What really matters?

[Ariel82]

I want to know what really matters to YOU in your walk with Christ.

I scroll through threads and threads and sometimes I find one where people are actually dialoging and talking about the Bible in a way that brings light and understanding to scripture, but too often its lost in fighting and arguments.

Or its just lost in the endless of other threads talking about the same thing: how to convince others they are either not worthy enough to be saved, or how they can lose their salvation or how God has reveled the TRUE endtimes to them....

For a while I found such topics somewhat interesting, but facing the day to day life. I end up with the question:

WHAT REALLY MATTERS?

Is your religion more than just a theology?

I can tell you a thousand things I don't know, a million I'm unsure of, but I can count on my hand the things I'm certain of.

the things I know the BIBLE tells me.

the first is very simple:

1. God loves me this I know because the BIBLE tells me so.

what about you, can you sing that song with all of your heart? Do you know that simple truth?

If not, I and others are more than willing to pray and speak with you about it.

What else do I know? very little I admit.

Like Newton once said:

“I do not know what I may appear to the world, but to myself I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the sea-shore, and diverting myself in now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me.”
― Isaac Newton

so what pebble or pretty shell of wisdom and truth have you found in the Bible?

if you were to tell a child about God and what HE wants them to know about the world, about how to live their life, about Jesus, what would you tell them?

 

[crossnote]

Relative to these boards I find what really matters is when there is opportunity to be of help to someone who is truly struggling in grasping a truth or concept that is central to the faith. I take the rest as a curiosity or an exercise in futility.

 

[MissCris]

Trust matters. Knowing God will keep his promises, knowing God will take care of my family, knowing God is with me all the time.

Regardless of how many different opinions/interpretations there are out there, I know I can trust that God's plan will be carried out- and because of that, I don't have to have all the answers.

 

[Ariel82]

crossnote: I agree, actually helping a new believer understand scripture makes it worthwhile to stick around the forums. thank you for the reminder.

MissCris: trust, yes that is true, trusting that God has the answers even if He never reveals the whole plan to us is key. I don't think we will ever have all the answers this side of heaven, but we can trust in His love and His wisdom.

 

[Hungry]

Discerning the voice of God. Everyday we are bombarded with so many thoughts, opinions, knowledge and lies. Even our own thoughts and hearts betray us. Although we are not of the world we are still in the world and most of the time I'm caught wondering how off track I am. I'm a results orientated individual and don't like to waste time. Knowing what God wants me to do so I can do it is all I really desire in this life. I just wish I could tell whether it's God leading me sometimes or myself. I pray its not myself because I really have no idea where I'm going.

 

[crossnote]

Discerning the voice of God. Everyday we are bombarded with so many thoughts, opinions, knowledge and lies. Even our own thoughts and hearts betray us. Although we are not of the world we are still in the world and most of the time I'm caught wondering how off track I am. I'm a results orientated individual and don't like to waste time. Knowing what God wants me to do so I can do it is all I really desire in this life. I just wish I could tell whether it's God leading me sometimes or myself. I pray its not myself because I really have no idea where I'm going.

He speaks loudest in His Word and listens best in our prayer.

 

[Ariel82]

discerning the voice of God.

yes that is an important thing that really matters to me as well. Personally I like to read Psalm 19 among other scriptures, when I am in doubt because it carries God's message and promise to teach us if we truly want to know.

Psalm 19

The heavens declare the glory of God;
And the firmament shows His handiwork.
[SUP]2 [/SUP]Day unto day utters speech,
And night unto night reveals knowledge.
[SUP]3 [/SUP]There is no speech nor language
Where their voice is not heard.
[SUP]4 [/SUP]Their line[SUP][a][/SUP] has gone out through all the earth,
And their words to the end of the world. In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun,
[SUP]5 [/SUP]Which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
And rejoices like a strong man to run its race.
[SUP]6 [/SUP]Its rising is from one end of heaven,
And its circuit to the other end;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat.

[SUP]7 [/SUP]The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;
[SUP]8 [/SUP]The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;
[SUP]9 [/SUP]The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
[SUP]10 [/SUP]More to be desired are they than gold,
Yea, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
[SUP]11 [/SUP]Moreover by them Your servant is warned,
And in keeping them there is great reward.

[SUP]12 [/SUP]Who can understand his errors?
Cleanse me from secret faults.
[SUP]13 [/SUP]Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins;
Let them not have dominion over me.
Then I shall be blameless,
And I shall be innocent of great transgression.

[SUP]14 [/SUP]Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.

I know we can never be sinless but with God's help we can walk and live blameless lives where we are kept from presumptuous sins and great transgressions against God and His people.

Without His light we are all just lost sheep wandering in the dark, awaiting the slaughter.

However He gives us wisdom and abilities to serve Him in the good works He has asked us to do.

If we examine our hearts and see the reason WHY we want to do something, then we can discern if the desire to do it is from God or from the world: the pride of life, the lusts of the flesh or the lusts of the eyes.

If we do it because we in our hearts believe it will increase people's love for God, their wisdom, their well-being, joy, etc. Or we do it out of thanksgiving to God and a wish to share His blessings with others, then we are ok.

However if we do it because it gives us power over others, or we do it just for the prestige or material wealth, then we would need to reexamine our hearts and pray.

God may still want us to do such actions but our hearts are not in the right place and nothing is acceptable to God without faith.

God tells us the only acceptable sacrifice God wants is a humble and contrite heart willing to have His laws written upon it. for us to be living epistles to the world of His love and His majesty and His will.

 

[dashadow]

Let Love be one's guiding Light.

 

[Abiding]

Love and baked goods yes thats what matters

 

[MissCris]

Love and baked goods yes thats what matters

More than liberty and justice?

Hugs and chocolate chip cookies for all!

I'm in.

 

[Abiding]

More than liberty and justice?

Hugs and chocolate chip cookies for all!

I'm in.

Yes i think someone like you could bring world peace very easy

 

[Ariel82]

1. love 2. truth 3. trust 4. discernment

I guess we could add 5. baked goods/food if you like.

I was thinking Family. not just blood relatives but spiritual family. just got home from work but the concept of family as God intended is important to me and I believe matters enough to be discussed in further detail.

 

[twofeet]

And the greatest of these is love....Love covers a multitude of sin.......Gods nature is love..........thats whats important to me. When I see it in the forums its beautiful and I hope to share it with others

 

[jkalyna]

And the greatest of these is love....Love covers a multitude of sin.......Gods nature is love..........thats whats important to me. When I see it in the forums its beautiful and I hope to share it with others

I agree with ya twofeet .

 

[homwardbound]

I want to know what really matters to YOU in your walk with Christ.

I scroll through threads and threads and sometimes I find one where people are actually dialoging and talking about the Bible in a way that brings light and understanding to scripture, but too often its lost in fighting and arguments.

Or its just lost in the endless of other threads talking about the same thing: how to convince others they are either not worthy enough to be saved, or how they can lose their salvation or how God has reveled the TRUE endtimes to them....

For a while I found such topics somewhat interesting, but facing the day to day life. I end up with the question:

WHAT REALLY MATTERS?

Is your religion more than just a theology?

I can tell you a thousand things I don't know, a million I'm unsure of, but I can count on my hand the things I'm certain of.

the things I know the BIBLE tells me.

the first is very simple:

1. God loves me this I know because the BIBLE tells me so.

what about you, can you sing that song with all of your heart? Do you know that simple truth?

If not, I and others are more than willing to pray and speak with you about it.

What else do I know? very little I admit.

Like Newton once said:



so what pebble or pretty shell of wisdom and truth have you found in the Bible?

if you were to tell a child about God and what HE wants them to know about the world, about how to live their life, about Jesus, what would you tell them?

Fear is a crippler fear of this world and trust in God frees you to make right choices becuase God just love you

 

[homwardbound]

so what pebble or pretty shell of wisdom and truth have you found in the Bible?

That at the cross Christ took all sin away in his Father's sight and that there is no more frogiveness from his side of things to give to anyone It is finished John 19:30 and then he died Next pebble hebrews 9:15-17 under a new covenant next Hebrews 10:17 under this new covenant God the Father is no longer dealing with the believer on the basis of Sin and death. Now on the basis of the new life he gave us through belief in the Son Christ. spreading his type of love as in 1Cor.13 that is unnatural to have in mankind, but not unnatural in the Spirit
This is my Story this is my Song Praising my Savior all the day Long

 

[homwardbound]

discerning the voice of God.

yes that is an important thing that really matters to me as well. Personally I like to read Psalm 19 among other scriptures, when I am in doubt because it carries God's message and promise to teach us if we truly want to know.

Psalm 19


I know we can never be sinless but with God's help we can walk and live blameless lives where we are kept from presumptuous sins and great transgressions against God and His people.

Without His light we are all just lost sheep wandering in the dark, awaiting the slaughter.

However He gives us wisdom and abilities to serve Him in the good works He has asked us to do.

If we examine our hearts and see the reason WHY we want to do something, then we can discern if the desire to do it is from God or from the world: the pride of life, the lusts of the flesh or the lusts of the eyes.

If we do it because we in our hearts believe it will increase people's love for God, their wisdom, their well-being, joy, etc. Or we do it out of thanksgiving to God and a wish to share His blessings with others, then we are ok.

However if we do it because it gives us power over others, or we do it just for the prestige or material wealth, then we would need to reexamine our hearts and pray.

God may still want us to do such actions but our hearts are not in the right place and nothing is acceptable to God without faith.

God tells us the only acceptable sacrifice God wants is a humble and contrite heart willing to have His laws written upon it. for us to be living epistles to the world of His love and His majesty and His will.

You know if we could just live day by day in trust taking one day at a time just praising him all the day long you might not sin being too busy for any sin to get in the way just for that day and this could expound and might be why Jesus said take one day at a time, and I am not saying we can be sinless or am I preaching sinless perfection, and the reason to say this is because I and no one else can predict the future and I am not saying to be aware of sin on that day because being aware of brings sin forth whether you do want to do it or do not flesh carnal sin thinking only produces more sin and Christ came to take it away not keep it going for as a man sows he also shall reap. Sow to the flesh reap the flesh sow to the Spirit reap the Spirit, so sowing the Spirit of God would be thanking God and praising God all te day long WOW!!! waht do you think?

 

[HeIsNowHere]

I would share Ephesians 2:10 (best translated as) "And YOU are God's MASTERPIECE created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for you to do." Each human is God's work of art, his unique Rembrandt, his unique poem made special in this life for doing good works which he has for us to do by following Him and listening to him. The 2 verses prior to this make it clear we are NOT given grace or eternal life by earning through these works but these works are the purpose of our lives. I would also make it clear that Jesus wants us to be servants of others not living our lives doing "what I want my way". This is the worlds way not the way for true Christians. Jesus teaches us to love God and love others like ourselves. These are simple rules but difficult to follow but also if everyone did this the world would be completely different. Then I would share Romans 12:3 that we are transformed by the renewing of our minds as we set them on Jesus Christ and his ways for us. Then we will be able to test and approve what God's will is for us, his good, pleasing, and perfect will. Most people do not have a clue what their purpose in life is.

 

[Earlmayknowornot]

I agree that some of these threads turn into futile arguments. But sometimes The Lord through me has helped folks, I know that from private messages. Also, I have learned a thing or two. When you take a rough stone to a sword, it sharpens it and I think that's what were doing here.

On the other hand I been talking to a non believer and he is asking why we think the bible is true and I could use some help, even though I am the most intelligent person on earth(ha ha). I don't have all the answers, But when we act as one unit, we can accomplish much through Christ. Amen

 

[pickles]

I have often wondered what I would say, but more so, what would matter most to the child, or the person before me?
Yes, there are the words that speak to all we are called to, and these words are the cornerstone of all we need.
Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me.
The other words that matter?
There are three things that last, faith, hope and love, the greatest of these being love.
For as Jesus said, God is Love.
I see these words as the foundation of all we are called to, and the stone that we build all upon in our walk.
I have come to know that everything that is good in me, everything that is valued, everything eternal, comes from Our Father above in Jesus Christ is Lord come in the flesh.
But when it comes to what to say, to the one who needs to hear or asks?
I consider the scripture that says,
do not love me just in word, but in deed and truth as well.
I know that the loudest voice, was not just the words spoken, but the love in action set before me.
For I have heard many in my life say many things.
But the ones remembered were those who did the work, the serving love in Jesus.
For it was the kindness, the charity, the humility, the work of love given to me, that spoke the loudest and was seared upon my soul.
Sometimes what matters most, is not said in word, but done in faith for the others sake, the humble work of Jesus's love shown, that mattered the most.
I keep often in mind what Jesus said when He washed the apostles feet.
In time, you will understand why I do this.

God bless
pickles