You Can Say Anything To God. (But You Can't Say That.)

[Ugly]

P.S. When I was visiting my parent's church in Arizona, the pastor spoke of a church in California called Triple X Church that is focusing it's efforts on helping people break free from sexual immorality, specifically addictions to pornography and (don't quote me on this but if I remember correctly) the people who work in the sex industry as well.

You are correct about that. They actually go to porn conventions and set up tables. They pretty much deal with most areas of sexual problems from watching porn to making it. A few years ago they had a touring debate, traveling around different colleges. The pastor of XXX Church vs Ron Jeremy, one of the most well known modern porn stars. They traveled around debating porn, sex and the industry.
There are other similar ministries out there, and a number of well known porn stars have been saved out of that industry thanks to these ministries.

 

[AsifinPassing]

How on Earth am I supposed to respond to this in a succinct and beneficial manner??? LOL!!

For starters, Thank You Kim!! This was a good post, and I'm sorry people have been telling you there are things you can't talk to God about.

I've heard of people being told this (and may have been by a few people, though I can't really remember...), but I've always known you could talk to God about whatever. (Like you said, you can just look at David, or Abraham, or Moses, or Job for that matter!! They didn't always have the nicest or most righteous things to say either...) I'm sure I have my parents to thank for that. Both are very strong Christian disciples, and my father has been an Ordained Elder (type of official educated/certified minister in the Methodist and other churches) for many years.

Now, while I feel comfortable (more or less) to talk to God about anything, and do speak with Him more and more about different things as they come up, I can't really say I've spoken with Him about everything.

I marked about half of your poll choices, lol. I can talk to God anytime, anywhere, and the way I do can be different. Sometimes I use music. Most times I just speak. Sometimes I listen (this is vital and we--as in especially me--need to do it A LOT MORE!). Other times, I can just be still and know that He is God. I'm mindful of His presence, as it were, like when you and your best friend, family member, significant other...might be sitting next to each other...mindful that each other is there, but not really saying anything.

Anyway, I wish I could go back and see what I marked for the poll. I'm not worried about anonymity.
In fact, I couldn't live anywhere like Chicago, New York, London, Moscow, ext...because I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHO I AM, AND BE IN MY BUSINESS, AND CARE THAT I EXIST!! ...seriously...I have a hard time relating with those that don't.

So naturally, I'm glad that God is my constant companion. I speak to Him sometimes just as a friend. In fact, maybe more like best friend, brother, or even lover...if you can imagine the difference. You wouldn't necessarily speak to all those people/roles in the same way. I also speak to Him as Father and King. I speak to Him sometimes as God. I often speak to each different member of The Trinity.

I also, very much, believe in and use formal and liturgical prayers as well. I find many of John Wesley's prayers to be particularly identifiable with my own thoughts and feelings; as well as, a great deal of others.
I use music (hymnity especially) in this way too. There are a great many wonderful seas of prayers in the world apart from my own, and why not pray those I believe or identify with? It only benefits me, really....to add such beautiful walks with God, ideas and beliefs, and heart-changing pleas into my life.


Well, so much for being succinct, lol. In any case, I do feel more distant from God than usual, though I always feel Him and know He's with me. In fact, with the exception of Hell, there is no place you can go where God is not. The truth of the matter is that God is...and because He is, so are we. You don't have to pray for God to 'come your way' or 'fill some place'...His Spirit is ALREADY THERE! It's us that need to change and be mindful of Him. Perhaps the better prayer is to remove what separates us. ^^

Whatever the case, pray in the way the most connects you to God. That's the point of prayer anyway! Talk to Him about whatever, however, but be prepare for Him to reply if you listen...because He always does! (We just don't always hear or see it.)

 

[Blooming_Violet]

This has always been my thought as well. God already knows, so I might as well tell Him.

But here's what would happen--when I had questions, doubts, fears... In other words, when I was being normal, Christians would always jump on my faith. "You need to get closer to Jesus!!" So I took all their advice. And certain things were still not going well. But they always implied it must be due to some weak link in my faith. It's not that I have Ultimate Faith, but I wanted to tell them, please don't judge my faith as being weak. (Remember, Job's friends did the same to him. NOT that I am anything like Job, but I hate it when people assume I have no faith.)

I was on the phone one night with a church elder who told me I needed to do this, do that. And I was like, Do you not understand what I've just told you, the long list of classes, ministries, fasting, conferences, etc. that I've participated in trying to do what you people tell me to do in order to get closer to God?

After listening to this church elder criticize the state of my faith for 20 minutes, I was so frustrated that I finally told her: "HAVE YOU EVER PRAYED TO GOD DURING SEX?" "Have you ever told Him, 'Here I am, God, you can see what's happening, and I can't hide it from you, and I'm sorry.'"

DEAD. SILENCE. ON. THE. PHONE. She was literally speechless and had no idea what to say to that. I told her, "That's how close I am to God, I talk to Him in situations and about things that would make other people's skins crawl." I don't know how to get any closer to God than that. THEN I find that they tell me I'm being "very disrespectful to the Lord" and should NEVER discuss things like that in those situations with Him.

I'm sorry, but if I were in trouble, in any situation, I could call certain people in my life and they would come get me, no matter how dire or personal it may be. If I can go to them... I know I can go to God. Of course my faith isn't perfect. But something in me fights back when people try to tell me my faith is inferior to theirs.

I am NOT trying to be so personal that I make people uncomfortable and I hope I'm not offending anyone, but I am writing all of this because it's very strongly on my heart. When I was younger, I felt I had no one to go to and it caused all sorts of problems. My prayers are that anyone out there who needs to talk to someone will find comfort in a compassionate friend, and most of all, the God of Compassion Himself.

I don't mind being open about my own mistakes if it will save someone else from the things I got into such as cutting and eating disorders in order to cope with feeling like there was something always wrong with my faith.

Seoul,

Nothing is off limits. Unfortunately I too have prayed during sex and often, when I was under the same roof as my husband, and it wasn't the "Oh my God" like you hear on TV. No one has the right to judge your faith or your relationship with God. I know that it is God who helped me through it. Often God gives us the answers to our prayers and places them right in front of our faces. Sometimes we refuse to see it. Sometimes we walk in the desert being tested, or take another lap around the mountain. Often others tend to feel uncomfortable when you are struggling with something. Please remember that is THEIR problem not yours. God can and will give you guidance, encouragement and correction as He sees fit. Part of learning to trust Him is learning to lay down your will and wait with a positive attitude. I am not saying it is fun, but He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete. You are on the right track. The only thing that I have truly seen in the word that could really get you in hot water with the big man is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. I wonder what Joseph must have thought all those years as a slave. You don't think he cried out to God especially after having dreams of great power? Who would look on him and believe that he was favored by God while he was in prison. Even the men whose dreams he interpreted immediately forgot about him. God's ways are not our ways. Remember elders and pastors are just men. Only God has all the answers.

Blooming_Violet

.

 

[NodMyHeadLikeYeah]

On a semi-unrelated note, nice Meatloaf reference....I've done a lot of speculation on what exactly he wouldn't do for love.

He would do anything for love, he just wont do..............that.

 

[seoulsearch]

On a semi-unrelated note, nice Meatloaf reference....I've done a lot of speculation on what exactly he wouldn't do for love.

Not to derail my own thread , but Meatyboy actually answers this in the song: towards the end, he's singing back and forth to a woman and she asks if he'll do this and this and that, and he sings, "I can do that." And she then sings about how love is fickle and soon or later he'll sleeping around and he finally sings, "I would do anything for love... but I won't do that."

Badda Bing!

 

[Snackersmom]

*Re-rails Kim's thread*

I have always been prone to keeping things to myself, to my own detriment. I just don't like to burden people with stuff. I even held back discussing things with God, which was a huge mistake. When I finally did open up to Him, it amazed me how quickly He answered. I think that's really all I needed, to know that He really does care. It's one thing to read about it in the bible, but another to actually experience it.

So, I can't say think of anything that I wouldn't talk to Him about, but I do think it's important to still be respectful (He IS God, after all ).