well we're testing [i]something[/i] ;)

[tmak]

test

 

[papakapp]

Thankyou,

I guess the thing that is keeping me from putting life altering significance in the bible, is my pride.

The racial and cultural associations of the bible.


About your previous post; I have heard bible stories in our school chapel before. I don't know if my heart quickened but I did find the stories of daniel and david very interesting.

What of the racial and cultural associations? I don't quite follow...

As far as having your heart quickened... I really waffle on this. Some days I think every time anyone witnesses a Spiritual work, be it a miracle, or an inspired message, or an amazing act of selflessness or WHATEVER... The observers heart will be quickened to perciving things Spiritual in nature rather than scientific in nature. Then they either cultivate this or the devil crushes it. (back to the parable of the sower and the seed.)
Other days I think your heart really wasn't quickened if for example you walk away from a good message thinking "Wow, that had some good points. I should try to apply that to my life." rather than thinking
"I am WRONG. I need to REPENT of this specific sin of not trusting God."

I really don't know. All I know is that Jesus said that if you keep asking Him for help without giving up, He will help you. Check out Luke 5-10. It's really a funny story. Picture some guy banging on your door at 2 am yelling "come on, let me in, please give me some bread!"
You say "No, let me sleep!"
he says "I'm not going away untill you help me!"
finally you get up and give him some bread just to shut him up.

Persistence pays off, even with God.

p.s. before you ask if asking God for help is bugging God like the guy in the parable I would say to read verse 13. Jesus sort of in a round about way says "Look, this persistence thing even works with screwup humans because you can exasperate them into compliance. How much better do you think it will work with God who is perfect?"

 

[royboy]

What of the racial and cultural associations? I don't quite follow...

As far as having your heart quickened... I really waffle on this. Some days I think every time anyone witnesses a Spiritual work, be it a miracle, or an inspired message, or an amazing act of selflessness or WHATEVER... The observers heart will be quickened to perciving things Spiritual in nature rather than scientific in nature. Then they either cultivate this or the devil crushes it. (back to the parable of the sower and the seed.)
Other days I think your heart really wasn't quickened if for example you walk away from a good message thinking "Wow, that had some good points. I should try to apply that to my life." rather than thinking
"I am WRONG. I need to REPENT of this specific sin of not trusting God."

I really don't know. All I know is that Jesus said that if you keep asking Him for help without giving up, He will help you. Check out Luke 5-10. It's really a funny story. Picture some guy banging on your door at 2 am yelling "come on, let me in, please give me some bread!"
You say "No, let me sleep!"
he says "I'm not going away untill you help me!"
finally you get up and give him some bread just to shut him up.

Persistence pays off, even with God.

p.s. before you ask if asking God for help is bugging God like the guy in the parable I would say to read verse 13. Jesus sort of in a round about way says "Look, this persistence thing even works with screwup humans because you can exasperate them into compliance. How much better do you think it will work with God who is perfect?"

Racial cultural associations.

That only one group of people got to hear it from the creator's mouth and the rest of the inferior races have to hear it from this group of people who are suppose to be our equals.

"People claiming that their interpretation of god is the only acceptable way and all others are false.

That the cultural spirtuality of indigenous peoples are naive superstitions.

That god would somehow favour the hebrews over all his other creations.

That god is on america's side in every war they fight (don't know if this is your view, but some churches agree with it)".

I've always believed in racial equality, and the whole chosen people aspect really bugs me.

"Other days I think your heart really wasn't quickened if for example you walk away from a good message thinking "Wow, that had some good points. I should try to apply that to my life." rather than thinking
"I am WRONG. I need to REPENT of this specific sin of not trusting God."

But that's all I can do. It's because I associate the message with the person I receive it from.

I aren't saying that it doesn't come from god, just that it's not the same as actually receiving it from god.

In terms of trusting god; I thought that free will meant bad things would happen to good people etc. so in what way am I meant to trust?

We all know that good people die, bad people live, and that this is part of god's plan. We can acknowledge and fear, but how are we meant to trust when it is known that trusting doesn't mean you don't get hit by that bus?