Question for believers: How does God set priorities?

by sir82 75 Replies latest jw friends

  • snowbird
    snowbird
    It's a "Spiritual" thing
    What a cop out . . .

    Not so fast, Nic.

    Romans 11: 30 -32 There was a time not so long ago when you were on the outs with God. But then the Jews slammed the door on him and things opened up for you. Now they are on the outs. But with the door held wide open for you, they have a way back in. In one way or another, God makes sure that we all experience what it means to be outside so that he can personally open the door and welcome us back in.

    33 -36 Have you ever come on anything quite like this extravagant generosity of God, this deep, deep wisdom? It's way over our heads. We'll never figure it out.
    Is there anyone around who can explain God?
    Anyone smart enough to tell him what to do?
    Anyone who has done him such a huge favor
    that God has to ask his advice?

    Everything comes from him;
    Everything happens through him;
    Everything ends up in him.
    Always glory! Always praise!
    Yes. Yes. Yes.
    MSG

    Sylvia

  • Deputy Dog
    Deputy Dog

    snowbird

    Why force the bible down nic's throat? I'm sure his world view has the answers that make him feel just fine. I freely admitted I didn't have the answers, just a different viewpoint.

  • snowbird
    snowbird
    snowbird
    Why force the bible down nic's throat?

    I felt compelled to do so.

    Sylvia

  • Charlie Cheddar
    Charlie Cheddar

    Interesting.

    I've often wondered this also.

    To take care of that man by the bus stop by giving him a job, and at the same time he ignores the several million poor and starving people in a third world country such as Kenya, suggests that God (if there is one) has got a problem with his organisation of things.

    Logically, this leads many people to disbelieving in a deity, hence the many people in the world who are understandably agnostic or atheistic.

    CC

  • hotchocolate
    hotchocolate

    Nicely put Charlie Cheddar.

    And back to the "I don't know" response of Snowbird, I certainly do agree that it is presumptuous for any human to assume they have all the answers. But I also think that this includes those people who assume God is answering people's prayers. Particularly when the facts seem to prove otherwise.

    All of us have little stories of seemingly answered prayers, the same way all of us have stories of severe injustice when it seems no prayers were answered. The point is IT IS RANDOM. To jump on the "If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us." bandwagon I think is a slap in the face to those masses who are experiencing severe hardship despite prayer daily.

    In fact I feel the attitude that God answers our prayers when it comes to minor day to day fluff is actually pretty small-minded and egotistical. Yikes. Sorry but I do!

    And I also think that I was one of those small minded people up until I left the dubs too.

    How is everyone anyway??

  • Judge Dread
    Judge Dread

    It is human nature to look for "a reason", to try to know the unknowable, to explain things that they were not there to experience.

    Asking "why" doesn't always get you an answer other than "no one really knows".

    Judge Dread

  • AGuest
    AGuest

    and may you ALL have peace!

    There are a couple/few statements aren't quite accurate that I would like to address (I apologize in advance if anyone is offended - that truly is not my intention). The reason so many have a problem with this issue (why God takes care of/answers some... and not others) is truly VERY simple: He is not the God of EVERYONE. Dear ones, He is only OBLIGATED to take care of/answer those who belong to Him (by means of His Covenant with them, through Christ - that is the PURPOSE of the Covenant)... and those who exercise faith in Him. All others who benefit (i.e., He makes it rain upon the righteous AND unrighteous) do so because of His loving kindness.

    Someone wrote:

    He doesn't force His help on us, we need to ask.

    This is not quite accurate. The only thing we NEED to ask for is that His name is held clean from all reproach, that His kingdom is established so that His will is done in the physical realm as well as in the spirit realm, that He continue to provide us with the "manna from heaven" which is the means by which our SPIRITS continue alive (and is the flesh and blood of Christ), forgiveness for our sins/trespasses/debts, that He "stand" between us an our Adversary, the Devil.... and that He grant us some of His holy spirit. EVERYTHING ELSE... related to our PHYSICAL needs...He already knows about, and if we ask for these former things He is gracious enough to provide the latter (food, clothing, shelter, health, a certain level of comfort, etc.)

    That is not to say that we CAN'T ask for anything else - we can ask for whatever we choose; however, we should take care because, for those belonging to Christ, ANYTHING we ask in our Lord's name will be granted (save that which may be detrimental to ourselves or others, and even then it may be granted). But we can ask for the Most Holy One of Israel's "blessing" upon us, our households, our endeavors, etc. But we don't NEED to.

    Someone else referred to and commented on Romans 11:30-32, and 33-36:

    Romans 11: 30 -32 There was a time not so long ago when you were on the outs with God. But then the Jews slammed the door on him and things opened up for you. Now they are on the outs. But with the door held wide open for you, they have a way back in. In one way or another, God makes sure that we all experience what it means to be outside so that he can personally open the door and welcome us back in.

    What needs to be remembered here is who the “you” referred to by Paul is. It is NOT “we” as in all of mankind. Nor is it those of mankind who merely refer to themselves as “christians.” Paul was speaking to two (2) groups of people: those Jews (“Holy Ones”) and those of the “nations” who had been chosen by the Holy Spirit, resulting in an anointing with holy spirit, which anointing directed them to eat the flesh and drink the blood of Christ… so they such were IN UNION with Christ… and therefore members of his Body. He was not speaking to the world of mankind, in general. Romans 1:1, 7; 11:13; 8:1; John 6:56

    This is why the world does not see… or routinely know of… the various manifestations of the gifts of the Spirit. It’s not like you will hear of them on the nightly news or in the morning headlines… or even in the supermarket tabloids. What you DO hear of… is false. This is because they are not for the benefit of the world… or those OF the world. For mankind in general. Rather, they are for the building up of the Body of Christ and so are used and manifest among such ones only. WE know of them. WE use them. WE manifest them… among US… and those who ask of us… because of their faith… in CHRIST and his spirit… and not faith in US.

    Someone may ask, “Well, don’t you want the world to come to Christ?” What some miss, however, is that it is not UP to us. Unlike JWs who go “door to door” (which is NOT scriptural nor even commanded by Christ), we go… to whomever we are SENT. Or such ones come to us. GOD chooses them… through Christ. We don’t choose. We simply obey if and when we are directed to use our gift(s).

    For example, I am directed to come here and share what I hear (“discernment of inspired utterances” - 1 Corinthians 12:10) and so I do. I do not go to the local news; I haven’t written a book (nor do I ever intend to because I receive FREE… and must, therefore, GIVE what I receive free!) But it is not for EVERYONE here – it is only for those who are “wishing” and “thirsting”… and who have… or are asking for… EARS to hear. I am merely an instrument used by the Spirit until such ones can hear him for themselves. All of us are. That is what the gifts are FOR – they are the “partial”… while we await the return of the “complete,” which is Christ.

    33 -36 Have you ever come on anything quite like this extravagant generosity of God, this deep, deep wisdom? It's way over

    our heads.
    We'll never figure it out.

    Not while we are still in the flesh, no. That’s because the flesh is limited in virtually every way… even its ability to perceive. That’s why most people have a problem perceiving God. Because they are fleshly, they can only comprehend what appeals to the flesh and its empirical senses. They cannot grasp that we… and “all creation”… are more than the physical parts. There is a spirit(ual) part as well, which the flesh cannot “enter”. Such ones want to see, hear, taste, touch, or smell God… with their physical bodies. But God is a spirit and so it requires faith… which quality allows us to transcend the physical flesh… to see, hear, touch, smell… and even taste Him. Such a thing is considered “foolish,” however, to those who lack faith and so do not know how to accomplish this. Unfortunately, the loss is theirs because the TRUTH is that they really only living as “half” a living being. They only access ONE part of the two parts we all are.

    Is there anyone around who can explain God?

    There is One, the Holy One of Israel, Christ. When Paul asked this, he was sort of quoting Isaiah. That Prophet was asking which one of FLESH, earthling man, could counsel the Most Holy One of Israel… and, of course, the answer is none. Isaiah 40:6 Even Christ cannot counsel the Most Holy One of Israel. He can… and does, however, explain God. That is why he said he came, “to bear witness to the truth…” about many things, including the Most Holy One of Israel. John 1:14-18

    I understand the skepticism of many here: given the lies and enslavement of the WTBTS it is no wonder that some wish nothing more to do with a “god” of any ilk. But what such ones don’t understand is that THAT is the VERY purpose OF the WTBTS: to “snatch and scatter the sheep”… to “mislead if possible even the chosen ones.” To what end? To bring such ones to the very “place” they are now: wanting absolutely NOTHING to do with God… or Christ… on any level. Because of that false christ and false prophet, such ones have had their faith absolutely “shipwrecked.”

    I would exhort those of you who have not given up entirely… do not give up. If you want to know God… TRULY want to know God… and be known BY Him… then I exhort you to ASK Him to send you HIS Truth. Because it ONLY through that One that can even begin to know God. You MUST know Christ. Because HE is the Way, the Truth, and the Life… and NO ONE gets in before the MOST Holy One of Israel… unless the enter THROUGH… the Holy.

    May those who wish have ears to hear. And may such one hear the Spirit and the Bride, who are STILL saying, “Come! Take life’s water… holy spirit from God, the Most Holy One of Israel, whose name is JAH of Armies… which spirit is poured out from the innermost parts of His Son and Christ, the Holy One of Israel, my Lord and master, JAHESHUA MISCHAJAH.

    Again, I bid you peace.

    A slave of Christ,

    SA

  • Saoirse
    Saoirse

    What makes you think that God isn't intervening in Africa?

    There are numerous charities (many of them Christian) that are operating in Kenya and other parts of Africa. Many Christians feel called by God to donate their time and/or money to help the children of Africa. Because of those charities, many African children are given food, medical care and an education. Many of those children have gone on to lead happy lives. Just look at the story of John Dau, one of Sudan's lost boys. http://www.nationalgeographic.com/field/explorers/john-bul-dau.html

    John is quoted as saying "I feel I survived because God wants to do something with my life. I don't want to waste any of the time I have left. So many people are still in Sudan needing clinics, schools, and churches. I cannot forget them." Obviously, he believes that God intervened on his behalf.

    I know people that have been in the mission field in Africa. I have heard from them over and over that going to help in a 3rd world country is one of the most faith-strengthening things you could ever do. They tell me that they have seen prayers answered all the time in Africa. The situation in Africa is far from ideal but it isn't hopeless either. I urge anyone with a heart for Africa to get involved with a charity such as Doctors Without Borders or World Vision. Seeing the hope that those kids have and the smiles on their faces will change your life.

  • startingover
    startingover

    Good question Sir82!

    IMO, this thread really highlights that there are those that choose to live in a fantasy world and those that choose to live in reality.

    Here's what's really going on: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaZDcS-rMf4

  • WTWizard
    WTWizard

    I just want to know why God makes certain people to fail no matter what, and then does whatever it takes to make their best efforts go to nothing. All the while, others are blessed. Yet God expects and demands favors from all--and especially those He set up for failure.

    Maximally benevolent? I don't think so.

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