Excellent post, Brad!

Helen

At 10:04 AM 12/22/03 -0600, you wrote:
>Mat,
>
>We live in a fallen world, in times where stuff just happens. Over
>Christianizing such happenings is probably as bad as the opposite, that of
>ignoring God's involvement in our lives at all. I wonder how God feels
>getting the blame for work of the enemy? Isn't he, the enemy the one who
>came to kill, steal and destroy? That does not mean to ignore the events
>and happenings in our life and not look for God's hand in it, but  things
>happen and mistakes happen, and we deal with them. I like your scripture
>reference on shutting people up lol. Actually a scripture that  helps me,
>and I am not sure of it's location right off, but says to the effect...
>
>All things are turned for the good of those who believe in God. Some
>translations say "who love God". If anyone knows where this is, let me
>know. I ought have it memorized chapter and verse and verbatim, but do in
>gist of application.  This is sometimes mistaken for saying that all good
>things happen to those who believe, and if you are having difficulties,
>then you don't believe enough... hogwash! That is not the point it means.
>Point being that not all things we endure come from God, but they are
>turned for the good of those who love and believe and trust in God.
>Sometimes that may mean just leaning on God for peace and strength which is
>more valuable than the occurence or loss in the first place. I did run
>across another scripture to help shut folks up if you like lol.
>
>1 Thess 4:11
>11 and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own
>business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you
>
>I'm sure they are meaning well and trying to give you hope, but sometimes
>the transparency of those ideals are insulting more than comforting.
>Biblical patronizing? Seems all would be able to see through those
>attempts, but I guess not. I'd rather deal with that fact I didn't remove
>the canvas top, it caught some air, yanked the bike out the truck and boom!
>Rather than spiritualizing it and wondering if God is telling me not to
>ride the bike? Will we get hurt? Will we hurt the baby? Were we about to
>get in an accident in that pick up truck, the old man isn't saved yet, and
>God whipped the bike off the truck to stop us? Was the pin striping on
>crooked and so he trashed the bike so we ought get a new one? lol What is
>the great meaning behind this? Just as we can, without God in our lives,
>run circular equations, never getting an answer, we can do this too as God
>being the brunt of that never ending loop. Sometimes we don't know why
>things happen and just need to chalk it up to not knowing and that God will
>work it out in the end. In your quest of Christianity depth you will run
>across doom and gloomers and those with Santa Claus in the sky attitudes
>looking to be blessed out of their socks with gifts and etc. So one needs
>to keep that knowledge  in mind when being guided by others. If one
>lives  each day in prayer over such purchases and etc. one will know
>already what to do according to God's prompting and no need to second
>guess... as much lol I say as much because we sometimes miss it, but then
>we know that we know we did. Sounds good the body shop guy might be able to
>fix it up some. That might be cheaper than buying a new one. Of course it
>ought be safe, but I'd think it could be so if not trampled  completely.
>
>Brad