The Prodigal

Rusty said:
Ya know, Silk....There's to me not so much the question of God accepting a repenting person in this life, the Prodigious ....The BIG question is whether that person is willing to be as regretful, self-condemning and willing to come to Him and be changed...or if the ego refuses admission of total wrong.
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I'm uncertain what you mean. I am always astounded when I find I am wrong :) but I've never hesitated in saying so and adopting the "right". That's with people - God already knew I was wrong and still loves me enough to bring me to the person(s) who know some of the truth. I do have an ego and I have to wrastle it to the ground sometimes, but again - that's with people. With God, pride/ego doesn't come into play for me, except to say to Him - Ooops. And He tells me, make amends, it's ok, and don't do it again. I'm only learning now, having been my own worst judge, to not wallow in my mistakes but move forward into the light.
 
Rusty said:
This wasn't directed at you, Silk, but seems to me to be a universal spiritual fact: God will accept the truly repentant , yet few really seem willing to be in such a state. "Narrow is the way".
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I knew it wasn't directed at me, Rusty :) but I always try something on to see if it fits - and some of it did. And Boy, can I be stubborn. When I dig my heels in, it is sooo much harder to turn to the right.
 
Rusty said:
Hahaha....reminds me of when I was a kid....We tried to get my little brother to put his legs in when we pulled him along in the wagon, but he always wanted to dig his left heel in the ground; needless to say he didn't get many rides!

Thing is: the caveat I have is that God will accept a repentant IF (always a condition) they will come and meet His requirements.
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The thing is God already knows your heart, and you should know this - so if you aren't really sorry, you haven't learned your lesson. And with infinite patience, he will wait until you do.
 
Rusty said:
It's not a matter of God knowing, IMO, which He does of course....It's a matter of our co-operation.
We have a part to play, and we need to consider God doesn't wink at our duplicities.

Consider that there are two types of repentance:

2Cor.7:10
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God knew our "duplicities" before we were born. Whether lying to Him, others, or ourselves - God is unhappy because he knows that evil can build a portal to our very souls with lies.
 
I have always had God in my heart as far back as I can remember (Thanks Mom :)). I still made mistakes (we all do). We change all the time, as we grow. If we are lucky, we see the signposts God puts in our way, so we know which direction we should move. I envy the plants and animals, they all do God's will. Sometimes I have to argue, kvetch, grumble, question but if I see it, I do God's Will. It's when I get willful that I get into trouble :). ​
 
Now I'm wondering why people come here to post (again) in this forum. I mean why they really come. Because most of the time, it doesn' t seem to be learning. Thanks for the blessing.
 
Silk said:
Now I'm wondering why people come here to post (again) in this forum. I mean why they really come. Because most of the time, it doesn' t seem to be learning. Thanks for the blessing.
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This is the third time I am back here. I don't post anywhere else but this web site. I was saddened to see that most that I knew, no longer posted. Except SueJLoves. She has, IMO, a sincere message, but as always - few read her (or NetChaplain, for that matter). I'm sure she thinks I was harassing her but I felt if she wandered to other threads, she would better get her message across by answering questions people were asking. Oh well, at least she persists. I did see an older post by Calvin but it wasn't anything I could speak on. I think, now I should have thrown him a hug. Glomung was ever a favorite of mine, and I started to see a spark of light. I should have thrown him a joyous hug but by then, I didn't want to taint him with a silk brush. There have always been people here, trying to show by sculpted scripture, that they know the most, and are the best Christians. They never listen, they never learn. The best teachers are those who learn from their students. But my joy knew no bounds until I saw Major and HisMany posting here again.
 
Ok - I'm back to wondering why people (we) post what we do. There was an older thread resurrected that is almost exactly what a newer thread was asking. One started by a non-believer and one by a believer who, surprisingly agrees with the non-believer, that the Bible isn't "inerrant". Go figure! I can't help wondering if everyone reads threads from OP to the latest post. I also wonder if people are reading & writing posts with the Holy Spirit, to guide them. There are some here, who only post to preach. They do not wander thru the threads, adding their messages to others. There was one of those I was reading, feeling it was better than most of her threads. And then she said, we weren't ALL God's children. Whether we choose our salvation or not, for whatever reason, we ARE all God's children. I know the scripture, but I think it is mankind that makes the gate narrow. Not God. And the more I learn, the more that I know that God and His plan are beyond our comprehension. If He wants us all back, I'm sure there is a way for that to happen, and I am content to watch that unfold. From where I stand now, I can't comprehend how that will happen. So, I trust in God because I share with God an unbounding grief, if not everyone does.
 
Because Hate is a corruption of love. Before original sin, we did not know Hate. I changed my signature to include three quotes I have used in the past. Should I include "because Hate" to the signature?
 
My heart is heavy, and I come to you, Lord. And I pray that Your Truth shines through for all of us. I am hearing Your Word, skewed and twisted. How have some come to believe that the God of creation is "unfair", "unjust" , while piously denying that they don't sin and yet deny their own responsibility? I guess, as always, take it one untruth at a time, and maybe more gently then me, expose.
 
Silk said:
I feel like I am being ignored, Lord. Why does no one post here?
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Hey Silk.. I don't think anyone would ignore you! :) You are likeable..

I did not go through the entire thread.. It is a huge one :) Are you re-opening the thread for discussion or something else?
 
Thank you for your post, Ravindran - it comes as a beam of light. I drag this thread with me, as a reminder to me and anyone else who cares to read that when I came here to this forum, that I, too, thought I knew it all. As a consequence - I did not learn. Those who think I cannot stand challenges, don't know me. Somewhere in the middle of the thread, I prayed God, that all who came to read, teach, and learn, would be blessed. It may have discouraged those who only want to be self righteous and argue.
But yes, it is open for discussion. Any discussion of the things of God's wonder. But perhaps you should not encourage me in my hope that civil discussion can occur.
 
Silk said:
Thank you for your post, Ravindran - it comes as a beam of light. I drag this thread with me, as a reminder to me and anyone else who cares to read that when I came here to this forum, that I, too, thought I knew it all. As a consequence - I did not learn. Those who think I cannot stand challenges, don't know me. Somewhere in the middle of the thread, I prayed God, that all who came to read, teach, and learn, would be blessed. It may have discouraged those who only want to be self righteous and argue.
But yes, it is open for discussion. Any discussion of the things of God's wonder. But perhaps you should not encourage me in my hope that civil discussion can occur.
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I agree with you.. No one knows it all.. But everyone thinks they know it all! That includes me.. Pride.. Man is filled with pride.. It is root cause of so many evil.. Pride can be attributed to so many wrong doings in our lives.. It is not easy to get rid of it.. But more we dwell in Word of God, the Holy Spirit will help us see our pride and arrogance! I was doing the same in these threads.. I was arguing with everyone.. But I was reading Romans 14 and came across this portion of scripture

1As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. 2One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. 3Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. 4Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

It really ministered to me.. I pulled back from all arguments.. Not to say I am strong or weak in faith.. The point Holy Spirit put in my heart is, I am no one to pass judgments on opinions on others.. I just have to learn while respecting everyone!!
 
Ravindran said:
I agree with you.. No one knows it all.. But everyone thinks they know it all! That includes me.. Pride.. Man is filled with pride.. It is root cause of so many evil.. Pride can be attributed to so many wrong doings in our lives.. It is not easy to get rid of it.. But more we dwell in Word of God, the Holy Spirit will help us see our pride and arrogance! I was doing the same in these threads.. I was arguing with everyone.. But I was reading Romans 14 and came across this portion of scripture

1As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. 2One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. 3Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. 4Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

It really ministered to me.. I pulled back from all arguments.. Not to say I am strong or weak in faith.. The point Holy Spirit put in my heart is, I am no one to pass judgments on opinions on others.. I just have to learn while respecting everyone!!
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Wow! Great scripture :) Sorry, it took me so long to respond but it's been a down and up kinda day.

Yep, pride caused ole Lucifer to lose a vaunted place in Heaven. And look what came out of that - eons of lies, anger, bitterness, and black hatred. It sucks to share that sin with him. I'm not a bitter person - I always take responsibility for wherever I am in life. I've never been envious of others - because I know that if I want anything they have bad enough, I can find it, in a good way, for myself. I am not quick to anger but I can blow a fuse over what I percieve is injustice. I lost the ability to hate years ago. I can't take any responsibility for that - just one day, I looked around and it wasn't there any more. I think sometimes, that it is because I have spent a large portion of my life trying on other people's shoes. (tilts halo to catch the light.) I wish I could just look around one day and have pride gone too (still working on it). Because I think pride is the worst. It causes us not to hear other's voices. It causes us to reach for lies, when are status might be shaky. It causes us anger when people in good faith try to correct our path. It causes us to turn away from those who would gladly give us help. And it hardens our hearts.
On the other hand - I am proud that I am saved. I am proud that God loves me - both of which I didn't really earn. I am also proud of the lessons I have learned. And the older I get - the more I want to learn/know. And you can't do any of that with false pride because it blocks.

OK - and I'm just a wee bit envious that Ravindran got the first winner in this thread. But I'll keep trying.;)
 
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