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I am not a moderator, but I can point out that debate is not permitted in this forum—nor is too much theological examination. There are other forums for both. If the original poster wants to continue debate or what God is like on a topic, he can post in a forum that encourages such.
@lutherangerman, this post is oriented toward explaining why reading the Bible, seeking more of God in your life, and being obedient to him is enormously beneficial to any of us.
A part of God's love for us is that he gives us the freedom to choose to accept him or reject him. One thing we learn from the Bible is the long-term consequences of our choices—for all kinds of things (not just our eternal destination). One of the reasons to read the Bible is to learn what is happening to us. Everything that happens to us is the result of human choices (most of them by our ancestors), not God's choices. What God wants is to save us from the just consequences of our sinful actions. Jesus died so that God could offer to save us. It is very much God's desire to save everyone, but he is not going to force anyone. You cannot choose for anyone else. You must make your own decision.
Another very important reason to study the Bible is so we can draw upon God's love and power to resist Satan. While God is always partially protecting us from Satan, he is not going to force us to reject Satan. That is part of the freedom to choose that God created us with. The reason we have illnesses, suffering, death, and wars all over the world like we do is because almost everyone is doing the kinds of things that push God farther and farther away, and in fact are doing the kinds of things that Satan does (which is always some form of rejecting God).
Psychoses and all illnesses are a result of so many people pushing God away for thousands of years. If you want to get rid of the darkness in your life, you will need the light to do so. God has given us medication and other people to help us, but God himself will also help us. Drawing close to God causes him to draw closer to you. I have had similar fights to what you describe (I have depression and bipolar disorder II), and the way I have fought them is by knowing the truth that God has shown me, trusting in him, and asking him for help. He loves us all very much. But how can I justify expecting him to answer my requests if I am rejecting the help he has already given me in the Bible. I have recited truth from the Bible many times out loud and had it drive away Satan, but he will not go completely away while we are still in the world where he is. But any degree of relief is very welcome indeed, and it is available from God.
Much of the Bible is scary because it was written about people who were rejecting God. These are the people that need God's help the most, and that is why the Bible is fully of scary things. But there is nothing in all creation to be afraid of for the person who is doing what God said, since when we are doing all he said to do in the Bible, he will intervene for the situations we are in that are not in the Bible. For such people he promises to pour out more blessing than we can handle. We will be overflowing with the goodness of God. I experience this every now and then (but I am still stuck on the fallen earth for a time yet).
Does God punish the people who sin or do the natural consequences of sin come upon them? In fact it is both. However, it is very enlightening to recognize that even when God is not passing judgment and punishing people, the consequences of sin still come upon us (Romans 5:13-14). That is how our universe works, and we only know how it works because of truths God has given to us, because he wants to save and help us. It is we who do not want him to save and help us in the ways he said were available. Jesus said,
“As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it. (John 12:47, 1984 NIV)
@lutherangerman, this post is oriented toward explaining why reading the Bible, seeking more of God in your life, and being obedient to him is enormously beneficial to any of us.
A part of God's love for us is that he gives us the freedom to choose to accept him or reject him. One thing we learn from the Bible is the long-term consequences of our choices—for all kinds of things (not just our eternal destination). One of the reasons to read the Bible is to learn what is happening to us. Everything that happens to us is the result of human choices (most of them by our ancestors), not God's choices. What God wants is to save us from the just consequences of our sinful actions. Jesus died so that God could offer to save us. It is very much God's desire to save everyone, but he is not going to force anyone. You cannot choose for anyone else. You must make your own decision.
Another very important reason to study the Bible is so we can draw upon God's love and power to resist Satan. While God is always partially protecting us from Satan, he is not going to force us to reject Satan. That is part of the freedom to choose that God created us with. The reason we have illnesses, suffering, death, and wars all over the world like we do is because almost everyone is doing the kinds of things that push God farther and farther away, and in fact are doing the kinds of things that Satan does (which is always some form of rejecting God).
Psychoses and all illnesses are a result of so many people pushing God away for thousands of years. If you want to get rid of the darkness in your life, you will need the light to do so. God has given us medication and other people to help us, but God himself will also help us. Drawing close to God causes him to draw closer to you. I have had similar fights to what you describe (I have depression and bipolar disorder II), and the way I have fought them is by knowing the truth that God has shown me, trusting in him, and asking him for help. He loves us all very much. But how can I justify expecting him to answer my requests if I am rejecting the help he has already given me in the Bible. I have recited truth from the Bible many times out loud and had it drive away Satan, but he will not go completely away while we are still in the world where he is. But any degree of relief is very welcome indeed, and it is available from God.
Much of the Bible is scary because it was written about people who were rejecting God. These are the people that need God's help the most, and that is why the Bible is fully of scary things. But there is nothing in all creation to be afraid of for the person who is doing what God said, since when we are doing all he said to do in the Bible, he will intervene for the situations we are in that are not in the Bible. For such people he promises to pour out more blessing than we can handle. We will be overflowing with the goodness of God. I experience this every now and then (but I am still stuck on the fallen earth for a time yet).
Does God punish the people who sin or do the natural consequences of sin come upon them? In fact it is both. However, it is very enlightening to recognize that even when God is not passing judgment and punishing people, the consequences of sin still come upon us (Romans 5:13-14). That is how our universe works, and we only know how it works because of truths God has given to us, because he wants to save and help us. It is we who do not want him to save and help us in the ways he said were available. Jesus said,
“As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it. (John 12:47, 1984 NIV)
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