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jsbach jsbach is offline
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Lately this idea has been emphasized to me:

Am I trying to get God to cooperate with MY plan?

OR

Am I asking God how I fit in His plan.

Seems ridiculous to think the God of all creation should fit into my plans. Unfortunately I'm silly enough to act that way sometimes.

Any thoughts from others?
- November 3rd, 2009, 09:52 am
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j0hn8andy j0hn8andy is offline
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j0hn8andy .....Take off the Rings.....That's the Goal.....

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I'm not sure I understand how the idea has been emphasized to you, but these are my thoughts.

If I ask God to give me something in particular.....then I want God to cooperate with my plan. Bargaining is often involved.

If, on the other hand, I ask God to give me the Courage and the Strength to pick myself up when I've been brought low.....I am trying to fit myself into His plan.

The second way is far more helpful, in my estimation, to the development Psyche and Soul.

j8a
- November 3rd, 2009, 01:16 pm
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kevin76 kevin76 is offline
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Good concept, but how do you know what God's plan for your life is?

Obviously asking him is a good start. And reading scripture - if my plans contradict what God clearly tells me in scripture, then my plans are not his.

Beyond that, questions like "should I take this job or that job" "should I live here or move away" "should I date this person or that one" are not always answered clearly.

Perhaps because God wants us to learn to make decisions for ourselves, as long as those decisions are not against what he has already told us.

Matthew 5
7"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. 9"Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

To me the message here is "ask!"
It's okay to ask God for what we want.
The thing we should be doing is trying to line up our 'wants' with Godly things.
As long as we ask God for good things, the only reason he wouldn't give them is if he has something better in mind.
If we ask God for bad things, he probably won't give us those (If your children as for a poisonous snake or a loaded gun would you give it to them?)

Even Jesus asked for something he knew was not God's plan, but he wanted it so badly he asked anyway (and accepted the answer he knew was coming.) "..if it be your will, let this cup pass from me.."

As we grow and mature in Christ, we should want less and less of what is bad for us, and more and more of what we want will be what God wants for us as well. That's the process of becoming like him.
But it is a process, and until the process is complete, go ahead and talk to him about how you're feeling - that's part of communication!
Just keep your ears open for when he tells you "no that's not my plan, how about this instead?"
- November 3rd, 2009, 02:20 pm
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jsbach jsbach is offline
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Thanks Sandy and Kevin. Thanks for the scripture, too. What you both say makes sense to me.

I remember reading in an essay by A.W.Tozer a striking statement. It was estimated that it took at least 15 years for a full-time Christian worker (Pastor, missionary, etc...) for them to actually get to the place where they felt they were giving their all to God. Fifteen years!

Technically all Christians should be "full time Christian workers." But I'm speaking of the folks who are leading us in our churches and foreign mission fields.

After a decade and a half of their vocation they at last feel like they are practicing some of what they preach.

It is very difficult for me to get my eyes off me and fix them on Jesus.

We aren't always shown God's will in all our matters. What Theologian once said that God doesn't play dice?

In other words, God does not toy with us. This is not a source of amusement for Him.

To follow the shepherd the sheep must stay close at all times. The fate of a lamb going his own way is not good.
- November 3rd, 2009, 05:04 pm
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j0hn8andy j0hn8andy is offline
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jsbach wrote :
It is very difficult for me to get my eyes off me and fix them on Jesus.

We aren't always shown God's will in all our matters. What Theologian once said that God doesn't play dice?
None of us are perfect. Not you. Not me.

But, when we falter, or even fail, we pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and try again. Even knowing we'll likely come up short again, we still try.

We give it our very best shot, each and every time.

Is there something in particular you're beating yourself up for? A Friend is starting to get concerned, and may be in need of some reassurance.

j8a
- November 3rd, 2009, 10:52 pm
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notyet notyet is offline
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jsbach wrote :
...all Christians should be "full time Christian workers." ...
+1
- November 3rd, 2009, 11:58 pm
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jsbach jsbach is offline
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Nope, nothing in particular. However, I don't think I communicated my idea very well. Thanks for asking, though.
- November 3rd, 2009, 11:59 pm
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moscowrunner moscowrunner is offline
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I think you did a fine job of communicating what you were thinking. It just got a little lost in the conversation. Paul said that he died daily. It's the same for all of us. I have been in full time Christian Service for most of my life. My parents were missionaries and so I grew up actively involved in the ministry of our church. Then I went to the mission field at 19. I have learned that fully giving your all is rarely a one time decision. It is a daily choice - even moment by moment. Keeping our eyes focused on Him and not on ourselves works the same way. It is an activity as much as it is a decision really. Starting the day by getting out of bed and saying "Good Morning, Lord," and never letting the conversation stop until the day is done. Keeping His word before us, meditating on it. It is just like any other relationship - it takes work. But it is the most rewarding relationship you will ever be a part of!
I know exactly what you mean about trying to get God to conform to my plan instead of me conforming to His. Waiting is a very hard thing. It is something that I have been doing a lot of lately. Sometimes it seems the answer will never come, but God's timing is perfect. God told us to ask, the important thing is that we be willing to submit no matter what the answer - that is the hard part. But His grace is sufficient even for that.
- November 4th, 2009, 10:09 pm
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jsbach jsbach is offline
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jsbach Out looking for serendipity

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Thanks, moscowrunner for your story and thoughts. It's a conscious moment by moment effort to live vertically, not horizontally.

As the late Larry Burkett of Crown Financial would say, "God is never late, but rarely early.

"Whether the shepherd is moving or standing still, a sheep's main concern is to stay close. This is what will save his life.
Last edited by jsbach; November 4th, 2009 at 11:29 pm.
- November 4th, 2009, 10:48 pm
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