Uh...really live!

[BlessedDisciple]

​

YES, LIVE VICARIOUSLY THROUGH YOURSELF! (Ran into this sign at a car dealership today) We need to stop living our lives through books and movies for awhile -- and unplug from electronica, entertainment, social media, etc. for awhile -- and go on some real adventures with the Holy Spirit! It’s not complicated — just get away from the noise of the world long enough to be able to hear what God is saying to you. And then go do whatever He says!

 

[CrystalDragon]

God would be able to reach us no matter what, right? I mean, he is omnipotent.

 

[Alex Rose]

I agree with both of you. This Lent, I have given up a lot of entertainment and social media in order to focus on God and the Bible. It's true that I felt called to do this, but it's also true that it's a lot easier to hear and speak to God when I'm not in front of a screen for 4-5 hours a day, blind and deaf to the outside world.

 

[BlessedDisciple]

God would be able to reach us no matter what, right? I mean, he is omnipotent.

God is, of course, able to do anything He wants -- and He will, at times, break through our callousness and worldliness and deal with us. But that is not His preferred way -- it is clear from Scripture that He saved us because He desires a RELATIONSHIP with us -- and a real relationship includes listening and hearing what the other One in the relationship is saying -- and not wasting our lives vegging with media. According to statistics, there are millions of church goers who spend little or no time in prayer -- and who have never led anyone into God's Kingdom. Life's truly great adventures are knowing God and making Him known. That is why we were saved and why we are still here.

I am not saying to stop all media and entertainment forever -- but making time to get to know God and hear from Him should be at the top of the list of anyone who is truly born again.

"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." (James 4:8)

"For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God." (Romans 8:14)

"Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." (Jeremiah 33:3)

"I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called You, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe." (Ephesians 1:17-19)

 

[CrystalDragon]

God is, of course, able to do anything He wants -- and He will, at times, break through our callousness and worldliness and deal with us. But that is not His preferred way -- it is clear from Scripture that He saved us because He desires a RELATIONSHIP with us -- and a real relationship includes listening and hearing what the other One in the relationship is saying -- and not wasting our lives vegging with media. According to statistics, there are millions of church goers who spend little or no time in prayer -- and who have never led anyone into God's Kingdom. Life's truly great adventures are knowing God and making Him known. That is why we were saved and why we are still here.

I am not saying to stop all media and entertainment forever -- but making time to get to know God and hear from Him should be at the top of the list of anyone who is truly born again.

"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." (James 4:8)

"For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God." (Romans 8:14)

"Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." (Jeremiah 33:3)

"I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called You, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe." (Ephesians 1:17-19)

Thing I wonder though is, with people we have a relationship with, we interact, we talk with each other, we answer questions and converse, etc. why does God not do what any human we're in a relationship with could (and does) easily do?

 

[BlessedDisciple]

The topic of hearing the voice of God is somewhat complex and extensive -- more perhaps than can be handled in a short forum convo. I have at times taught on this topic -- I taught on it for 6 one-hour segments once -- and there is much that the Scriptures say about it -- and I have also had numerous wonderful interactions with the Holy Spirit where He spoke to me, via His "highlighting" the Word, mental impressions, dreams, visions, signs, miracles, etc. IMO, here are a few things we can do to increase our ability to hear from God:

RESPOND IN OBEDIENCE TO WHAT YOU ALREADY KNOW. Obey the clear commands of Scripture. Why should He show us more, when we have not done what we already know to do?

DO NOT WALK IN BLATANT SIN. Repent of doing the things the Bible clearly says we shouldn't do.

DON'T GIVE UP: "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened." (Luke 11) In this verse, the original Greek words mean "ask and keep on asking, seek and keep on seeking"...

FAITH does not give up: "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." (Hebrews 11:5) He will sometimes test our faith by waiting for a while to speak.

THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

A REGULAR DEVOTIONAL LIFE. Filling your mind with the noise and clutter of the world will serve to cover and muffle the sometimes "still, small voice" (1 Kings 19) of God. Giving God regular access to our hearts and minds is very helpful.

HANG AROUND WITH AND BE TAUGHT BY AND BE PRAYED FOR BY THOSE WHO CAN HEAR BETTER THAN YOU -- it will stoke your faith.

SEEK HIM PASSIONATELY: God shows very little to those who are casually seeking Him.

AND LEARN HOW TO LISTEN BETTER. He is speaking more than you know.

And much more, but I have to go for now.

 

[BlessedDisciple]

Thing I wonder though is, with people we have a relationship with, we interact, we talk with each other, we answer questions and converse, etc. why does God not do what any human we're in a relationship with could (and does) easily do?

And concerning communication: My wife and I have counseled young couples (pre-marital and marriage counseling), and we've learned that one of the main things that destroys a marriage is bad communication. Just because you are facing another person and saying words with your mouth and the other person is doing the same thing ultimately means very little. True, effective communication is costly -- as is Love. It takes time and effort to become a husband or wife who truly, effectively understands who their mate really is and what their heart is really saying. The same thing is true with God and us. That's why a relationship with God in the bible is often compared to a man and woman being married.

"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." This is a profound mystery -- but I am talking about Christ and the church. (Ephesians 5:31-32)

 

[BlessedDisciple]

But the adventure of hearing God's voice is so worth it!

 

[brinny]

This is a very profound and timely message and reminder.

Thank you.

 

[BlessedDisciple]

Glad it blessed you, Brinny!

 

[Christsfreeservant]

Thing I wonder though is, with people we have a relationship with, we interact, we talk with each other, we answer questions and converse, etc. why does God not do what any human we're in a relationship with could (and does) easily do?

He does, just not audibly where we can hear him physically with our ears. He does, but we don't always get that he does, because we are too busy with our own lives, and we are not really listening. The problem is not that God isn't speaking to where we can hear and understand what he is saying, but that so many people are not really taking the time to sit down with him and to truly hear what he has to say to our hearts and then to follow through with obedience to what he teaches us.

If God's children are so busy watching TV, surfing the NET, getting on social media, chatting with friends, playing video or computer games, watching movies or otherwise entertaining themselves, and this takes precedence over quality and quantity time with the Lord, sitting at his feet, talking with and listening to him, asking him questions, seeking his counsel, etc., then is it any wonder that there is such confusion over how to have such an intimate relationship with the Lord?

Speaking of which, the name "Lord" is not just a name. It is not just a title given to Jesus Christ. Lord means owner-master. And, we are to be his bond-slaves or bond-servants. Our lives are no longer our own, for we were bought with a price - the blood of Jesus Christ shed on a cross for our sins. If he is truly Lord (owner-master) of our lives, and we are his bond-servants, then he will have first priority in our lives. And, when we give him first place, we will begin to hear him clearly, and we will have the kind of conversations with him as you describe, for we will know that it is him speaking. And, soon we will hear him all throughout the day speaking to our hearts, even before we utter a word to him in prayer.

 

[CrystalDragon]

He does, just not audibly where we can hear him physically with our ears. He does, but we don't always get that he does, because we are too busy with our own lives, and we are not really listening. The problem is not that God isn't speaking to where we can hear and understand what he is saying, but that so many people are not really taking the time to sit down with him and to truly hear what he has to say to our hearts and then to follow through with obedience to what he teaches us.

If God's children are so busy watching TV, surfing the NET, getting on social media, chatting with friends, playing video or computer games, watching movies or otherwise entertaining themselves, and this takes precedence over quality and quantity time with the Lord, sitting at his feet, talking with and listening to him, asking him questions, seeking his counsel, etc., then is it any wonder that there is such confusion over how to have such an intimate relationship with the Lord?

In the Old Testament, God spoke to people through visions of light, and plagues, and pillars of fire, and burning bushes. If he appeared like that people would listen, and surely he knows that. Why reduce his presence to a vague thing that we might not even be able to tell from our own minds?

Speaking of which, the name "Lord" is not just a name. It is not just a title given to Jesus Christ. Lord means owner-master. And, we are to be his bond-slaves or bond-servants. Our lives are no longer our own, for we were bought with a price - the blood of Jesus Christ shed on a cross for our sins. If he is truly Lord (owner-master) of our lives, and we are his bond-servants, then he will have first priority in our lives. And, when we give him first place, we will begin to hear him clearly, and we will have the kind of conversations with him as you describe, for we will know that it is him speaking. And, soon we will hear him all throughout the day speaking to our hearts, even before we utter a word to him in prayer.

Why did Jesus have to shed blood on a cross for our sins, though? And again, God is all-powerful and he had no problem or qualms with appearing explicitly to others in the Old Testament (he also commanded terrible things then, but that's a topic for another thread).

 

[BlessedDisciple]

In the Old Testament, God spoke to people through visions of light, and plagues, and pillars of fire, and burning bushes. If he appeared like that people would listen, and surely he knows that. Why reduce his presence to a vague thing that we might not even be able to tell from our own minds?

It's not always vague. Sometimes it is still very dramatic and clear (usually because He is calling us to do something that is more of a step of faith or a trial, and we will hence need more clarity in order to continue and succeed without giving up) -- He has spoken very clearly at times, in my own life and the lives of many others.

But that's not really the point here, I don't think. It seems to me (by your questions and statements) that you really don't want God on His terms, but on your own. But that never really works, since He is God and you're not -- and until you are willing to play life His way, you cannot ever succeed at anything important, since He is the author of all life, including yours -- and life doesn't really work (or make sense) without Him. He created physics. He created your finite brain. He is omniscient and understands how everything works. He has given us more than enough information (in the Bible) regarding life and salvation in order for us to come to Him and be saved, IF THAT IS REALLY OUR DESIRE -- but He has, for His own reasons, not told us everything. He has made the Gospel simple enough for a humble child to accept it, and yet challenging enough for a proud, resistant intellectual skeptic to go round and round and get nowhere -- because you must be humble in order to be saved and know God. But if you are not willing to admit that you are a fallible, limited, sinful being in need of God and salvation, basically the conversation with God ends there for you.

I had originally thought that you were a Christian, but it appears perhaps that you are not (Maybe I'm wrong about that, but that is the way it seems). If you were a Christian, you would have already had an encounter with God of some sort that would have led you to believe in Him and to give Him your life. Once you do that, it opens a lot of doors as far as hearing and seeing in the Spirit ("In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." (John 3:3) (And once you have encountered God in some way, you will be willing to extend to Him the benefit of the doubt concerning things you don't presently understand).

Why did Jesus have to shed blood on a cross for our sins, though? And again, God is all-powerful and he had no problem or qualms with appearing explicitly to others in the Old Testament (he also commanded terrible things then, but that's a topic for another thread).

Concerning the shedding of blood, God has said, through His prophets, that that is something that must happen for the forgiveness of sins: "In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness." Hebrews 9:22) Part of this has to do with the fact that the life of any living thing is in its blood:

"For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one's life." (Leviticus 17:11)

Add to this the fact that death is the consequence for sin (sin is anything that is contrary to the being and plan of God, and since God is the only source of LIFE, when we choose another way, we choose death). And yet (and because of this) God loved us so much that He became a man and came to this planet and died and shed His blood to pay the price for every sinner's sin, including yours, if you will receive it humbly and in faith.

But these things are rudimentary things in the Christian faith. It appears that you hang out on this forum a lot. Have you learned nothing about the Christian faith? Perhaps you have, but you just don't like it or want the God of the Bible -- that is totally up to you. But I posted this topic in an area that is for "Christians only" -- this is not a place for debate re: the veracity of the Bible or whether or not God is your idea of a nice guy. And because of this, I would (no offense) encourage you to take those questions and comments to another part of the forum.

 

[Christsfreeservant]

In the Old Testament, God spoke to people through visions of light, and plagues, and pillars of fire, and burning bushes. If he appeared like that people would listen, and surely he knows that. Why reduce his presence to a vague thing that we might not even be able to tell from our own minds?

Why did Jesus have to shed blood on a cross for our sins, though? And again, God is all-powerful and he had no problem or qualms with appearing explicitly to others in the Old Testament (he also commanded terrible things then, but that's a topic for another thread).

The children of Israel did not listen to God, even though God showed them miracle after miracle. He made himself known to them in many demonstrative ways, and yet they still went their own way and made idols to worship, instead (speaking of the time after the captivity in Egypt when God delivered his people). So, most of them died in the desert because of unbelief. Jesus scolded the Pharisees because they asked for a sign. He told them that a wicked and adulterous generation looks for a sign. The problem with the Pharisees is that they refused to believe in Jesus Christ as their promised Messiah. So, their problem was unbelief, too. So, demonstrations of power and miracles do not necessarily result in belief.

Yet, God has not reduced his presence to a "vague thing." When we are truly born again of the Spirit of God, and the Holy Spirit comes to live within us, it is life transforming! We can hear God speak via the Holy Spirit. Yet, it does take a discerning spirit to know the voice of God versus our own thinking or other voices which might influence our thinking. So, this is why we need to be in God's Word daily, listening to him speak, and then obeying what he teaches us. The more we hear his Word, and the more we do what it says, the more we learn to know God's voice speaking his truths to our hearts. It is not vague at all. Satan is vague. God is very specific.

Lastly, Jesus died for our sins, because God required a blood sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins. This was in God's plan from the very beginning. Jesus, as well, is the promised seed of Abraham. He was prophesied all throughout the Old Testament as the Messiah and the Redeemer of Israel who would take away their sins. Jesus was the perfect sacrifice for our sins because he was sinless, because he was human, and because he was God. He was not only the sacrificial Lamb, but he was the high priest who offered the sacrifice. The one who sacrificed his life for us is also our God. He is our example of what our relationship with God should look like, too, and what our relationships with other humans should look like, as well.

 

[Christsfreeservant]

In the Old Testament, God spoke to people through visions of light, and plagues, and pillars of fire, and burning bushes. If he appeared like that people would listen, and surely he knows that. Why reduce his presence to a vague thing that we might not even be able to tell from our own minds?

Why did Jesus have to shed blood on a cross for our sins, though? And again, God is all-powerful and he had no problem or qualms with appearing explicitly to others in the Old Testament (he also commanded terrible things then, but that's a topic for another thread).

Seek the Lord / An Original Work / July 20, 2012

Based off Isaiah 55

“Come to Me all you who thirst; come to waters.
Listen to Me, and eat what’s good today,
And your soul will delight in richest of fare.
Give ear to Me, and you will live.
I have made an eternal covenant with you.
Wash in the blood of the Lamb.”

Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him.
Let the wicked forsake his way, in truth.
Let him turn to the Lord, and he will receive mercy.
Freely, God pardons him.
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,”
declares the Lord, our God.

“My word that goes out of My mouth is truthful.
It will not return to Me unfulfilled.
My word will accomplish all that I desire,
And achieve the goal I intend.
You will go in joy, and be led forth in peace.
The mountains will burst into song… before you,
And all of the trees clap their hands.”

 

[brinny]

Seek the Lord / An Original Work / July 20, 2012

Based off Isaiah 55

“Come to Me all you who thirst; come to waters.
Listen to Me, and eat what’s good today,
And your soul will delight in richest of fare.
Give ear to Me, and you will live.
I have made an eternal covenant with you.
Wash in the blood of the Lamb.”

Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him.
Let the wicked forsake his way, in truth.
Let him turn to the Lord, and he will receive mercy.
Freely, God pardons him.
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,”
declares the Lord, our God.

“My word that goes out of My mouth is truthful.
It will not return to Me unfulfilled.
My word will accomplish all that I desire,
And achieve the goal I intend.
You will go in joy, and be led forth in peace.
The mountains will burst into song… before you,
And all of the trees clap their hands.”

Precious. Thank you.

 

[Christsfreeservant]

Precious. Thank you.

All glory to God. It all comes from him.

Thank you, brinny, for your encouraging words.

 

[BlessedDisciple]

Seek the Lord / An Original Work / July 20, 2012

Based off Isaiah 55

Beautiful!

 

[Christsfreeservant]

Beautiful!

Glory to God. It all comes from him.

Thank you!