Christian Insights and Inspiration

[Statesman63]

Just ask.  Hopefully I can be of help to understandings and inspiration.  God bless.

[Statesman63]

Hmmm....

Disclaimer:  I do not expect for anyone to believe everything I may say.  I know we all have our own beliefs.  I welcome those who's beliefs differs than mine.  Just take what ever you want and read over whatever you don't agree with.  That's what I do when I read religious posts from others.  I personally, welcome all.  THis thread is intended for Christians though as the title says.  God bless.

[surfmonkey]

Hey there! Thanks for your message. I was in need of some insight about what I feel god may want me to do. I have a friend and I believe that god would agree that the way she makes me feel is wrong. She doesn't do it on purpose. Makes me anxious and makes me feel stupid. But not intended to make me feel that way.I asked god to close the relationship if he thought she was in anyway a threat or someone I shouldn't surround myself with. I told him that if she did not text me the following day then I would know he does not want me to speak with her. She did not reply when I expected her to. Now I don't know if god wants me speaking to her or if it was just because the previous conversation was a bit touchy. What do you think? I don't want to overlook gods opinion at all. He may be seeing something I can't see. Just don't know if god works the way I proposed him to work?? Any opinion you have I welcome.
God bless!

[Statesman63]

Hey there! Thanks for your message. I was in need of some insight about what I feel god may want me to do. I have a friend and I believe that god would agree that the way she makes me feel is wrong. She doesn't do it on purpose. Makes me anxious and makes me feel stupid. But not intended to make me feel that way.I asked god to close the relationship if he thought she was in anyway a threat or someone I shouldn't surround myself with. I told him that if she did not text me the following day then I would know he does not want me to speak with her. She did not reply when I expected her to. Now I don't know if god wants me speaking to her or if it was just because the previous conversation was a bit touchy. What do you think? I don't want to overlook gods opinion at all. He may be seeing something I can't see. Just don't know if god works the way I proposed him to work?? Any opinion you have I welcome.
God bless!

Hi Surfmonkey.  That is a tough question, but please allow me to ramble a bit and maybe you can find some answers from what I say.  There are different types of prayers and there are different ways that God answers prayers.  The type of prayer that you seem to be saying is, "God, I would like to know which decision I should make and since I don't know, please make it for me."  We can divide God's will into 2 categories: his hidden, personal will that only He knows for us, and His written, revealed will that He has given us to know freely. I just have to mention that God wants us to be faithful to what has been revealed to us before he gives us the hidden things.  But with that said, we, Christians do have the mind of Christ (1 Co. 2:16).  Jesus is our mediator and our line connection between us and the Father.  The closer to Jesus, the closer to God's will we will be.  So really we ought not be so caught up with knowing what that will is that we miss the way and Person that gets us there.  The Holy Spirit's desire is to give Jesus glory.  So living by the Spirit (the fruits of the Spirit) brings us into a closer relationship with Christ and assures that we are living God's will for us.  It can be inferred that if we have the mind of Christ, then in some way, we know His personal, hidden will for us. 

I have a good friend and classmate who is always telling me what God said to her and what decisions God told her to make that day.  She then says, "I know it's from God, because the devil would never tell me something like that."  There is no way I can argue with her differently.  The bible says we have the mind of Christ and that God speaks to our hearts and minds.  She does point out a good way of recognizing if it is the Lord or not: make sure that it is in allignment with the Revealed will of the Word of God rather than something that Satan would tell you.  A person needs to be in fellowship with God for Him to speak to your hearts and minds freely.  If you are a Christian, you are saved.  Salavation is not something we have to work for.  But if you are a Christian, you are not necessarily in fellowship.  Fellowship with God is something that we have to work on everyday.  Repenting of our sins in Christ and living by the Spirit puts us back in fellowship.   

With all of that said, I don't think we should always expect God to answer our prayer of, "What to do now God?"  God wants us to make wise decisions with the wisdom He brought us up in, in His Word.  He wants us to be independent enough to go and trust Him in our going that He will bring us through whatever future that we are uncertain of.  He gave us the tools of making wise decisions from His Word; now we have to just go and make those wise decision and weigh our decisions whether they are in alignment with His word.  If they are, then we should just trust that the decision is good.  Sometimes the flesh wants us to lie to ourselves about that, but we have to really look deep within and make those decisions based on His word.  God Himself is in you; Christ is in you; you are the temple of the Lord; you have the mind of Christ: so you are completely equipped to make wise decisions. 

It should also be said that God does answer people in other ways in the bible.  Sometimes God's people would sometimes cast lots (similar to drawing straws) to find out what God wants them to do.  And God would answer them via that method.  I don't recommend that method because I haven't heard of anyone, in the current day doing that. In the OT, God answered through the priest or prophet or even an angel.  Answers would come directly or in dreams. 

Just looking at what you wrote, I would suggest that someone who keeps making you feel badly is not someone to continue to associate with.  But you say she doesn't do it on purpose, so maybe she needs to be educated about your anxiety (I'm assuming).  I had people who no matter how much education they had, still put me down, so I knew to disassociate with them. 

[surfmonkey]

Now I get everything you are you saying. I cannot tell if this is something god wants or if its what the devil wants. I think I will continue with friendship and then use my wisdom from there. I guess the lord can't be mad at me for being confused.lol thank you very much for all your insight because I always appreciate good religious facts and biblical,spiritual information. It really broke it down for me and it really made me see more sides to this. I stay in my word and as well I have very high faith. I'm just going to do what feels right. Thank you so much! God bless! Take care!

[Rginsa]

Hi State,

Where would be a good place to start reading the bible? I have tried many a time to read it from the beginning,
liike i do with most books
but struggle to get past the first few pages and then i just close it.

[frazzle]

I would start in the New Testament. IMO.

[Statesman63]

Hi State,

Where would be a good place to start reading the bible? I have tried many a time to read it from the beginning,
liike i do with most books
but struggle to get past the first few pages and then i just close it.

Thanks for the question.  It would be difficult to read the bible from beginning to end.  I do have an order that I can suggest.  But first, I think that the version of bible is important to be able to read it all.  For readability, I would suggest that you study from the New International Version (NIV).  It is not the most accurate, but it is accurate enough.  It is both really readable and accurate enough.  If you wanted pure understanding and laymen's terms, then I would recommend the New Living Version (NLV).  In fact, for every obscure verse that is difficult to understand, it's always a good idea to look it up in the NLV.  If you are looking for accuracy, then I would suggest the New American Standard (NAS) along with another of its type such as the RSV or ESV.  No one version is good alone if you are looking for accuracy. 

With that said, I'd suggest going through the bible with the NIV.  And like the person who posted above me, I'd suggest starting with the New Testament.  To keep you interested in your reading, I'd suggest a particular order because to read the Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John straight, it may feel like you are reading the same thing over and over again and it may weary your attention.  So I would say choose one between Matthew, Mark and Luke, and then read John.  John is unique to them all so it's an easy read. 

To help with your decision between the three: It will talk about the end of the world in Matthew and the main purpose of Matthew is proving to the Jewish readers that Jesus is their Messiah. Luke includes the child Jesus stories, which is not a lot, but it has the most parables of Jesus.  Mark is the most abbreviated of the Gospels and is said to be the first one written and Matt. and Luke wrote their Gospels using Mark as a basis.  I'm not sure how true that is, but it is the first Gospel written.  The book of John highlights the deity of Jesus. 

So choose one, and then the book of John, then skip Acts or at least read the first 10 chapters (you will come back of course and read everything that you skipped the first time), then Romans to Jude and come back to everything you skipped and then read Revelation.  You may need help interpreting Revelation and there are places to go for help with that and I can help you too.

Then read Esther to Isaiah.  Skip Jeremiah for now (it's too gloomy except for a few verses in the entire book).  Read Lamentations, skip Ezekiel for now for the same reasons and read Daniel to Malachi. Then go to the beginning and read Genesis on up only skipping what you have already read.   By that time, you'll be hooked and will want to read it all.  That, IMO, is the most exciting trek through the bible.  I wish you well!

[Rginsa]

Thanks

[surfmonkey]

Hey there. I happen to read the message and it puts into understandable terms and it is accurate. I highly recommend it