will still not have grasped the concept of what it means to stand in the presence of the Saviour of your soul.

This is something you have yet to experience.

And experience it you will.

This is guaranteed.

And it is coming your way.

[sweetycakes]

Ethical Atheist:

God is going to come into your life like an invading army.

I kid you not.

[sweetycakes]

Let's not judge the end from the beginning, eh, E.A?

That is God's job.

[Guest]

Dear ER

Take a second look at Jesus as He and His Heavenly Father talk!

No Wimps in this fellowship!

Way cool that God lets us hear a conversation between Him and His Son.

Man Plans!

"Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?"

"The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,"

"Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us."

"He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision."

"Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure." (Psalms 2:1-5 )

God Does!

"Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion."

"I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee."

"Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession."

"Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel."

"Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth."

"Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling."

"Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him." (Psalms 2:6-2 )

Pulling for you Bro!