Christian Support Group Community Group
This is a place for everyone who loves Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior (or those who are seeking Him), to come and discuss important issues in their lives and find support from fellow believers in regards to their faith and life. We uphold the Bible and living a Christ-like life, not as a way to heaven, but as a reflection of our love for God.
"Delight yourself in the Lord." Psalm 37:4
"This scripture is not a secondary suggestion. It is a radical call to pursue your fullest satisfaction in all that God promises to be for you in Jesus. It is a call to live in the joyful freedom and sacrificial love that comes from faith in future grace. Then will come to pass the purpose of God who chose us in Christ to live 'to the praise of his glory.'"
John Piper "Future Grace."
About 3 years ago, I read the book "Desiring God" by the above author as part of a course. Many of the other students thought the book was challenging, or even heretical. I tried to read it with an open mind, without judgment. Since that time, God has led me on an incredible journey of healing and spiritual growth. God has also given me many wonderful scriptures, and when I saw this book "Future Grace", I bought it and it confirmed many of the things God had given me in the Word, but in a much better way than I could have expressed it.
The last three years have seen me break free from depression, anxiety, fear and confusion. No, not perfect, I admit, but really a change in the way I view life and people. It has helped me to understand that I really do need to love myself, as Christ taught us "He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' " Luke 10:27 and many other places in scripture.
It has set me free from worrying about what others think of me, rather to seek what the Lord thinks of me.
So what is your purpose in life? Do we have time in our busy society, with work, families, church and just trying to find some time in the rat race of life to really love the Lord, as well as others, and even ourself? It seems that many times, we focus on wanting God to give us the desires of our heart - and we are frustrated when God does not seem to answer that prayer. Yet, the fruits of the Holy Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faith,goodness and self-control. (Gal. 5:22-23). I think we all want the first three - love, peace and joy, but how many of us have the patience, the goodness and kindness, the faith and the self control, which are part of the package? I have struggled for many years to internalize these fruits, but God was truly patient with me.
So do you desire God, or only the things He can give you? Please post your thoughts, any passages. I want to hear how others have been set free, or perhaps you want to know how to find the freedom in Christ, which eludes you, like it did me for so many years of my Christian walk.
"This scripture is not a secondary suggestion. It is a radical call to pursue your fullest satisfaction in all that God promises to be for you in Jesus. It is a call to live in the joyful freedom and sacrificial love that comes from faith in future grace. Then will come to pass the purpose of God who chose us in Christ to live 'to the praise of his glory.'"
John Piper "Future Grace."
About 3 years ago, I read the book "Desiring God" by the above author as part of a course. Many of the other students thought the book was challenging, or even heretical. I tried to read it with an open mind, without judgment. Since that time, God has led me on an incredible journey of healing and spiritual growth. God has also given me many wonderful scriptures, and when I saw this book "Future Grace", I bought it and it confirmed many of the things God had given me in the Word, but in a much better way than I could have expressed it.
The last three years have seen me break free from depression, anxiety, fear and confusion. No, not perfect, I admit, but really a change in the way I view life and people. It has helped me to understand that I really do need to love myself, as Christ taught us "He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' " Luke 10:27 and many other places in scripture.
It has set me free from worrying about what others think of me, rather to seek what the Lord thinks of me.
So what is your purpose in life? Do we have time in our busy society, with work, families, church and just trying to find some time in the rat race of life to really love the Lord, as well as others, and even ourself? It seems that many times, we focus on wanting God to give us the desires of our heart - and we are frustrated when God does not seem to answer that prayer. Yet, the fruits of the Holy Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faith,goodness and self-control. (Gal. 5:22-23). I think we all want the first three - love, peace and joy, but how many of us have the patience, the goodness and kindness, the faith and the self control, which are part of the package? I have struggled for many years to internalize these fruits, but God was truly patient with me.
So do you desire God, or only the things He can give you? Please post your thoughts, any passages. I want to hear how others have been set free, or perhaps you want to know how to find the freedom in Christ, which eludes you, like it did me for so many years of my Christian walk.
Very good point.
Sometimes, I'm anxious and I am EMBARASSED TO ADMIT it, but the anxiety sometimes complicates things. God says He'll take care of you and I've seen numerous examples of this. But I have problems w/ anxiety and worrying. Jesus stated, "look at the birds in the sky, they don't farm and God feeds them. don't you think your more valuable than they?" yeah we are, but I"ve seen birds starve to death too. I've seen far more examples of God taking care of us but still, the times when I see suffering and others and a couple times when I really suffered.............it gets me thinking, "ok, how do I prevent that, really really prevent any of that from happening to me??" But that's going about it the wrong way, and there's extremely little I can guarantee.
So, I am embarassed to say I am still having some difficult things to work out and am concerned about my future.
Most of my view, understands that there's so many more examples of God taking care of people as opposed to putting them through a really tough test (which is a form of love, too, I know), but it's the anxiety, the notion of NOT EVEN being capable to save for retirement that really gets to me at times.
it is all that is required of u---while applying Eph 6 : 13 & 14 --"and having done all, to stand . Stand therefore
I learned having done all I could --- then I could stand- therefore (knowing God was ready able & willing to
do His part) He so loves us -- He will not allow more than we can handel and He will allways provide a way out -- many times have I reminded myself of this promise - admittedly with question in my mind -- but conviction in my heart , that I chose to believe. Did I agree, not while I was in the middle of a situation, I was sure I had hit more than I could handel -- but God knows exactly how much u can handel - exactly -- He is faithful - He will prove himself --and that has allways amazed me -He certainly doesnt have to -- but he will to get us to the place of rock solid faith in Him -- God is good -- blessings
Psalm 138:2 "I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name."
His word is his promise. His name represents his own self. So how can you not look for "the goodies" and even worry about them, when he signs his name beneath his promise to do it? I'm not talking about riches or even subsistence. No, not even healing. Rather things about his kingdom. He's coming soon. He will build his church. Judgment will begin at the house of God. All this "stuff" should've been done long ago, like 2000 years ago. Yeah, I worry. I groan. I travail. I look for the rule of God in the chaos and pain of my life. I'm not going to sit around praising him for all the destruction I see Satan accomplishing. I pray like the widow in Luke 18:3 "Avenge me of my adversary". Satan should've been cast out when Jesus said: "Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out." (John 12:31) Why is the devil still hanging around being the "god of this world" if he got "cast out" when Jesus said? My problem is I get upset that "thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name". That means God needs to catch up to what he signed his name under. (curtsy, self-abase, foot scrape... sorry!)
Job's trial was sickness - Satan thought he was in control, but God defined the limits. That is my trial, too. (Well, I guess his children were killed and he lost everything, too - but God restored it.)
Some of you, financial or relationships is the issue. In other countries, people are persecuted, tortured or killed for being Christians. Yet, in the end, we need to realize how much God loves us, and is in control, even though it seems hopeless, God can use even our trials to turn us into the people who created us to be.
Romans 5:3-5 "Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."
It is very hard to let go of our expectations our independence. But in the end, like ndnthomas says, we need to trust God.
Despertly Loving God - is how I like to say it
and by all means the older I get the closer I get -the more I desire God in my life -
I honestly have no desire to live without God (been there done that- and it was not a pretty site)
I honestly wont everything He has for me -
I am hoplessly hooked on His Love--Joy & Peace
I am in awe over His Patience--Goodness & Kindness
I am dependent on His Faithfullness - Mercy & Grace
Yes I do Despertly Desire God
Despertly Loving God - is how I like to say it
and by all means the older I get the closer I get -the more I desire God in my life -
I honestly have no desire to live without God (been there done that- and it was not a pretty site)
I honestly wont everything He has for me -
I am hoplessly hooked on His Love--Joy & Peace
I am in awe over His Patience--Goodness & Kindness
I am dependent on His Faithfullness - Mercy & Grace
Yes I do Despertly Desire God
Despertly Loving God - is how I like to say it
and by all means the older I get the closer I get -the more I desire God in my life -
I honestly have no desire to live without God (been there done that- and it was not a pretty site)
I honestly wont everything He has for me -
I am hoplessly hooked on His Love--Joy & Peace
I am in awe over His Patience--Goodness & Kindness
I am dependent on His Faithfullness - Mercy & Grace
Yes I do Despertly Desire God
I think there is so much wisdom in the thoughts expressed in this discussion...it does seem hard to bear how the Enemy continues to take ground but thing to keep in mind is God is not mocked. He does not desire that any should perish. And His plan must unfold in the order He has decreed & nothing can hurry or delay it. He will come when everything is ready, another words! Meanwhile don't hold on to any one or any thing too tightly...everything is perishable...except God. :)
I guess it all comes down to who is in control? is it God or Satan? I think the enemy would like us to think it is him. I think 2 Peter 3:3-9 sums it up for me:
"First, be aware of this: scoffers will come in the last days to scoff, following their own lusts, saying, 'Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they have been since the beginning of creation.' They willfully ignore this: long ago the heavens and the earth existed out of water and through water by the word of God. Through these the world of that time perished when it was flooded by water. But by the same word the present heavens and earth are held in store for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
Dear friends, don't let this one thing escape you: with the Lord one day is like 1,000 years, and 1,000 years like one day. The Lord does not delay His promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. "
We do know that God is waiting for the fullness of time, for the gospel to be preached to all ethne - people groups. How much do we care about that? This is one of the thing that God does require us to do. If we desire God, instead of our own desires, our own plans, and thought and needs, God will give us more than we could have ever hoped or dreamed of. And we will be bold witnesses to the glory of God.
All this "stuff" should've been done long ago, like 2000 years ago.
I'm certain Jesus agrees with me.
Christ has not hidden the fact from us that we will have suffering, because he also suffered in the flesh...1 Peter 4:1.
Im just so glad that, many are the affictions of the righteous, BUT GOD DELIVERS US OUT OF THEM ALL...Psamls 34:19.
When He talks about giving us the desires of Our Hearts, of course it doesn't mean just some crazy random whim we have. Our desires have to line up according to His word. Or else He would let me buy a house which I can't afford the morgage just cause I asked. There are times because he loves us so much he gives us those things for us to see we really didn't need them.
Example: Me wanting a husband. Its nothing wrong with it and it's biblical. So because I'm His child and I'm in rightstandings with Him, He allows me to have one. I get the husband and he turns out to be CHUCKY!
My point is God knows whats best for us. God knows timing.