sho .21

I go to a Christian school, and every Wednesday we have a chapel. Today in chapel, the pastor was talking about salvation. He brought up a very good point. He said that just believing in Jesus won't get you into Heaven. He said you also have to literally live your life for Him, and get rid of all the things in your life that are of this world, because if you don't, then you are not fully living your life for Jesus and that won't get you into Heaven. Whats got me so confused (and a little worried) over this, is that in John 11:25-26, it says "Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?' ". All it says you need to do in that verse to get to Heaven is just believe in Him. It says nothing about what the pastor said today. But, I got to thinking again. The demons believed in Him, and look what happened to them. Infact the pastor today even said that. Can somebody please explain all this to me? What do you really have to do? This has all got me somewhat worried.

Cmotif

iTrader: (4)

It is the difference between having knowledge of something or trusting in it for you day to day life.

For example, I believe that Gandhi lived. So what. He did a great job for India. I even have a movie about him. But it makes no difference to me on a day to day basis.

What is completely difference about Christ, once I really know Him, I can't really get through the day without Him. Jesus being the Son of God is involved in Creation. He designed human existence as we know it and know how it is best to be lived. Not only that, but He paid the price for my sin that forced me to live seperate from God. Now that I have Christ, I am in relationship God that nothing else can provide.

I need Christ for His strength, His wisdom, His care and so much more. I need Christ every day. Jesus said in John 10:10 "I came that they might have life and have it abundantly". We don't truly live to our fullness as God intended until we come to Christ.

I don't need Gandhi, Sartre', Freud, Jung etc etc etc.

I challenge you to write out what you have been given by God, and how Christ helps you.

Let me know if what I have said helps, and if you are encouraged when you look at what you have written out about your relationship with God.

God bless,

Christian Motif

nitrorocks

iTrader: (28)

I think your asking the age old question:

How do I get to Heaven?

This is pretty heavy stuff. Very important to get it clear in your head.

Here's what I know. There are 2 main beliefs in the CHURCH as to how to get there. The 1st would be that accepting Jesus Christ as the Son of God (and part of God) layed down his life to pay my sins. Believing in him and asking him into my life as my savior to make me a new creation. THIS IS AN ACT OF MERCY AND GRACE. The 2nd would be that somehow this isn't enough and that I need to atone for my sins. This would be trying to get to Heaven on your own...by your own works.

I think most of us know John 3:16 .... we accept Jesus as the way.... or u probly wouldn't be in this forum. But is there anything we can really do to somehow ADD to our salvation?!? The thief on the cross didn't. In the end he accepted Jesus as Lord and Jesus said to him, "Today you will be with me in Paradise." T'was an Act of Mercy and Grace!

Read Galations. It's a short book and I think it will help.

-Alan

Express_Guy

there is no god

nitrorocks

iTrader: (28)

If that's true and we're wrong.....we'll never know it.

If your wrong.....you'll spend eternity in HELL.

Hmmm.....glad i'm on this side of the pond. You ever wanna discuss that scientifically......LMK.

-Al

Mr. Shookie

iTrader: (9)

To just start....
If he really said you have to get rid of all the things in your life that are of this world, that you would truely be living for Christ is not TRUTH..
The Lord allows us Grace and Mercy.
All things are lawfull but not all things are etifying(sp)
Meaning that, yes its ok to drink a glass of wine, Jesus and many others did.
But what I think the Pastor was trying to convey might be what Paul meant by not being under the submission of anything other than the Holy Spirt.
See I can play with Toy cars as it one keeps my hands from being idol and also keeps me from becoming a couch potatoe. But there was a time that RC was taking up my toughts, my time and even too much of what GOD gave me each month to survive on, and I was under its submission.
I now have things in proper order.
For example I had the opportunity to go race today and have fun with friends, Wife is at Spirt West Coast and I wouldn't miss church.
But I prayed and asked GOD what he desired for me to do today.
He put on my heart to Serve the Body at the church bar b que.
So I forgot about the race and went and served. I was blessed by the service, So many people were there that haven't really spoke with in a while and having had medical issues recently they were all worried about me and were blessed to know their prayers were answered and I was OK and back serving at church.

See God doesn't care that we have things, He just wants are priorities in order.
GOD first of course.
Once you put HIM first in everything then everything else in this world has no value. Everything worldy that a Christian owns, is GOD's already. He gave it and He can take away.
Hope that helps,
As you selling everything might be a great outward expression for everyone else to see, GOD cares more about your heart. If you have given HIM that than HE is satisfied. Let the Lord confict you of what you should have in your life or what you should not have in your life. He knows what is best for you, Not even your Pastor knows what GOD has instore for you, Only GOD knows.
Let Him be the inforcer.
Sorry if I sound rough but I was under a simular Pastor and He became very legalistic and caused many people to do simular things. Not the best thing for the church and Half stayed with him and the other left...
Hurt really bad...
-Shookie

PD2

Mr. Shookie,

Could not agree with you more brother! The way our Pastor puts it is that God is not against you having stuff, He just does not want the stuff to have you! Let's put it like this. When you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, He came to live within. What you traded with Him was your old spirit for a new Spirit and in turn, He got "flesh" - a body to use to reach those that are in need physically and spiritually! It's not you who does things for Christ or for God, but God's Spirit who lives within you that gives you the "want-to" or will to do what He has called you to do! And yes, just as Mr. Shookie pointed out, EVERYONE's calling is different for their lives and only a close, personal relationship with God will reveal that.

Our Pastor was just teaching on that yesterday in fact. Its not enough to know about Him if you wish to know ALL that He has for you. If you are looking for that kind of information for your life from Him, then you need to know Him intimately! It's like, when you hang out with your best friend or maybe even your spouse you have spent so much time around them you know how they will respond to certain questions or what they will choose in certain situations. We have to get to a place where our complete TRUST in our relationship with God is such that when things occur we already know what He will say, do or how He will bring things to pass because of the relationship we have. When we get to that point that is when we enter into the full rest of God!

PD2

nitrorocks

iTrader: (28)

Amen Bro!

I too agree...when u accept Christ (truly) as Lord and Savior of your life....the Holy Spirit comes into your life and makes you a new creation. Like the symbolism of Baptism....Burial and Resurrection. The Holy Spirit then guides and influences you to make changes in your life. Makes you aware of sin that you never saw in your life before. No it's not always INSTANT...lifes a journey.

Galations 5:22-23
22 But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. Here there is no conflict with the law.

**On a side note: I thank God for this AWSOME forum! What a great experience to be able to share with other believers in Christ.

Express_Guy

wow you guys are so stuck up. let me lead my life for the lord, who doesnt exsist. we evolved from primemates. get that through your thick heads. GOD DOES NOT EXSIST.

Mr. Shookie

iTrader: (9)

Wheres your proof?
I have mine...
Besides, If we had evolved (meaning to become better) then why are there still primates? If they are pre-evolved forms of us?
See two things are wrong with evolution, one is where did the ooze come from?
And Two, if man is already 20million years on evolutionary scale why is it that man is getting worse....
Yes there where dinasaurs, they were 600-900 year old reptiles that kept growing to fit there inviroment. Man use to live that long too before a flood...
Sorry Bro but there is too much intel that there is a creator than Darwin could amagine up....

-Shookie <
Please though follow the rules of the forums.
If you don't have anything usefull to add to the topic than please don't post.
The thread was asking for help with an interpitation, not if there was a GOD.

Express_Guy

ok here is my proof. Where is heaven or god???? o wow, nowhere because it doesnt exist.

nitrorocks

iTrader: (28)

Well said Mr. Shookie! I always laugh when somebody says we came from monkeys! That's hilarious!

1. NOBODY has EVER found a missing link! EVER! Not living or in fossils.

2. The law of Thermodynamics basically states that all things head to a state of chaos. Meaning...things don't Evolve...Improve...Enhance. My RC truck doesn't get faster with age. It falls apart. The human body (as I hit 30) definately doesn't get better. Our sun? Our planet? NOPE NOTHING...so how is it that humanity has evolved?

I could go on...but here are some questions for you in all fairness. Please read them and answer them:

1. Where did the space for the universe come from?

2. Where did matter come from?

3. Where did the laws of the universe come from (gravity, inertia, etc.)?

4. How did matter get so perfectly organized?

5. Where did the energy come from to do all the organizing?

6. When, where, why, and how did life come from dead matter?

7. Is it possible that similarities in design between different animals prove a common Creator instead of a common ancestor?

**I'm not trying to be stuck up or smug...I just know that once I had questions about such things and it wasn't till I looked for the answers that I found the right ones. Please ask any questions you might have!

Thanks,
Alan

Express_Guy

Wow, ok you have given me a bunch of possibilities. NO PROOF. I want definitive proof of a GOD, heaven, or anything. How about you answer where it is located? You will prbaby say, in our spirits. But if it isnt physical and can not be located, then IT IS NOT REAL. Give me some definitive proof and how DOG ( i mean GOD) has helped you, and maybe you wont get made fun of that much anymore........

nitrorocks

iTrader: (28)

God is everywhere. Just because you can't see, smell, taste, or touch something doesn't make it untrue. The air you breath for example.

As for Heaven...I don't know where it's at...the Bible doesn't elude to a SPECIFIC geographical location but it assures us that it was created when the earth was made. Also, many scientists believe there are other dimensions that we can't see. 4th dimension or other. Again...Just because you can't see, smell, taste, or touch something doesn't make it untrue.

As for Heaven being in our spirits...actually...no. Heaven is not in our spirits...it is a physical place...and eventually at the end of this world Heaven and this earth are joined. It is very much a physical place.

As for GOD...how he has helped me: WOW ... thats a good question. Well...a few years back my marriage was over. DONE! My kids lives uncertain and my own was not feeling like it was worth very much. I cryed out to God...HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME! It was like I was hit with a bomb. God isn't some genie who serves me...but I was supposed to serve him. And what had I done for him...nothing! Long story short...my wife and I recommitted ourselves to living our lives for Christ. Wouldn't you know 1yr ago my friend and his wife go thru the exact same thing. I share my testimony with him and suddenly he gives his life to Christ too. And another friend has similiar problems...and just got Baptized a couple months ago. Then my parents start going to church with us. Then my sister has probs and she comes to a group we host at our house....and she believes. Then my niece...then my NEPHEW who's been doing so many drugs and kicked out of school. You can say its all a bunch of feel good crap...but let me tell you. YOU CAN FEEL HIS PRESENCE IN YOUR LIFE. The above story doesn't mean much to you but you if you know some of these people...if you were to know how they were before and where they are at now....you would not be able to deny that God is in control.

Now...I answered your Questions as truthfully as possible....please answer mine above.

oh....and as for being made fun of....doesn't bother me in the least....as I said before...I know where i'm going!

-Alan

PD2

http://www.reasons.org/

Spend a little time on this site. Dr. Hugh Ross is a scientist but has used it to explain God and the things of the Bible. If you are so focused on proof spend some time listening and reading some of that proof.

But I think there are several things that can be questioned like what you are questioning. Have you ever seen air? Have you ever seen wind? Have you ever seen your own brain? Have you ever seen the core of the earth? More than likely you will answer no (unless of course you want to argue the point to exhaustion at which point it doesn't really matter because you know what? God has given you a will which is stronger than anything that we or anybody on this earth can ever think or know of and no one, not even God Himself has control of that. Only you have authority over your will and as long as you continue to exercise it in what you have chosen to believe no amount of PROOF will ever convince you of anything that you willfully do not want to believe.). If you do answer no, then great! Because then you can hopefully see that its not a far connection between what you are asking and what we are talking about.

The funny thing is that to argue with some one who has ZERO education about subjects and topics is, as the Bible calls it, foolish. Unless you willfully want to educate yourself and then discuss (not argue) things around our beliefs, please be kind enough to refrain from confusing those that are seeking help who do believe.

Regards,
PD2