Believers, Does God control everything?

[SUNSTONE]

Well wouldn't they talk about it... the the Christian "guru's" of today do?

Did the Apostles live a "rich" lifestyle? I mean surely God would have wanted them to be super rich...

Yet paul had to make tents on the side to help support himself.

It's in the word of God, they probably did talk about it.

How many sermons of the apostles were actually printed in the bible? 5? 6?

You think that's all the sermons they spoke?

[prophet]

It's in the word of God, they probably did talk about it.

How many sermons of the apostles were actually printed in the bible? 5? 6?

You think that's all the sermons they spoke?

I think God had what was truly important put in the bible... don't you?

[SUNSTONE]

Well wouldn't they talk about it... the the Christian "guru's" of today do? When do you hear a message about the cross, the blood, sin, holiness....

Today its all about how God wants to bless you, make you popular, ect ect...

Don't get me wrong God will bless you. But I find it funny that everyone wants to be "blessed" Yet 7 percet of the church in america tithes. 50% of the men in the church are addicted to internet porn... and the list goes on and on.

Will God bless a lukewarm church?

And there is a difference between Blessed, and rich

The bible says.. He will supply for your needs.. the question is whats your "need"

The question to the church is what do you actually need?

The word of God does not teach that God will on supply your needs.

The word of God says that if you give, it will be given unto you pressed down and over flowing.

If you don't tithe, then that's your lost. You sow nothing, you get nothing.

I have a porn problem, and I am still blessed and loved by God, but I do reap what I sow.

[SUNSTONE]

I think God had what was truly important put in the bible... don't you?

Yeah, that's why I have been qouting them.

[prophet]

The word of God does not teach that God will on supply your needs.

The word of God says that if you give, it will be given unto you pressed down and over flowing.

If you don't tithe, then that's your lost. You sow nothing, you get nothing.

I have a porn problem, and I am still blessed and loved by God, but I do reap what I sow.

Ok you believe God heals, will make you rich.. yet you have a porn problem?

The blood of Jesus is powerful enough to snatch your soul from hell, but not deliever you from a porn problem?

I can say that because I had the same problem at one time, and I thought similarly to the things you have been saying... And I was confronted with the fact that the "porn" problem will send me to hell even while I'm singing my nice little worship songs in church on sunday morning.

[Coach Williams]

^^^ Amen to that last statement....

As for the answer to this question......

It is simple......Once the fruit was eaten we were given the power of the Gods. This power is the ability to decipher between good and evil. God originally did create us to obey him and to worship him but in giving us freewill he knew some would turn away. Just because he knew some would turn doesn't mean he MADE them turn.

I asked someone ( non believer ) in another thread this question: If you died and were summoned by God would you accuse him of making you not believe or would you suck it up and realize you made a wrong choice?

No TRUE non-believer would say GOD made them sin......

God could have made us all robots, with no capability to be able to choose to disobey God. However, God so valued our ability to choose to love Him, that God did not make us this way.

"God does not delight in the death of the wicked, but rather desires that they turn from their wickedness and amp; live. "

The answer is YES/NO

[pez]

No... he left free will to man...

[Goaldeje]

The word of God does not teach that God will on supply your needs.

The word of God says that if you give, it will be given unto you pressed down and over flowing.

If you don't tithe, then that's your lost. You sow nothing, you get nothing.

I have a porn problem, and I am still blessed and loved by God, but I do reap what I sow.

Yeah... I'm gonna need to see exactly where in scripture it says that. Cause I see Job, a righteous man, who had calamity and all sorts of problems visited upon him, that God ALLOWED to happen. Do you know why God allowed it to happen? To bring glory to Him. It had nothing to do with Job, it had to do with God.

The question of why does God allow Katrina, murder, etc. if he is omniscient and has the problem to stop it is easy. Those who believe would have no comparison point otherwise. How can you know what you need to be delivered from if you don't know what it is? We see the results of sin around us every day, which should translate to a longing, a hungering and thirsting for the opposite of that sin, for righteousness. We see what draws us away from the sin...God.

[AJ_Skins]

Ok you believe God heals, will make you rich.. yet you have a porn problem?

The blood of Jesus is powerful enough to snatch your soul from hell, but not deliever you from a porn problem?

I can say that because I had the same problem at one time, and I thought similarly to the things you have been saying... And I was confronted with the fact that the "porn" problem will send me to hell even while I'm singing my nice little worship songs in church on sunday morning.

You've lost me here. We are all familiar with this statement:

John 3:16-21“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.”

There is no exception in that statement that says "only if you never sin". What I believe is that if you truly believe, you receive the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit, over the course of time, conforms you to the likeness of Christ. He may tolerate a particular sin for a while, but eventually you will have to stop, or it will destroy your life ON EARTH. You cannot get away with habitual sin indefinitely, the way those who have no conscience about it can.

At no time in this process do you lose your salvation. It is simply a question of how useful you are to God while you are here on earth. Temptation and sin is the way the devil diverts you from God's plan for your life, and destroys your usefulness, but he can't take away your salvation. There may also be some effect on your position or rewards in the kingdom, but that area is less clear.

I had issues in the past somewhat similar to what he was talking about, although in my case it was partying...alchohol, smoking and drugs (mostly marijuana). God very clearly brought me to a point where I had to stop (although I still struggle with smoking). You can either resist his efforts to change you and suffer, or you can go along with Him and reap the rewards. Nevertheless, if you truly believe, you are not going to hell.

[prophet]

You've lost me here. We are all familiar with this statement:

There is no exception in that statement that says "only if you never sin". What I believe is that if you truly believe, you receive the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit, over the course of time, conforms you to the likeness of Christ. He may tolerate a particular sin for a while, but eventually you will have to stop, or it will destroy your life ON EARTH. You cannot get away with habitual sin indefinitely, the way those who have no conscience about it can.

At no time in this process do you lose your salvation. It is simply a question of how useful you are to God while you are here on earth. Temptation and sin is the way the devil diverts you from God's plan for your life, and destroys your usefulness, but he can't take away your salvation. There may also be some effect on your position or rewards in the kingdom, but that area is less clear.

I had issues in the past somewhat similar to what he was talking about, although in my case it was partying...alchohol, smoking and drugs (mostly marijuana). God very clearly brought me to a point where I had to stop (although I still struggle with smoking). You can either resist his efforts to change you and suffer, or you can go along with Him and reap the rewards. Nevertheless, if you truly believe, you are not going to hell.

1 John 2

1 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

If you truly believe, the sin will stop. Does that mean you may not stumble?

Stubling may happen... But lets not confuse a mishap for continous patern of sin.

Some people believe that you are not really saved in the begnining if you continue to live in sin, and others believe that you can turn your back on your salvation, and fall into sin. I think both points are true, and the bible points this out clearly.

Actually the bible says ... Philippians 2:12

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;

James 1:

12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

James 1:

21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.

2 Peter 1:

5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.

10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble;

Matthew 7:

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’

Revelation 2:7

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.”’

Revelation 2:11

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.”’

Revelations 21

6 And He said to me, “It is done![a] I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. 7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. 8 But the cowardly, unbelieving,[c] abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

A very fearful verse

Hebrews 10:

26 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,

I haven't even touched the the Falling away of many in the church in the last days

2 Thessalonians 2

1 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ[a] had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition,

The Apostasy means the "Great Divorce"

Luke 8:13

But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.

Hebrews 6:

5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 if they fall away,[a] to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.

2 Peter 3:17

You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked;

Matthew 24

12Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. 13But those who endure to the end will be saved.

love in that verse is greek word Agape... meaning the God kind of love. The kind christians have... key word.. he who "ENDURES"

I know most these verses are not Popular in todays Western Christianity.. none the less I'd take them to prayer, and to heart.

[ashburnskinsfan]

If you accept the idea that God is omnipotent, then can he be omnibenevolent to let evil take place?

And if evil is a consequence of free will ... why are humans created in a way where they have to forgo free will when they sleep? This may seem like a trivial point but humans are designed in a way where they need to give up free will for a third of their lives in order to survive.

[AJ_Skins]

prophet, I offer this in response:

John 6:28-29

Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”

Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”

Romans 3:19-31

Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.

But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law. Is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.

Romans 9:30-32

What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the “stumbling stone.”

Romans 11:5-6

So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.

Galatians 3:1-18

You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? Have you suffered so much for nothing—if it really was for nothing? Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?

Consider Abraham: “He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham. The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.” The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, “The man who does these things will live by them.” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.

Ephesians 2:8-9

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.

Titus 3:4-8

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying.

What is the common thread? Faith, faith, faith, faith and faith. What we're saying in a way is really two sides of the same coin. If you have truly believed, you cannot continue to sin (habitually, without conscience or remorse). The Holy Spirit living within you will not allow it. That does not mean that you are saved by works. You are saved by grace, through faith, period. Without faith it is impossible to please God.

[prophet]

I agree... Faith has a major part in Salvation....but onething that I will add... when you look up believe in each of those instances in the greek... it means to believe & obey.

So how to you believe?... by obeying what He has said.

If you read in Revelations the first 3 Chapters Notice how he told each of the 7 churches.. I know your works. He doesn't say faith.

After the by faith accepting the price Jesus paid on the cross for humanity... you have to live it out.

I love discussing this stuff!! Iron sharpens Iron

[SUNSTONE]

Ok you believe God heals, will make you rich.. yet you have a porn problem?

The blood of Jesus is powerful enough to snatch your soul from hell, but not deliever you from a porn problem?

I can say that because I had the same problem at one time, and I thought similarly to the things you have been saying... And I was confronted with the fact that the "porn" problem will send me to hell even while I'm singing my nice little worship songs in church on sunday morning.

“I am persuaded, that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities….shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (8:38-39). Romans

Dang, I guess Paul over looked porn on that one. :doh:

[prophet]

“I am persuaded, that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities….shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (8:38-39). Romans

Dang, I guess Paul over looked porn on that one. :doh:

Thats right nothing can separate you from the "LOVE" of God.. He loves sinners and saints... that doesn't mean you can continue in your pet sin.

You overlooked the page long scriptures I posted... I think you should take them to prayer and meditate on them... and after a month get back to me on it.

But to anwser your question:

Lets just go ahead over look what Jesus said...

Pluck your eye out, cut your hand off, ect ect... if it causes you to sin. Because you are in danger of hell otherwise... But what does God know right?

and surely peter doesn't mean this

1 Peter 1:13-15

13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,

Matthew 5

27 “You have heard that it was said to those of old,[a] ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

How about these good church memebers

Acts 5:2-15

2 And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet. 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? 4 While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”

5 Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things. 6 And the young men arose and wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him.

7 Now it was about three hours later when his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 And Peter answered her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much?”

She said, “Yes, for so much.”

9 Then Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” 10 Then immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. And the young men came in and found her dead, and carrying her out, buried her by her husband. 11 So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things.

So they lied... so whats a little lie? God will forgive that won't He?

1 Tim 6:

8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Hey its your life... take your chance... I'm not dumb enough to take that chance.

I'd also read Romans 6:11-30

[Zguy28]

“I am persuaded, that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities….shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (8:38-39). Romans

Dang, I guess Paul over looked porn on that one. :doh:

Sunstone, you are right that nothing can separate us from the Lord Jesus Christ, but if one continues to sin, with such things as porn, as Prophet pointed out with 1 John 2, then we should examine ourselves. We let sin take hold and drag us away into darkness. We can resist it ALWAYS. Perhaps you should try fasting.

James 1:13-15

13When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

Phillipians 4:13

13For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need.

1 Corinthians 10:13

13But remember that the temptations that come into your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can't stand up against it. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you will not give in to it.

AJ & Prophet - Faith Justifies you and works sanctify you. Salvation is of the Lord. We must repent to partake in the eternal gift of forgiveness.

James 1:19-27

19My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. 21Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. 22Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.

26If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. 27Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Works are vitally important as can be seen in this passage as well.

Luke 16:6-9

6Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. 7So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, 'For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?' 8" 'Sir,' the man replied, 'leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it. 9If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.' "

But once again they cannot save you. Salvation is of the Lord.

Matthew 7:21-23

21"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

I like what C.H. Spurgeon said about "salvation is of the Lord"

One week-night, when I was sitting in the house of God, I was not thinking much about the preacher's sermon, for I did not believe it. The thought struck me, How did you come to be a Christian? I sought the Lord. But how did you come to seek the Lord? The truth flashed across my mind in a moment—I should not have sought Him unless there had been some previous influence in my mind to make me seek Him. I prayed, thought I, but then I asked myself, How came I to pray? I was induced to pray by reading the Scriptures. How came I to read the Scriptures? I did read them, but what led me to do so? Then, in a moment, I saw that God was at the bottom of it all, and that He was the Author of my faith, and so the whole doctrine of grace opened up to me, and from that doctrine I have not departed to this day, and I desire to make this my constant confession, "I ascribe my change wholly to God."

[SUNSTONE]

Yeah... I'm gonna need to see exactly where in scripture it says that. Cause I see Job, a righteous man, who had calamity and all sorts of problems visited upon him, that God ALLOWED to happen. Do you know why God allowed it to happen? To bring glory to Him. It had nothing to do with Job, it had to do with God.

The question of why does God allow Katrina, murder, etc. if he is omniscient and has the problem to stop it is easy. Those who believe would have no comparison point otherwise. How can you know what you need to be delivered from if you don't know what it is? We see the results of sin around us every day, which should translate to a longing, a hungering and thirsting for the opposite of that sin, for righteousness. We see what draws us away from the sin...God.

8 "Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me.

"But you ask, 'How do we rob you?'

"In tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. 11 I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the LORD Almighty. 12 "Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says the LORD Almighty.

Malachi 3:8-12

Things like Katrina are going to happen.

But we have the power to do something about it.

Look at Jesus example of the storm while in the boat. The disciples were very frightened, and Jesus rebuked them and commanded the winds to die down.

As Jesus did it, so are we to do it.

As the saying that's going around now, "What would Jesus do?"

[SUNSTONE]

prophet I haven't been ignoring your posts. I'm just busy at the moment, but don't think there isn't an urge to disect your threads, there is.

I will say this. As Jesus lived, that is my desire to live like. As He did it, so are we called to do it.

I'm talking about witnessing to people, healing the sick, using the gifts like Jesus did.

Money is a tool, and the bible doesn't say that money is evil. It says that the "love" of money is evil.

In many places in the bible things are compared to gold, silver...basicly money.

Wisdom is far better than gold, etc.

Through out history there have been tons of great humans that have used money to help further God's kingdom.

Giving money to the poor is one of the easiest ways in reaching people, and changing their lives.

Going to college and being responsible with your money is a good thing. In fact the bible says "the fool spends all that he has".

The bible also says for us to "enjoy all the fruits of our labor".

And there's nothing on this earth that will convince me that God doesn't love me.

I am a child of God's.

That fact wasn't based on what I did.

My righteousness isn't based on what I did, or didn't do, or will do.

My rightiousness is all based on what He did for me.

I'm a work in progress, I have overcome many things all thanks to God and His word.

"I haven't arrived yet, but thank God I'm on my way!" - Joyce Myers

[SUNSTONE]

bump d bump