Why is He Waiting?

Started by topside, May 11, 2017, 03:39:41 PM

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topside

I was reading the Bible today. I decided to chance expressing a few thoughts on this section of the forum ... just to think with some who might be like minded. I realize this is a political forum, but it's great that it's conservative caretakers include a space like this. This is the first time I've taken advantage of it. I can't really tell how much of the conservative members espouse to be true Christ followers, but I'm glad that one like me, in a longing pursuit of my creator, has a place to express thoughts relative to God.

When the Israelites were about to cross into the Promised Land after wandering 40 years in the desert, one of the things that Moses said was: "Do not say to yourself, 'The Lord has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness.' No, it is on account of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is going to drive them out before you." (Deut. 9:4). Moses is about to die. At this time, he chooses to tell them to be obedient and humble and remind them of how stiff necked, ungrateful, and forgetful some of their ancestors were in grumbling and worshiping false gods.

We have received grace (getting what we don't deserve) for a long time in this great nation. Why has God blessed the U.S so when many seem to be striving to promote the most abase evil. Why has he spared us this long? It's certainly not because of our righteousness. The U.S. is mingled with false religions that worship false Gods and promote their own ideas as if they were God - and it seems to be moving in the wrong direction by validating any form of worship; I guarantee that wasn't the original intent of our founders. We no longer seem like a country of free faith under the God of the Bible, but rather free in any religious manner which is more like the 60's hippie movement that was so destructive in the name of freedom, e.g., freedom in sexuality. Moreover, we slaughter and mutilate our children. We promote sodomy in the name of diversity.

If we would fall on our knees and obey his ways he would let us enjoy this good land under his guidance. Regarding action, all I know for certain is that we as believers are to love the Lord God and our neighbor as ourselves. But, instead, much of the country denies God at every opportunity and longs mostly for their selfish comfort and happiness. Even the Christian conservatives in leadership seem to rationalize and compromise with those who promote evil disguised under law.

There is a time to sow and a time to reap. I'm afraid there are some tragic seeds in the soil of our nation that have grown for a long time - and we're reaping the consequences. Let's should continue to plant good seed and ask God to grow it - and to burn the ungodly growth. I ask that those who obey him join me in falling on our knees and ask that God will act supernaturally, with the power of all heaven, to bring the whole nation humbled before him. Unlike Moses, I have trouble praying for mercy (not getting punishment deserved) but rather long for a nation that is humble and righteous under God. 

Hoofer

For a long time, I struggled with the similar question, seeing morality decline in America, "...we gotta be getting close, things can't get much worse ... God will surely judge America." etc.  Not much has changed, but I've begun to see things from a slightly different perspective - it started after listening to the NT... over and over, almost 2 1/2 years, about 35-40 times a year.  (not bragging, by any stretch).

In the past, without thinking about it, I compartmentalized the Bible, this is prophecy, this is for pastors & deacons, this is for end-times, this is for church problems, this is for person-to-person relationships - all subconsciously, not realizing what or why I was doing it.  Granted I want to *know* and *understand* what I read, or have read to me.

Now I'm slowly beginning to see the "transitions" from Israel to the Apostolic to the formation of the Church, back to Israel and into the Kingdom.   The total focus, or mission of the Lord is constant, just as the Westminster Catechism says, "The chief end of man is to know God and enjoy Him forever".  The barrier, or chasm, to knowing God is sin.  What Jesus Christ did, is the bridge.

Those words to the woman at the well, are still settling into my thick noggin...  (note the underlined)

Quote6 Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.
7 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.
8 (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.)
9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.
10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
11 The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?
12 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?
13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:
14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
15 The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.
16 Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.
17 The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband:
18 For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.
19 The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.
20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.
21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.
26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.

This is a transition, from the nation Israel to the Church.  From a Nation of People, to a Body of Individuals called The Bride of Christ, or Church.  The NEXT major transition will be from the Church back to Israel, beginning with the Rapture.  But... the goal is exactly the same, "the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him".  I am not expecting some sort of National revival in America, nor do I pray for it.  It's one person here, or there, just Individuals.  The Nation of Israel is worth praying for... always.

The chief end of man is to know God and enjoy Him forever.  God is Love, Truth, Merciful, and all that is unnatural to us....
In our nature, we're too DENSE to recognize "potential sheep", He is still collecting them.

Why is He waiting?   He's still calling His own to come home... an example of Love and Mercy, far beyond my ability to comprehend, or muster from my own heart.  God has been very, very good to me.   How could I deny such love and patience to anyone else?  He knows when He's got the last one, called out of the world and into His Church, the Bride of Christ.  God has been so good to me!
All animals are created equal; Some just take longer to cook.   Survival is keeping an eye on those around you...

Solar

If we ignore God, God will ignore us, the US.
Official Trump Cult Member

#WWG1WGA

Q PATRIOT!!!

topside

Quote from: Hoofer on May 12, 2017, 04:46:09 PM
For a long time, I struggled with the similar question, seeing morality decline in America, "...we gotta be getting close, things can't get much worse ... God will surely judge America." etc.  Not much has changed, but I've begun to see things from a slightly different perspective - it started after listening to the NT... over and over, almost 2 1/2 years, about 35-40 times a year.  (not bragging, by any stretch).

In the past, without thinking about it, I compartmentalized the Bible, this is prophecy, this is for pastors & deacons, this is for end-times, this is for church problems, this is for person-to-person relationships - all subconsciously, not realizing what or why I was doing it.  Granted I want to *know* and *understand* what I read, or have read to me.

Now I'm slowly beginning to see the "transitions" from Israel to the Apostolic to the formation of the Church, back to Israel and into the Kingdom.   The total focus, or mission of the Lord is constant, just as the Westminster Catechism says, "The chief end of man is to know God and enjoy Him forever".  The barrier, or chasm, to knowing God is sin.  What Jesus Christ did, is the bridge.

Those words to the woman at the well, are still settling into my thick noggin...  (note the underlined)

This is a transition, from the nation Israel to the Church.  From a Nation of People, to a Body of Individuals called The Bride of Christ, or Church.  The NEXT major transition will be from the Church back to Israel, beginning with the Rapture.  But... the goal is exactly the same, "the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him".  I am not expecting some sort of National revival in America, nor do I pray for it.  It's one person here, or there, just Individuals.  The Nation of Israel is worth praying for... always.

The chief end of man is to know God and enjoy Him forever.  God is Love, Truth, Merciful, and all that is unnatural to us....
In our nature, we're too DENSE to recognize "potential sheep", He is still collecting them.

Why is He waiting?   He's still calling His own to come home... an example of Love and Mercy, far beyond my ability to comprehend, or muster from my own heart.  God has been very, very good to me.   How could I deny such love and patience to anyone else?  He knows when He's got the last one, called out of the world and into His Church, the Bride of Christ.  God has been so good to me!

Great perspective Hoofer and a lot to chew on ... thanks for putting it out there.

topside

This is relative to both Hoofer's and Solar's comments.

There are many places in the Bible that talk about God turning his face from his people when they sin ... disobey his commands. And he has been faithful to turn back when the hearts of the people sincerely repent.

Could God do as he did with one of the OT prophets - Elijah. The contest of their god to the true God. He mocked that maybe their God was busy or asleep. But no matter what the false priests did, nothing happened. Then Elijah had water drench the offering to God - totally saturated. And God consumed it through fire - all water evaporated too and the stones were even consumed. THEN the false prophets were put to death. I don't see that happening now - after Christ has come and based on his teachings. But wouldn't it be amazing if something like that would happen in the US! And only those whose hearts belonged to him remained. That's really how the end-times will work - but the believers in Christ will be taken out. Not sure if before or after the last war on earth, but in the end, evil loses it all. 

More specifically, I think a lot about what our children"eat" everyday. No, not about MO's lunch program, but their daily intake of thought garbage. And mostly how many are surprised how bad our public school systems are when our nation somehow decided to kick God out of the schools years ago by some stretch of ill-born logic.  Then the good teachers are muzzled from mentioning God in schools and the godless liberals persist in making their case that god doesn't exist. The fallen nature of men are bad enough even when God is a part of our experience growing up. How much worse if you grow up with the mixed bag of secular "wisdom" that's inherent in the entire public education system today. 

The fallen condition of our nation seems more entrenched now than it ever has been throughout our US history. Even if the Christian Conservatives somehow led the country for the forseeable future, it would still take a couple generations to undo the current state of indoctrination by the non-Christian perspective. And that's if the Christian Conservative leaders were faithful and obedient to God and the Republic principles - not self-serving, abdicating, or worse.

So now we pray, act on what He puts at our hand, and wait.

Hoofer

While at one time, I thought God would deal with America as a nation, judge us all - I honestly don't believe that at all anymore.
What I see in the Bible is borne out in Jesus' statement "I have other sheep, which are not of this fold..."

QuoteJohn 10:22And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. 23And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch. 24Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. 25Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. 26But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. 27My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. 30I and my Father are one.

31Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. 32Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? 33The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.

Right from the mouth of Jesus - these are stoning words...  But pay particular attention, the ministry of Jesus was the transition from dealing with Israel as a Nation to individual persons.  Whereas, there -was- a temple & Holies of Holies, which only the High Priest entered to give sacrifice, the Temple Veil was torn in two (top to bottom - or God towards man), and as the Author of Hebrews said,
QuoteHebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Jesus opened the door widely that -anyone- can come directly to God... and notice it's NO Altar for sacrifices, but directly to God's throne.  Lastly notice, there is -nobody- blocking each one of us from God's presence, not a Priest, dead saint, etc., - we go directly.  This is completely NEW, Israel never had anything like this before - an Individual, Personal Relationship with God...?  Unheardof!

The Religious Institutional worship has been completely replaced with an Individual Relationship.  Had this ever happened before?
QuoteRomans 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
Again, an Individual choice, Individual faith, there is no corporate "faith", but Individual faith in a singular person, Jesus.  We obtain the "righteousness of God" through belief in Jesus Christ.  What about in the past?

QuoteRomans 4:1What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? 2For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. 3For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. 4Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. 5But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. 6Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,
This is quoting the Old Testament, Genesis 15, where Abraham did nothing other than look up at the stars, and take God for His word.  Again, it's about an Individual Relationship, for both Abraham and David ... individual belief, or faith, in a personal God.

It is no wonder, the Westminster Confession: The Chief end of man is to know (or gloify) God and enjoy Him forever" - wasn't some pithy saying, but absolutely true, to know Jesus, is to glorify God.  Whom ever came up with that expression, really condensed the purpose for God creating man, in one sentence. 

As a last thought, again, it's about a -personal- relationship with Jesus Christ, does each of us *know* Him, or do we just know a lot about Him.
QuoteMatthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

It is curious to consider, they called Jesus, "Lord" - but He sent them away.
I knew a fair amount *about* Jesus, His life, death and resurrection - believed it all, without question.
One January day, after I heard an invitation to be introduced to Him personally - changed everything, from then on, I *know* Him, and the Spirit of God confirms, He knows me as one of His own.

I have to applaud the Apostle John, the Son of Thunder, same guy who asked if it was OK to call down FIRE from heaven to consume a few fellas who he didn't see eye-to-eye with.  The guy was pretty ROUGH and probably short-tempered as a kid.  As an old man, he humbly refers to himself, "the apostle whom Jesus loved."  Maybe... John knew, he was one breath away from denying Jesus, as Peter had, knowing his own temperament - it was only Peter who spoke up *first*, or it would have been him.  *We* are more kind to John than he was to himself, John focused on the love of Jesus, like no other disciple - the love he may have personally lacked, until late in life.

All animals are created equal; Some just take longer to cook.   Survival is keeping an eye on those around you...

topside

Well said Hoofer ... thanks.