Very Good. I suffer from epilepsy. God has used time to teach me to pay close attention to my medication and treatment plan. My medication brings on periods of severe depression, and any stress will drive me deeper into my depression. My doctor placed me on a medication that manages the depression quite well (last period was over a year ago). Managing my depression makes it very easy to manage my stress. And, yes, there is great comfort in knowing that he is there with me and listening to my petitions.
The power and authority we have in Christ
- Thread starter Blain
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if may ask you what is your relationship with God like? Is it one of deep intimacy and endearing love?
I am just curious because when I spoke of the deep love God and I share you called it a honeymoon stage and said you have never met someone who is still in that stage and I do not know your heart but this concerned me and made me wonder about your relationship with him.
I am just curious because when I spoke of the deep love God and I share you called it a honeymoon stage and said you have never met someone who is still in that stage and I do not know your heart but this concerned me and made me wonder about your relationship with him.
I battle depression and my brain is damaged twice in the same area and my body is wrecked from my child abuse and from cancer but I have to say I am grateful for my problems because I have learned a lot from them especially my diabetes. God is to praised for allowing all that happened to me because it all brought me closer to him and I wouldn't change my past for anything.
There a joy to found in our pain
There a joy to found in our pain
I had to give up on my tablet and fire up my pc. I just would like to say Blain that I have a great deal of damage from environmental poisons and abuse from my childhood so I am sympathetic to the problems you have had.
I have been a Christian for 43 years and have had periods of backsliding and periods where I did not feel Gods presence at all. At the moment my relationship with Him is very close and I am obeying His every command. I love Him more than life itself and have been a very ungrateful servant at times..
I have been a Christian for 43 years and have had periods of backsliding and periods where I did not feel Gods presence at all. At the moment my relationship with Him is very close and I am obeying His every command. I love Him more than life itself and have been a very ungrateful servant at times..
Well said!
People that accuse the brethren, and say their actions or words are not from God need to put down their legalism, and find out what someone has been through before condemning them, and rejoice as they are rejoicing.
I know you have been through a lot, and sometimes we do get tired when the enemy batters us so much. I do believe God is sovereign and in control of EVERYTHING, which includes the reality that Christians also suffer, and of course, we all die some day. (Should the Lord tarry!)
"More than that, we rejoice in our suffering, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character and character produces hope. And hope does not disappoint, because God's love has been poured out through the Holy Spirit who was given to us." Romans 5:3-5
I think for those of us who really suffer with a lot of serious illnesses, we do sometimes get weary of rejoicing that God is transforming our character into the image of Christ. But, God is in control, and he does have a purpose. Especially in ministry!
Blain, I will pray for you not to get discouraged, and for your diabetes to come under control. I will also pray that people will not harass you with their false doctrines that everyone is guaranteed health and wealth, which a simple read through of the Bible, and getting the context of each verse shows how heretical this false doctrine is.
The only way through this is to keep on walking/living with God. That word in the Greek is peripateo. It means both live/walk. I like that when we walk with Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit, we also are living with him. Sometimes that does not really come through in the translations.
God bless!
People that accuse the brethren, and say their actions or words are not from God need to put down their legalism, and find out what someone has been through before condemning them, and rejoice as they are rejoicing.
I know you have been through a lot, and sometimes we do get tired when the enemy batters us so much. I do believe God is sovereign and in control of EVERYTHING, which includes the reality that Christians also suffer, and of course, we all die some day. (Should the Lord tarry!)
"More than that, we rejoice in our suffering, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character and character produces hope. And hope does not disappoint, because God's love has been poured out through the Holy Spirit who was given to us." Romans 5:3-5
I think for those of us who really suffer with a lot of serious illnesses, we do sometimes get weary of rejoicing that God is transforming our character into the image of Christ. But, God is in control, and he does have a purpose. Especially in ministry!
Blain, I will pray for you not to get discouraged, and for your diabetes to come under control. I will also pray that people will not harass you with their false doctrines that everyone is guaranteed health and wealth, which a simple read through of the Bible, and getting the context of each verse shows how heretical this false doctrine is.
The only way through this is to keep on walking/living with God. That word in the Greek is peripateo. It means both live/walk. I like that when we walk with Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit, we also are living with him. Sometimes that does not really come through in the translations.
God bless!
Ah the dry seasons, yes I know what you speak of when you talk about not feeling his presence. In my short time in faith I have learned about the dry seasons, there are many times when I cannot feel him for weeks on end even a month one time but it was in those times I said to him I will seek you all the more. Even in such times I sought after him exhaustively I never once stopped talking with him and even though I couldn't find him for weeks and I couldn't sense or feel him at all this only made me seek him even more and with a deeper hunger and when I found him the rewards were beyond amazing.
You see there is a difference between feeling close to him and actually being close to him, just as there is a difference between feeling strong and being strong and in the same way there is a difference between feeling madly in love with him and actually being madly in love with him.
You see there is a difference between feeling close to him and actually being close to him, just as there is a difference between feeling strong and being strong and in the same way there is a difference between feeling madly in love with him and actually being madly in love with him.
Angela meant no offense and I know you mean well but Angela is someone who knows where I am coming from, see Angela is one of the people who helped build me up as a new believer and while she and I may not agree on everything in her heart of hearts she is a very strong and precious believer.
I have asked for healing for a long time and have not received it but I didn't consider it a lack of faith I just assumed that it simply wasn't time yet. The funny thing is I have grown so much as a believer because of my illness, had I not had all I do I may not have been as strong in faith as I am now. Sometimes God allows us to keep our thorn in our sides to shine his glory
I have asked for healing for a long time and have not received it but I didn't consider it a lack of faith I just assumed that it simply wasn't time yet. The funny thing is I have grown so much as a believer because of my illness, had I not had all I do I may not have been as strong in faith as I am now. Sometimes God allows us to keep our thorn in our sides to shine his glory
S
You are giving the devil credit for having more power than God; you are already the winner over the devil if you are born again. Jesus defeated the enemy on the cross. The Word says draw near to God and He will draw near to you; resist the devil and he will flee. We need to get our thinking in line with the Word so we do not believe lies like you say, you lack faith. None of us lacks faith, it's already in us.
We can be under attack and still have perfect Peace. The battle is so often in our thinking. I know when you are the one in the midst of the attack it is hard to focus on the right things. Don't forget to praise and thank God in the middle of the battle, He is still with you. I'm sure the devil cannot stand it when a believer is praising God during the worst of times. Just remember when you are at your weakest God works through that because you cannot do it anyway.
We can be under attack and still have perfect Peace. The battle is so often in our thinking. I know when you are the one in the midst of the attack it is hard to focus on the right things. Don't forget to praise and thank God in the middle of the battle, He is still with you. I'm sure the devil cannot stand it when a believer is praising God during the worst of times. Just remember when you are at your weakest God works through that because you cannot do it anyway.
P
Responding to OP... God has given us authority to do such things... we aren't defiled by what comes to us , we are defiled by that which comes from us.. I'm not on the watch for what's coming at me anymore I'm watching for that which is coming from me...God placed his bow in the clouds (power and authority under control) a snake bites a scorpion stings... words bite and words sting.. (just giving an example) words coming at me aren't the ones I'm concerned about..it's the ones coming from me.. I'm on the lookout for snakes and scorpions coming out of me... with gods help.. we can tread upon each word not pertaining to life and has death in them... once I started examine what words were life and what words are death I could see what looked like scorpions and snakes etc.... simply sharing what the holy spirit has taught me
Hey Powemm I haven't seen you online in awhile good to see you Sadly I am not at the point in my faith where others words do not affect me, however I am always watching what comes from my mouth because as the scriptures say what comes from the mouth is from the heart and honestly I also am always careful as to what is in my heart as well.
Sadly I am not at the point in my faith where others words do not affect me, however I am always watching what comes from my mouth because as the scriptures say what comes from the mouth is from the heart and honestly I also am always careful as to what is in my heart as well.I agree with much of what you say except for the part in saying none of us lack faith. We all are given a portion of faith yes but it's like a seed at that point and that seed will only grow if it is planted in good soil( a deep and intimate relationship with God) receives plenty of sunlight( the words and spirit of God) and drinks plenty of water( time spent being with God and getting to know him) just as a giant tree takes a very long time to grow in the same sense the growing and richness of our faith is a long and slow process and patience is vital then in time the tree will bear much fruit and the bark and roots of the tree will be firm and deep and the wind cannot uproot it's roots.
Blain, if this is indeed spiritual and not physical ie uncontrolled dibates, then you are in a blessed place.
I have been blessed in being chosen to walk the pathway of suffering, but a lot of folk have not been chosen. So therefore their solutions will not work for those who have been given a heavy burden to carry and suffer much damage and sickness.
If it is a matter of just exercising faith then there would be no problem but it is more complicated than that.
Blain, there are very deep attitude problems that those who have been injured greatly carry. Things that stop us from submitting totally to God. So it is harder for Him to bring them to that point.
But being brought to that point involves seeing our weakness and inability to stand.
The Lord is waiting to deliver you so you must not listen to the ones who will say peace when there is no peace, and hunger and thirst for righteousness. There is a place where you will be able to overcome.
I have been blessed in being chosen to walk the pathway of suffering, but a lot of folk have not been chosen. So therefore their solutions will not work for those who have been given a heavy burden to carry and suffer much damage and sickness.
If it is a matter of just exercising faith then there would be no problem but it is more complicated than that.
Blain, there are very deep attitude problems that those who have been injured greatly carry. Things that stop us from submitting totally to God. So it is harder for Him to bring them to that point.
But being brought to that point involves seeing our weakness and inability to stand.
The Lord is waiting to deliver you so you must not listen to the ones who will say peace when there is no peace, and hunger and thirst for righteousness. There is a place where you will be able to overcome.
I have known great suffering and deep sorrow for most of my life so I know the path you speak of and I can't speak for others who have known great suffering and how it makes them more difficult to fully submit to God but for me it made it easier. But still the whole fully submitting and walking in the spirit and completely controlling my diabetes isn't how it works with me firstly because I have many medical issues that can effect the way my blood sugar spikes and drops not to mention mine is not a normal diabetes it was drug induced and so it doesn't work the same way normal diabetes does.
Have you considered joining a diabetes support group? I balked at an epilepsy support group for several years. I am thankful that God sent someone to encouraged me to take the first step and join one. Our group discusses medication issues, new treatments, ups and downs, embarrassing moments, working, dependence on faith, etc. It is comforting to know that there are people that I can depend on in times of instability.
Every hospital that I've been associated with maintains a list of support groups in the area that they serve. I strongly recommend a local group that maintains regular face to face meeting.
Every hospital that I've been associated with maintains a list of support groups in the area that they serve. I strongly recommend a local group that maintains regular face to face meeting.