How do you get God to ACTUALLY help?

Jamdoc

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When I say actually help, I mean materially improve the situation. I don’t mean ANY form of making me feel better about it. His grace, love, presence, patience, etc.=not actually helping. How do I get him to act rather than give me completely empty words?
You can ask, but it has to be in His will to extend material help to you.
The apostle Paul asked God for healing from an affliction in 2 Corinthians 12, but God's answer:
2 Corinthians 12:9

Sometimes that's all we have to go on, that in eternal life all your problems are solved and all your suffering ended. Sometimes we're just to remain faithful despite having a cruddy earthly life filled with suffering, pain, loss, and poverty. It's a test.

I'm being tested myself.
I don't know to what degree God will compensate me for it or not. Maybe outside of the resurrection and eternal life, I won't get anything in compensation. It will have to be enough. Sometimes it makes me think it's all to tell me my own personal happiness is irrelevant, and to just be content even if I'm not happy.
 
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Neogaia777

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You can ask, but it has to be in His will to extend material help to you.
The apostle Paul asked God for healing from an affliction in 2 Corinthians 12, but God's answer:
2 Corinthians 12:9

Sometimes that's all we have to go on, that in eternal life all your problems are solved and all your suffering ended. Sometimes we're just to remain faithful despite having a cruddy earthly life filled with suffering, pain, loss, and poverty. It's a test.

I'm being tested myself.
I don't know to what degree God will compensate me for it or not. Maybe outside of the resurrection and eternal life, I won't get anything in compensation. It will have to be enough. Sometimes it makes me think it's all to tell me my own personal happiness is irrelevant, and to just be content even if I'm not happy.
God will always take care of the "true believer" and will always give them "enough", but if you are wanting anything "beyond that", "this side of life", etc, your maturity must match it or He might actually be doing you harm, etc...

And in my opinion, the OP's level of maturity is in serious doubt or question, etc...

God Bless!
 
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Neogaia777

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@Questioning Brother

"How do you get from God more material anything, especially beyond what you may only just "absolutely need", etc"?

Answer is "You don't", not with that attitude and level of maturity, etc...

It would do you harm if He did, etc, with that attitude and level of maturity, etc...

You have to be able to correctly handle or steward the blessing, or you could wind up in hell, if He did so before you could or were able to, etc... (Correctly handle or steward the blessing, etc)...

Is it worth your eternal soul, or eternal life in the afterlife, or your destination there in that life or afterlife, etc, to get what you want (and not just only what you need, but what you just only want beyond it/that) anyway, is it or that worth your own personal eternal soul or destination to you?

Cause if so, I think the Devil is always up for making those kinds of deals or offers, if your truly interested, etc...?

God Bless!
 
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Jamdoc

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God will always take care of the "true believer" and will always give them "enough", but if you are wanting anything "beyond that", "this side of life", etc, your maturity must match it or He might actually be doing you harm, etc...

And in my opinion, the OP's level of maturity is in serious doubt or question, etc...

God Bless!

Not in the ways they want necessarily.
Did Paul get healing for his affliction this side of physical death? Not that I know of, he asked, and was denied. Was Paul not a "true believer"?
Do we learn now that Paul, who was inspired by the Holy Ghost to write several epistles that we rely on for our faith was a false conversion? I don't think so.
God is not your genie in a lamp, anything you ask in good faith, it becomes HIS decision, and He will make His decision on what better shows His glory, and how you would better serve Him. Jesus healed many infirmities because it was to show the glory of God. Paul was NOT healed, because God wanted to keep him humble before the Lord, and the "thorn in his flesh" was a constant reminder that just because he was an apostle and had many blessings, and great reward to come, he shouldn't get too proud.

I ask for healing too. Sometimes I wonder if I ask for it too much and God considers it "vain repetitions". I was in a phase of remission and going to church again. But now I'm out of remission, my medication is unable to be refilled because of red tape and paperwork shenanigans through the VA, so I'm unable to go anywhere right now.
But, I can kind of see it as God looking out for me because of this new virus, church is a place with a lot of handshaking and contact and a lot of people, people with children, and while I'm on those medications I'm immunocompromised, more susceptible to infection and I'm also in a state where the virus is more likely to kill me than the general population. So maybe God is protecting me with what seems like misfortune and suffering currently, keeping me homebound even if it means forsaking the assembly until I can walk and drive again. Maybe that's what protects me from getting sick with the virus, maybe that's what prevents me from dying from it, because I'm not on the immunosuppressive drugs.
Sometimes God can look out for you in a way that might seem horrible on the surface.
 
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Dave L

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When I say actually help, I mean materially improve the situation. I don’t mean ANY form of making me feel better about it. His grace, love, presence, patience, etc.=not actually helping. How do I get him to act rather than give me completely empty words?
A lot of it has to do with spiritual blindness and an inability to see what he is doing. I didn't see it at the time, but when I look back I see his providence over my life in all of its details.
 
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yeshuaslavejeff

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Stop blaming him. He is in pain; be kind.
Yahweh's Word says HE SCOURGES, yes, SCOURGES , His sons - if anyone is without SCOURGING, he is not a son.
Correction is required whenever someone goes astray or practices sin.
Without it, people may end up in the lake of fire, and that's worse than any trouble or pain on this earth.
 
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Press On

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The few Job's comforters on this thread have no way of knowing the full extent of this person's pain and history.

He may be experiencing depression, which most often has a physical underlying cause. Or it may be a culmination of repeated trauma that has reached its zenith. OR, an attitude adjustment is needed of which God is well aware. If there is scourging to be done, let Him do it lovingly and with complete understanding of this man's counterproductive behavior.

I would be far more concerned if the OP turned and just walked away. As it is, he is reaching out, even if in the form of complaining and frustration. Don't kick a man when he is down. These forums are not always safe for those who are hurting.

To those of you who have your act together, kudos. The OP doesn't have his act together at this particular time. To those who have reached out to him with love and compassion, thank you. I have been there, and it is a painful life lesson. We can help, but he has to come to that place himself. I see hope and victory in this man's future.
 
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GospelS

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When I say actually help, I mean materially improve the situation. I don’t mean ANY form of making me feel better about it. His grace, love, presence, patience, etc.=not actually helping. How do I get him to act rather than give me completely empty words?
Dear brother,
Please don't be disheartened. Please keep asking, seeking, and knocking. Please fast and pray if you can. I went through a similar time in my life. I badly wanted something and after a month long persistent (day and night) fighting and pleading with God, He did grant my desire and also proved me wrong (in my case) but then graciously rescued me again. May God bless you.

Luke 11:9-10. "Moreover, I myself say to you: keep asking, and it will be given to you; keep seeking, and you will find; keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who goes on asking receives; and he who goes on seeking finds; and to him who continues knocking, the door will be opened."
 
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HopeInJesusOnly

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The few Job's comforters on this thread have no way of knowing the full extent of this person's pain and history.

He may be experiencing depression, which most often has a physical underlying cause. Or it may be a culmination of repeated trauma that has reached its zenith. OR, an attitude adjustment is needed of which God is well aware. If there is scourging to be done, let Him do it lovingly and with complete understanding of this man's counterproductive behavior.

I would be far more concerned if the OP turned and just walked away. As it is, he is reaching out, even if in the form of complaining and frustration. Don't kick a man when he is down. These forums are not always safe for those who are hurting.

To those of you who have your act together, kudos. The OP doesn't have his act together at this particular time. To those who have reached out to him with love and compassion, thank you. I have been there, and it is a painful life lesson. We can help, but he has to come to that place himself. I see hope and victory in this man's future.

Spoken like a true Christian. I have been waiting for you on this thread.
 
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RaymondG

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When I say actually help, I mean materially improve the situation. I don’t mean ANY form of making me feel better about it. His grace, love, presence, patience, etc.=not actually helping. How do I get him to act rather than give me completely empty words?
I've found myself asking these same questions..... Then I discovered, that while I was asking these questions......God was asking "How do I get my child to let me help him?"

Sometimes we stand in the way of our Blessings. We try to fix things ourselves instead of Letting them BE fixed. There is a time to work.....and a time to rest from working...... A time to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.
 
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RaymondG

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That is EXACTLY what I meant by not helping. He might as well be saying, “Shut up and like it!”

God gives you what you desire....Not what He wants you to have......If this was a true sentiment everyone would believe that He will give everyone eternal life......for this is what HE wants for everyone.

He will withhold no good thing from him who walketh uprightly.
 
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RaymondG

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Yahweh's Word says HE SCOURGES, yes, SCOURGES , His sons - if anyone is without SCOURGING, he is not a son.
Correction is required whenever someone goes astray or practices sin.
Without it, people may end up in the lake of fire, and that's worse than any trouble or pain on this earth.
Can you not see that he is being "Scrouged" as you say? The bible says nothing about kicking others while they are down.... WHo would feel justified in doing so?

By their fruits...they are known.
 
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yeshuaslavejeff

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Can you not see that he is being "Scrouged" as you say? The bible says nothing about kicking others while they are down.... WHo would feel justified in doing so?

By their fruits...they are known.
So you don't know the difference and the meaning of scourging, kicking others while down, etc ???
And don't recognise either of them in truth, but make it up for some other purpose ?

Yes, that's not good fruit, or not good discernment at all, is it?
 
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Amittai

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Dear QB, I think that in addition to hanging on to what Press On says, you should unceasingly continue your research into what true teachings, of what God wants, are.
As is your prerogative you've not given many concrete clues.
But when I was totally exasperated with the image the "churches" and "Christians" were giving me through what I suspected were misinterpretations of Holy Scripture, I enquired further, where I wanted to enquire.
I think there have been times the Holy Spirit works through serendipity in helping me stumble across what I need to know.
Most of us had shame loaded onto us, perhaps we struggled in studies, perhaps family have been nagging us without justification about our fairly wholesome hobbies.
It has taken me two-thirds of a century to fight my way, from what I was (secretly) into, words, every branch of science, history - mostly not doing well at them in worldly terms - now I go into what I want to go into and it has made my thinking firmer and I like a God who has firm and welcoming thinking unlike the misery gutses I have met around churches.
Your tastes (if not demeaning) will afford the clue to your integrity.
Also - do not mix up being saved with the Kingdom.
His Kingdom has its spiritual economy, our unique example can inspire others, and some of the knots will untie, and life will get a bit more refreshing, and yes this always was a scary world.
 
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LoG

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That is EXACTLY what I meant by not helping. He might as well be saying, “Shut up and like it!”
I know it can be hard to see during the times of trial but this poem reminds me what the reality is:
footprints.jpg
 
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Mantishand

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When I say actually help, I mean materially improve the situation. I don’t mean ANY form of making me feel better about it. His grace, love, presence, patience, etc.=not actually helping. How do I get him to act rather than give me completely empty words?
You pray
 
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rhawk

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God is not a Genie who grants wishes. People often confuse Him for one and get mad when they do not win the lottery, get the job they want or something else.
If you are an adult AND a parent, do you simply give your child (say 3) what they want? When they point to a toy to you buy it? Give them cake for breakfast, pizza for lunch and pie for dinner? Of course not. You give them what is needed and guide them as best you can so they learn to make the choices needed in life. In that analogy, God is the parent and we are the 3 year old.
As so many have said in the thread, pray and talk to God, but do not expect the clouds to part and a face to look down on you and grant you what you want. He has already granted you life and the fact you still exist means he loves you.
Not everyone will live a "dream" life here on Earth. Then again, life is so much more than our material wants.
 
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Questioning Brother

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If you are an adult AND a parent, do you simply give your child (say 3) what they want? When they point to a toy to you buy it? Give them cake for breakfast, pizza for lunch and pie for dinner? Of course not. You give them what is needed and guide them as best you can so they learn to make the choices needed in life. In that analogy, God is the parent and we are the 3 year old.

A) Pizza for lunch is not a bad thing. Candy would work better for your example.
B) I also don't stand idly by when they get sick and watch them suffer when I can easily act to remedy the situation.
C) I make sure they have MORE materially than they need. Not removing some when they are on the edge of having enough.
 
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