What is the main reason you are single?

I'm not very charismatic.

I suppose the main reason is b/c God's decided it. "It is to those to whom it has been given" Matthew 19

Any other reason is incorrect b/c it's his design

GospelS said:

If you never heard of it, then hear it now. Things are happening in the world and to you that you yourself will never hear unless you have ears that hear.

Poverty gospel is idolizing poverty. Their faith is in poverty for salvation from sin. This is enslavement by some men misinterpreting Jesus words. Neither poverty nor prosperity can save anyone but the Blood of Jesus alone.

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I still have a job and to add, I also have a tiny investment generating tiny passive income. If I had more money, I'd have invested more. I'm actually seeking to increase my income to get out of poverty. I only need to earn enough to settle all our debts and live decently in this day and age. Just to tell you I don't bet on the poverty gospel either.

But I also can't dismiss the teachings of Jesus about money, how money is like the devil. I'm hoping you're reading the verses I'm quoting in my posts and the previous ones.

So I'm not going to speak about money like it's a good thing. I only make money because this is the only way to get by in this evil world (1 John 5:19).

It's easy to know a Christian who is deceived by wealth or loves money. They are afraid of the devil. They fear the supernatural phenomena, for example, manifestations of demonic possession of a person or house or a place.

Because the devil represents death and poverty (the devil comes to steal and to destroy) and because they love their lives (John 12:25) and money (Matthew 6:24), they fear death and poverty. If you fear death and poverty, you will also fear the devil and I'm not just presenting you with a philosophy or logical argument, Christians do fear the devil. Although they will tell you they're not afraid of the devil but give them a dose of supernatural manifestation and they freak out.

Ironically, receiving spiritual/supernatural gifts will make you sensitive to the spiritual dimension and more opportunities to encounter evil spirits. Most Christians don't like this. They'd rather have a spotless house and lots of money in the bank. And wealth seems to have a tendency to block spiritual gifts and makes you fear death, poverty, and the devil. Yet, the Lord prefers those who worship in the Spirit and in Truth.

timewerx said:

But I also can't dismiss the teachings of Jesus about money, how money is like the devil.

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That's not what Jesus said. He said love for money is the devil. Love and lust is a human condition. Devil is in the flesh and minds and hearts, not in the money. For those who are still living in their fallen state of earthly flesh, everything can be a curse and a fear.

For those who are dead to their earthly flesh and raised from death in Christ, there is nothing to fear about. You will understand when that happens to you. You will see a new earth and new heaven in this same world and experience everything differently like an angel.

GospelS said:

That's not what Jesus said. He said love for money is the devil.

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Many Christians love money and not aware of it.

Devil is in the flesh and minds and hearts, not in the money.

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Money can also be in the hearts and minds of people. But true, money by itself is nothing more than just a small piece of paper or tiny metal disks or bits of data. Be it gold or oil or jewelry or even a house, it's all the same.

For those who are dead to their earthly flesh and raised from death in Christ, there is nothing to fear about. You will understand when that happens to you.

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If you ever fallen in love with someone, their desires and dislikes become your own. If you are madly in-love with Jesus, His desires and dislikes become your own.

timewerx said:

Many Christians love money and not aware of it.

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Yes. But be careful when you judge. There are also many Christians who are not attached to their riches but do make a lot of money even without pursuing it like the worldly people do.

When God gives us a task, He also gives everything we need to perform that task, that includes money and wisdom to handle wealth. The idea behind money comes from God. I already explained you how from the Cain and Abel story.

I'm sorry for all the sorrow and evil that money has caused in this world and to you. I also look forward to the day when the whole world is transformed and we don't have to deal with money and materials anymore.

I hope that day comes soon for all creation where there is no pain, no poverty, no struggle, no fear. So I agree and pray with you. Let's unite in the name of Jesus to bind all kinds of devil and throw him into the pit, and shut it for all eternity.

exitstageright said:

Because women do not make sense. Women only make babies.

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You better don't think like that of your mother or any woman made in the image of God. Now there are both men and women who are born of the devil who do not make sense.

God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; the weak things of the world to shame the strong; the lowly and despised things of the world, and the things that are not, to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast in His presence. 1 Corinthians 1:27-29.

The reason I'm single is because I'm certain Jesus wants me for Himself.

Solo81 said:

The reason I'm single is because I'm certain Jesus wants me for Himself.

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HE SO LOVES US!

GospelS said:

You better don't think like that of your mother or any woman made in the image of God. Now there are both men and women who are born of the devil who do not make sense.

God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; the weak things of the world to shame the strong; the lowly and despised things of the world, and the things that are not, to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast in His presence. 1 Corinthians 1:27-29.

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But what I said is the truth. Women do make babies.

exitstageright said:

But what I said is the truth. Women do make babies.

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Women ONLY make babies is what you said.

GospelS said:

Women ONLY make babies is what you said.

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You are right. I stand corrected.

exitstageright said:

But what I said is the truth. Women do make babies.

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Men and women together make babies. This is the truth.

GospelS said:

Yes. But be careful when you judge. There are also many Christians who are not attached to their riches but do make a lot of money even without pursuing it like the worldly people do.

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I used to be one. I used to have a middle class quality of life and achieved it without trying - without pursuing it. Two college invitations under scholarship with little effort, afterwards, a friend got me a job in the tech industry. I didn't even ask my friend to get me a job. The life almost literally fell to my lap. I'm perfectly content, didn't feel the need to have more, and I had friends (mostly Christians).

I never got greedy of material wealth at any point in my life but I used to look at material wealth quite positively especially when I began working for the tech industry. I'm already Christian back then and also active in the church.

And when I lost most of it, I blame myself mostly for not being strong enough to stand for the "right" choices. So I never got bitter against anyone but myself and I have already come to terms with that.

God also gave me plenty of chances to regain what I have lost. Not just a second chance but a third, fourth and so on and so forth. I can't be angry at God either.

And here's the thing, once I had the right attitude towards money as Jesus would, the "flood gates of Heaven" opened up to me but it wasn't material wealth that poured but spiritual blessings. There's just enough material provisions to keep me from starving but most of it came as spiritual blessings. The dreams are quite good, and I'm healthier and stronger now in my forties than I ever did my whole life . I look young again and never looked this great. I've come across rich Christians get jealous of me for the things I've been given even though it's not material wealth.

I'm not going to say I did this on my own for having the right attitude towards money or interpreting the Bible according to the truth. Actually God taught me all these lessons. The only thing I did was listen.

And to make myself clear. I don't believe that poverty is God's plan for everyone. I'm still trying my best to earn more money under given circumstances but not to the point, it starts to affect my spiritual life. I just find it hard to feel good about receiving more money knowing where it came from (unrighteousness - Luke 16:9) or where it did NOT come from (1 John 2:15-17).

timewerx said:

And to make myself clear. I don't believe that poverty is God's plan for everyone. I'm still trying my best to earn more money under given circumstances but not to the point, it starts to affect my spiritual life. I just find it hard to feel good about receiving more money knowing where it came from (unrighteousness - Luke 16:9) or where it did NOT come from (1 John 2:15-17).

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Ok, thanks for sharing your experience. Poverty and prosperity both can affect our spiritual life. I think you are disconnecting these verses from their context.

Luke 16 talks about unrighteous money. Money gained by immoral means is unrighteous. In that parable the manager was dishonest but his purpose was to make friends which is a wise thing, not because he loved money.

When we find ways to make easy money without much effort which we didn't deserve and do so out of love for money, lust and pride of life, it becomes unrighteous money bringing pain and punishment with it.

But money earned by your hard work by moral means which is acceptable service to the Lord is righteous. It is your blood and sweat. So not all money comes from unrighteousness or is unrighteous.

In fact God's people have the power to turn unrighteous wealth to righteous wealth, just like we can heal diseases and/or change a sinner toward holiness by our touch and our words, through the Holy Spirit in Jesus name.

1 John 2 says about idolising the things, the flesh, and money did not come from God. It does not say that the world, money, flesh, did not come from God. You are overlooking the word "love" when you say money is devil and did not come from God.

Love, lust, and pride are heart problems so God gives us a new heart, so that there won't be any problem. Money is not the problem when we idolize it. We are the problem. Money by itself has no value or meaning. Your purpose of use makes it either good or bad.

GospelS said:

Men and women together make babies. This is the truth.

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Well,if most women have treated most men,as most women have treated me,we would not have an over population problem.

GospelS said:

Luke 16 talks about unrighteous money. Money gained by immoral means is unrighteous. In that parable the manager was dishonest but his purpose was to make friends which is a wise thing, not because he loved money.

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Most of the wealth in the world all the way back to Ancient times came through deception, manipulation, theft, oppression, exploitation, abuse, murder, and through world's corrupt justice system spanning mankind's history where the victims are usually the weak and the poor.

Read further:

When we find ways to make easy money without much effort which we didn't deserve and do so out of love for money, lust and pride of life, it becomes unrighteous money bringing pain and punishment with it.

But money earned by your hard work by moral means which is acceptable service to the Lord is righteous. It is your blood and sweat. So not all money comes from unrighteousness or is unrighteous.

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I agree. It is also my experience that making money by easy means have a negative impact to one's spirituality even if the work seems honest and does not break any laws nor exploits any loophole.

Many people can't tell because they don't have spiritual connection to the Lord to begin with. It doesn't matter how they make their money, nothing will change.

In fact God's people have the power to turn unrighteous wealth to righteous wealth

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There is only one way to turn unrighteous wealth into righteous wealth

Because most of the world's wealth since ancient times were from exploitation of the weak and poor either through slavery or unjustified labor or by stealing their lands/wealth with violence, deception, then the only way to turn unrighteous wealth into righteous wealth is by helping the poor with money

Luke 16:9 fundamentally means helping the poor or the helpless with money because the people Jesus wants us to be friends with are the poor - Luke 14:12-14.

1 John 2 says about idolising the things, the flesh, and money did not come from God. It does not say that the world, money, flesh, did not come from God. You are overlooking the word "love" when you say money is devil and did not come from God.

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It wouldn't make sense that God would make detestable things. Verse below for context. 1 John 2-15-17 really means what it says.

Luke 16:14-15
The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all of this and were scoffing at Jesus. 15So He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is prized among men is detestable before God.

In the Bible "world" can have different meanings. It can mean the Universe, Earth, or the man-made civilization we're living in now.

In the following verses including 1 John 2:15-17, "world" means the man-made civilization. It will serve you well to pay attention to these verses because most Christians ignore or don't believe these verses.

James 4:4
You adulterous people,[a] don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

John 15:19
If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.

1 John 5:19
We know that we belong to God, and the whole world is under the power of the evil one.

Luke 6:22
Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.


I guess these all explains why I'm still single and not off-topic!

timewerx said:

I guess these all explains why I'm still single and not off-topic!

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OK. Thank you and God bless.

timewerx said:

Age isn't usually a problem with men but at 46, women might have high expectations on men like fully paid your mortgage on the house, financially stable / financially independent, setup for life.

But not always. It really depends on the woman. Not all women are looking for first-class living. There are some who are still idealists. If you can't find these women then you are looking at the wrong places or simply not available locally and you may have to consider long distance options like from another state or even from another country.

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I won't do long distance from another state or another country. I don't have the resources to make it work.

If I had to pick one reason why I'm single, I think it's because I'm focusing on raising my special needs sons. I'm not sure if men who live near me are interested in single mums, and they might think my guys would require a lot of work.

As someone else stated, I'm also mostly an introvert, so I don't get out as much to events where folks would gather! It's comfy at home.

I'm trusting that I'm doing the right thing putting my energy into being a caregiver, and if there's a man who's willing to join in that ministry before the kids are old enough to live alone, God will send him. I can go out a little more often, figure out how to signal to my friends that I'm ready to date, and leave the matchmaking to God!

timewerx said:

If you can't find these women then you are looking at the wrong places or simply not available locally and you may have to consider long distance options like from another state or even from another country.

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The Supreme Court threw a monkey wrench in international unions last week. According to the ruling, citizens do not have a right to have their non-citizen spouses allowed into the country. Justice Amy Coney Barrett wrote for a 6-3 majority that “a citizen does not have a fundamental liberty interest in her noncitizen spouse being admitted to the country." And they're not required to explain their denial.

I immediately thought of the passport bros when I read it. The case that inspired the ruling involved a non-citizen spouse who applied in El Salvador. They thought he was a member of a gang and when that was proven false they didn't reverse the decision and the ruling followed. If you're familiar with immigration standards in other countries the right of refusal is usually theirs.

This is one of many loopholes that are being closed globally.

~bella