Religion and works

God gives guidance that would result in triumphant living if they are followed. Protection from divorce is just one of them but statistics tell us Christians divorce at the same rate as non Christians.

Is there something you are doing because God is guiding you, and would you tell us about it?

This is tough for me. I always feel a tug from the Holy Spirit in situations where it seems illogical and none of my business. I have had a few of those quick 5 minute heart to heart discussion with God that go something like this:

Are you sure you want me to say something to these people?
YES
Ah man, I don't even know them and I doubt they would even listen to me.
JUST DO IT, I WILL INTERCEDE
What am I specifically suppose to say to them?
YOU ALREADY KNOW THIS BECAUSE I ALREADY INSTRUCTED YOU


I really feel like Moses, speaking to I AM as the Burning Bush, claiming how inadequate I am.


But, I have been to places, where just days earlier the police arrested someone for buying food for the homeless. And suddenly, the Holy Spirit is instructing me, to buy food for a particular homeless person. This is when you conclude, hmmm, my new ministry must be behind bars

I was in a Wally World (Wal-Mart) shopping and passed a couple going the opposite direction. Suddenly, I felt the Holy Spirit instruct me to turn around and catch up to this couple. As I am walking towards them, I am asking God, what is it I am suppose to say when I get to them. And God is so smart, He always waits until I am fully committed (like have caught up to them and politely call out to them getting their attention) before laying it on me to say, You are pregnant!! Anyways, I said to the woman, God has told me that you are pregnant. She looked at her obvious husband and tears just began streaming down her face. The man said, I am not sure who you are, but for years we have been struggling to have a baby. We have tried everything and have been working with a specialist. I said, all I know is God told me to say you are pregnant.

We spoke a little longer and then exchanged numbers. They told me they were seeing the specialist in a few days to see if there was any progress made. Then they invited me to their church that coming Sunday. I felt this urgency to agree, so I accepted their invitation. The week went by and no word from them. But on that Sunday morning, I got ready and drove to their church. I parked, got out of my vehicle, and began walking toward the entrance doors when the front door flew open. Here came this woman, her husband, and bot sets of their parents. She literally just rant to me and just wrapped her arms around me exclaiming, "I am pregnant, I am pregnant, it's a true miracle from God!!"

Today, I am their children's Godfather!!


I have so many examples I could mention. The one thing I do know for a certainty. If you do as God instructs you, He will always find a way to use you. It's not the most pleasant thing to do at times, and there are many moments, where I am asking is this really God.

Hard to follow that up...

God told us if we want wisdom to pray expectantly and we will receive it. I did this for months. Now I can barely cope with the foolishness that surrounds me on all sides. Before I hadn’t noticed it, maybe even participated in it. Now it is a sea of stupidity that I’m drowning in.

This is a rather naive view. God does indeed protect His people from much of the brokenness of this world, but divorce is not that simple. Preserving a marriage takes two faithful, committed believers. One without the other has no guarantees of success, only the guarantee of God's faithfulness and presence.

The danger with this view is that some people base their relationship with God on their misunderstanding of His promises. Nowhere does He promise to preserve the marriage of a believer (or initiate one, for that matter). When marriages break down despite one spouse's best efforts, their faith in God may be shaken or even destroyed if they have put their hope in a non-existent promise and life goes unexpectedly sideways.

By the way, what does this topic have to do with either "religion" or "works"?

Dino
Would you give scripture in regard to the danger?

Abraham shows us what works has to do with faith in the Lord, for we know of Abraham's faith through his works. Genesis 15:6 Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

The evidence is not from Scripture but from observed experience. People believe things that aren't true, and when they don't happen as expected, they turn away from God, having erroneously concluded that He is not faithful.

Have you decided that using God's guidance is too dangerous to use for fear that you would turn from God if it failed? If you were counseling a married couple would you warn them against blaming God if your counseling, directed by God failed?

There you go again, making mountainous assumptions from molehills of evidence.

Just... don't.

Then stop your complaining about God asking his people to listen to his guidance.

In order to stop doing that, I'd have to start first. I haven't.