Here's today's revelation:
God says, "place your faith in me." But man is saying, "I believe this book (Holy Bible)." I'm a bit alarmed by how many Christians are falling back on the book rather than falling back on the Lord. Everything they do and say seems to be coming out of the book and not from a place of knowing.
I once had a friend who's teenage daughter got herself pregnant. My friend was so devastated that she decided to force an abortion. The following Sunday, she takes my hand and leads me to the preacher's office. We sit down together (I for support) and she begins to describe the scenario being played out at home. She tells him that she sees no other options if she's going to save her child from "destroying her future." To which the preacher replies, "well whatever you do, do all for the glory of God." That's a direct quote from the Bible. After I picked up my jaw, I compulsively spat out, "so you're telling her that abortion is ok as long as she does it for God's glory?" And he replied, "I don't question it, it's what the Bible says."
That's about the time I really started to question the teachings I was sitting under in church. Would God want her to force an abortion on her own child so she can give her child the future she wants her daughter to have? How would that glorify God? How do you tell others about the glory God gets for that? I mulled that over in my mind for a long time and never could I come to a conclusion. Was I right and he wrong? I don't know. I don't see abortion as a legitimate option when adoption is more plausible and will allow God's creation to live and have what we have....life. Ok, so I'm pro-life. That's easily explained.
Here's what I'm saying. I have a mind, heart, and a soul. That's pretty much where I believe I can find God. I know He gave us the book to refer to for answers. But that's not where He is. He is found within the heart. He dwells within in us. When it's time to meet with Him, we look within. We talk to Him. We search ourselves for truth and look to Him for confirmation or conviction.
Reading the Bible is for reference. It helps to learn the nature of God and to know how things happened all those years ago. But, I'll go out on a limb here and say that God is not in the Bible. The Bible is of this world. It's solid. You can see it and touch it. It's temporal. There's no difference in that book and the rest of what we see here. It was penned by mankind. We have to be cautious about just looking to a book for all of our answers because we're throwing away God in place of the words in that book. He never told us that He can be found in that book or that when we need Him, open the book. He doesn't tell us that all He is can be found in the book. Or to look to the book for our answers. The devil is working daily to pull us away from God and he uses the book as a weapon against us when we don't look to God but look for our answers in the book. It is the good book, but it's not God.
I can also be found enjoying my life at my Google+ . I invite you to be a part of the community there.
God says, "place your faith in me." But man is saying, "I believe this book (Holy Bible)." I'm a bit alarmed by how many Christians are falling back on the book rather than falling back on the Lord. Everything they do and say seems to be coming out of the book and not from a place of knowing.
I once had a friend who's teenage daughter got herself pregnant. My friend was so devastated that she decided to force an abortion. The following Sunday, she takes my hand and leads me to the preacher's office. We sit down together (I for support) and she begins to describe the scenario being played out at home. She tells him that she sees no other options if she's going to save her child from "destroying her future." To which the preacher replies, "well whatever you do, do all for the glory of God." That's a direct quote from the Bible. After I picked up my jaw, I compulsively spat out, "so you're telling her that abortion is ok as long as she does it for God's glory?" And he replied, "I don't question it, it's what the Bible says."
That's about the time I really started to question the teachings I was sitting under in church. Would God want her to force an abortion on her own child so she can give her child the future she wants her daughter to have? How would that glorify God? How do you tell others about the glory God gets for that? I mulled that over in my mind for a long time and never could I come to a conclusion. Was I right and he wrong? I don't know. I don't see abortion as a legitimate option when adoption is more plausible and will allow God's creation to live and have what we have....life. Ok, so I'm pro-life. That's easily explained.
Here's what I'm saying. I have a mind, heart, and a soul. That's pretty much where I believe I can find God. I know He gave us the book to refer to for answers. But that's not where He is. He is found within the heart. He dwells within in us. When it's time to meet with Him, we look within. We talk to Him. We search ourselves for truth and look to Him for confirmation or conviction.
Reading the Bible is for reference. It helps to learn the nature of God and to know how things happened all those years ago. But, I'll go out on a limb here and say that God is not in the Bible. The Bible is of this world. It's solid. You can see it and touch it. It's temporal. There's no difference in that book and the rest of what we see here. It was penned by mankind. We have to be cautious about just looking to a book for all of our answers because we're throwing away God in place of the words in that book. He never told us that He can be found in that book or that when we need Him, open the book. He doesn't tell us that all He is can be found in the book. Or to look to the book for our answers. The devil is working daily to pull us away from God and he uses the book as a weapon against us when we don't look to God but look for our answers in the book. It is the good book, but it's not God.
I can also be found enjoying my life at my Google+ . I invite you to be a part of the community there.
God reveals Himself in so many ways...I think His word is one of those ways.
ReplyDeleteHis word is one of the most important 'parts' of knowing Him. I hope believers find 'every' part of who He is, what He stands for, how He is represented, why He does what He does, when He manifests, why He manifests. I've tried many methods along my walk with God ("work your own salvation out with fear and trembling") and I find Him no matter whether I read the Bible in a day's time or not. I find Him by looking within and yielding to His Spirit. Thank you for always coming by AnnMarie.
DeleteHey Kelline, I like the spirit of what you're saying in this post, but I will admit that some of the wording tripped me up and I struggle with it. I would agree in all aspects that the Bible is not God, but I wouldn't say that God is not in the Bible. I am not saying He physically dwells in a book, but that the book was "God breathed" and "God inspired".
ReplyDeleteIt is set apart from all other literature in this world for that very reason. Written by men, but the words are of the Lord and should be studied carefully. It is through the Bible that we are taught the character of God and it is by carefully studying it that we know and recognize Truth. Outside of a deep knowledge of God's own words, we can easily be deceived.
All this to say that I do not believe that the Bible is some object we ought to worship. However, it is sacred and set apart for us and we should be willing to study it carefully and use it as a guide to keep our beliefs and doctrines on track. It sounds as if the preacher in that abortion situation you talked about was mislead in his understanding of that particular part of Scripture. His confusion, thankfully, does not discredit the authority and divine origin of the Bible.
As usual, I am being long winded, but I hope and pray that you see my heart in this. I agree with the intention behind this post, I believe. It is some of the wording that makes me cautious in agreeing whole heartedly. What are your thoughts?
So thankful for the opportunity to have discussion and clarification with another mature believer! :)
Hello my young and wise friend,
DeleteAs always you bring much to the table of discussion. Your opinions are strong, your wisdom is pure, and your knowledge is divine.
I would hope that in reading my post, you picked up on the underlying point of all that I said which was..God is within us and as such, He should be sought from within us. My message here was to point believers inward. That's why I used the story of the preacher and the abortion. Because his advice came straight from the Book, without benefit of inward reflection, thought, vital prayer and communion with God.
I had to read my post again to find where you were perceiving some of the things you eluded to. I can see them. Have no fear my friend, I do not and would never discredit God or His holy word. I discredit the lack of inward reflection and the dangerous way in which believers are losing touch with God and His spirit. To tell a mother that abortion is ok as long as it's done to God's glory is not a word of advice spoken from God's spirit (inward) but from the Bible only (outward.)
You'll have to understand, I have lived many hard years and many more than you and my writing won't be as focused, pure, and youthful as your own. You will detect variances from the age of wisdom. As you mature, you too will question and reach for new answers.
I will part with this, please remember that Jesus came to abolish religion. He warned us of the scribes and the Pharisees. Remember that Christianity is a relationship with your Savior. It's not about works, lest ye boast. Remember that God's grace is extended in sufficiency for our weakness and that being pious and religious can only lead to lonely and judgmental. I say this to warn all believers. As I have begun finding the truth in God and Jesus, I have broke away from religion and found that freedom promised in Christ, "whom the son has made free is free indeed." I have lost religious friends because they feel as if they're belief is right and I am wrong for not following their way. That's what religion does. It separates, wages war, it judges and condemns.
Thank you for coming by, my friend! You told me your name once. I'll admit I can't remember if it's Josh, James, Joseph, etc. So, I have chosen "my friend," for now. Please always feel free to speak your mind and be brutally honest. It is always a good thing.
God bless you and see you around!
Kelline, thank you for that clarification. I can agree with you completely now that I am sure where you are coming from. God certainly does speak from within and we must not blindly follow something. Many a person has used the Bible itself to spread lies and confusion and I believe that those things happen because someone did not seek God's spirit or pray for wisdom and discernment, but allowed words alone to influence them. The Bible without the Spirit of God, which dwells within us, is a powerful weapon against Christianity. I can certainly agree that a balance of inward seeking of God's presence and an outward understanding and knowledge of His character must both be pursued for a more whole and complete understanding of God to take place.
ReplyDeleteThank you again for that clarifcation and taking the time to address my questions. I also changed my name on my blogging profile from "J. Ramos" to "Josh Ramos" so you're not allowed to forget any more. ;)
God bless!
Hi Josh,
DeleteI won't forget your name ever again, and I indeed noticed that you added your full name. No worries. I knew it was something like Josh or Joseph and in fact, I made sure to add that to my reply above to your earlier comment, and I quote, "I can't remember if it's Josh, James, Joseph, etc." lol, so there, my brother...see? I DID remember after all and just didn't know it. But, that's just like me, lol.
So, now that we have clarification and understanding (which I knew we would)we can move forward to new and better things in Christ, amen? I have many subjects to blog about and think I'll never get to tell them all to the world before the next one enters my mind. Something else that's just so like me.
Ok, then, I'm coming over to "TO BE A BARBARIAN" and see what's up tonight before I log off and go to bed. See you there and God bless you. Also, as always, thanks for coming by Josh :-)