Advice and Support from Thousands of Users Just Like You

Christian Singles This is a Discussion Group for Christian Singles Feel Free to Post any Threads that are Related to Christian Dating. Note: Seekers welcome.

Reply
Page 13 of 18 « First 3 11 12 13 14 15 Last »
 
LinkBack Thread Tools
lindseyk lindseyk is online now
lindseyk's Avatar

lindseyk is making elves. Too funny!!!

Virtuoso

Join Date: Jan 2009

Posts: 3,703

See profile

abjon wrote :

lindseyk wrote :


coeuri wrote :


abjon wrote :


I struggle with it all, though, in that I still can't come to terms with the deaths of innocents in the struggle of powers, in Job as well as the Sodom and Gomorrah and in the stories in the prophets.


Me too.....


There is much that I find utterly morally reprehensible in the Bible. If this is damning: too bad.








That is why I am so glad of the psalms because, frankly, some of the writers say some pretty put donw kind of comments toward God. They give me the way to allow my honesty to God so that I can get through the feelings inside to the place that I can pray. They teach me that it is okay to ask God why and to not understand, even to get mad sometimes......


Hi Coeuri,


I total understand what you are saying here. There is a really good book on prayer by Philip Yancey. Have you ever read anything of his? It's called, "Prayer: Does it Make any Difference?" I've been working on it for months. He asks many of the same questions it sounds like you are asking. He's not afraid to get into those thorny passages in the Bible where it seems like people are yelling at God or just being angry and he makes the argument that it is okay to do that. That is one kind of prayer andGod honours it. I have learned so much already and it has really changed the way I view pray and even how I pray. I think you might really enjoy the book.


I always appreciate what you have to say. Thank you for sharing here with us.


I must read Yancey's book one of these days.
Yancey includes quotes from other people in his book. This one starts a chapter entitled the wrestling match:


Biblical prayer is imperinent, persistent, shameless, indecorous. It is more like haggling in an outdoor bazaar then the polite monologues of the church.


~ Walter Wink ~


I love that. It makes me feel better about the way I pray, which is far from polite sometimes. In some cases, all I can manage is an agonized scream or a pathetic little whimper. And sometimes, it really does feel like a wrestling match!! The best part is, God accepts all of those prayers, as well as the pretty, polite ones!
- March 2nd, 2009, 09:28 pm
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Share on Facebook

#121   Reply With Quote
BeccaBear BeccaBear is offline
BeccaBear's Avatar

BeccaBear I want some margaritas and tacos.

Quick Study

Join Date: Feb 2009

Posts: 111

See profile

lindseyk wrote :

Yancey includes quotes from other people in his book. This one starts a chapter entitled the wrestling match:


Biblical prayer is imperinent, persistent, shameless, indecorous. It is more like haggling in an outdoor bazaar then the polite monologues of the church.


~ Walter Wink ~


I love that. It makes me feel better about the way I pray, which is far from polite sometimes. In some cases, all I can manage is an agonized scream or a pathetic little whimper. And sometimes, it really does feel like a wrestling match!! The best part is, God accepts all of those prayers, as well as the pretty, polite ones!
Does it make me a bad christian if I don't pray? I talk to God on a daily basis, but I don't pray, I merely have conversations with Him, so to say.
- March 2nd, 2009, 09:42 pm
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Share on Facebook

#122   Reply With Quote
lindseyk lindseyk is online now
lindseyk's Avatar

lindseyk is making elves. Too funny!!!

Virtuoso

Join Date: Jan 2009

Posts: 3,703

See profile

BeccaBear wrote :

lindseyk wrote :


Yancey includes quotes from other people in his book. This one starts a chapter entitled the wrestling match:


Biblical prayer is imperinent, persistent, shameless, indecorous. It is more like haggling in an outdoor bazaar then the polite monologues of the church.


~ Walter Wink ~


I love that. It makes me feel better about the way I pray, which is far from polite sometimes. In some cases, all I can manage is an agonized scream or a pathetic little whimper. And sometimes, it really does feel like a wrestling match!! The best part is, God accepts all of those prayers, as well as the pretty, polite ones!


Does it make me a bad christian if I don't pray? I talk to God on a daily basis, but I don't pray, I merely have conversations with Him, so to say.
No, I don't think you are a bad Christian at all. My prayer life is anything but the conventional "get down on my knees on the hard floor and pray for four hours straight" variety. I kind of keep a running dialogue with God all day. I have the most boring job on the planet and I spend much of it just talking away to God. Sometimes I'm talking about a big issue, most times I just blather on about whatever happens to be on my mind. Then at other times, when I am very down and sad, I lay in my bed in the middle of the night and pour out my heart along with my tears. Sometimes I just give an impromptu, "Yay God!" to the clouds. Sometimes I shriek in my head, "Why!!! I don't get it!!!!" There are times when I am silent too, just listening, waiting for Him to talk to me, which he does in any number of ways.


I don't think there is any set formula for prayer. If you are talking to God, you're praying. Mother Theresa had a lovely saying about prayer, which I think sums up the conversational style that you have with God:


Prayer is simply talking to God. He speaks to us: we listen. We speak to Him: He listens. A two-way process: speaking and listening.


I think you're on the right page. Just keep talking and know He's listening. I've never been into the Thee and Thou formulaic prayers. God wants a relationship with us. I talk to Him like I would any other friend. I laugh, I cry, I'm philosophical, sometimes I'm quiet, sometimes I'm angry, most of the time I'm calm and rational! lol That's what a relationship is. Don't worry about how you pray - talking to God is praying and that is exactly what you are doing!!


- March 2nd, 2009, 10:00 pm
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Share on Facebook

#123   Reply With Quote
lindseyk lindseyk is online now
lindseyk's Avatar

lindseyk is making elves. Too funny!!!

Virtuoso

Join Date: Jan 2009

Posts: 3,703

See profile



Before I forget! I often pray through my journal. A lot of times I am writing away and all of a sudden it turns into a prayer of sorts. Going back through my journal, I find many, many prayers. It's kind of neat to go back and see what I wrote and what has changed since then. I think God recognizes those 'prayers' too.
- March 2nd, 2009, 10:08 pm
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Share on Facebook

#124   Reply With Quote
BeccaBear BeccaBear is offline
BeccaBear's Avatar

BeccaBear I want some margaritas and tacos.

Quick Study

Join Date: Feb 2009

Posts: 111

See profile



I was just curious. :P I'm a bad christian for reasons other than that, but prayer was something that I've always wondered about. Only once in my life have I "prayed" on my knees at home in the dark of my room alone. When I was told to in church, I never did. I keep silent and respect others during their prayer but I don't partake, I might tell God I think something the preacher said was funny, but I don't listen to what they say. *shrugs* Just was always curious about it.


Also, I think its funny that the Bible uses "thou" and whatnot because that wasn't the common speak of people at that time, especially not from the people that would have been writing the original manuscripts, which is made up of large amounts of slang that is hard to translate.
- March 2nd, 2009, 10:54 pm
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Share on Facebook

#125   Reply With Quote

ADVERTISEMENT

lindseyk lindseyk is online now
lindseyk's Avatar

lindseyk is making elves. Too funny!!!

Virtuoso

Join Date: Jan 2009

Posts: 3,703

See profile

BeccaBear wrote :

I was just curious. :P I'm a bad christian for reasons other than that, but prayer was something that I've always wondered about. Only once in my life have I "prayed" on my knees at home in the dark of my room alone. When I was told to in church, I never did. I keep silent and respect others during their prayer but I don't partake, I might tell God I think something the preacher said was funny, but I don't listen to what they say. *shrugs* Just was always curious about it.


Also, I think its funny that the Bible uses "thou" and whatnot because that wasn't the common speak of people at that time, especially not from the people that would have been writing the original manuscripts, which is made up of large amounts of slang that is hard to translate.
Yeah, "Thou" was a lovely gift to us from King James!! If you can call it a gift! lol Let me tell, reading the documents from the 16th century is quite an adventure!! Tongue twisters, anyone?!


I don't pray along with everybody in church all the time. I rarely pray out loud when others are around either. Sometimes in church I just look up at the cross we have at the front and contemplate on things that have nothing to do with what is going on around me.


Here's my thought on 'bad Christians.' We are all bad Christians. Why? Because we are all imperfect and we all mess up. I've been doing this for 25 years and I am nowhere near perfected. I have a bad attitude sometimes, I swear on occasion, I spend time with people that some in the church disapprove of, I don't read my Bible every day, sometimes I judge people too harshly. We are all a work in progress. Wherever you are at, God loves you and wants to spend time with you. He's not waiting until you or I are perfect. If He was, He'd sure be waiting a long time!! lol That's why I keep on slugging away at it - because I know that if I do mess up somehow, I'll be forgiven. Have you heard the hymn, "Just As I am?" I love it. God accepts you, me, and everybody else just the way we are. Sure we should always be working at our faith and our lives and making the effort to become more Christ-like, but we don't have to get all right all the time. We couldn't if we tried. Thank goodness God loves and accepts us anyway!


Here's what I know. Your posts reveal a sensitive and intelligent young lady who truly loves God and wants to serve Him. If I can see it, so can God and He delights in you. He will take whatever you give Him and make the most of it. Keep truckin', kiddo! You're doing great!!
- March 2nd, 2009, 11:16 pm
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Share on Facebook

#126   Reply With Quote
BeccaBear BeccaBear is offline
BeccaBear's Avatar

BeccaBear I want some margaritas and tacos.

Quick Study

Join Date: Feb 2009

Posts: 111

See profile



Sorry, I totally lol'd at that. You're only 7 years older and you called me kiddo. *shakes head and laughs*
- March 2nd, 2009, 11:38 pm
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Share on Facebook

#127   Reply With Quote
lindseyk lindseyk is online now
lindseyk's Avatar

lindseyk is making elves. Too funny!!!

Virtuoso

Join Date: Jan 2009

Posts: 3,703

See profile

BeccaBear wrote :

Sorry, I totally lol'd at that. You're only 7 years older and you called me kiddo. *shakes head and laughs*
It's a bad habitinherited from my mom!! She says it all the time - to people who are practically her age! lol
- March 2nd, 2009, 11:41 pm
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Share on Facebook

#128   Reply With Quote
wildman wildman is offline
wildman's Avatar

wildman Was dancing around the mulberry bush until he discovered it was poison ivy

Quick Study

Join Date: Oct 2008

Posts: 180

See profile



Becca, you can't see that when the whole town of men ( not the women ) turn out to a house and say we want relations with the men you have inside, while turning down the two virgin daughters of Lot ( I mean seriously, a whole town of men would turn down women?) that it points to homosexuality? No, God didn't come right out and say that word, but the inference is clear. And when He says the WHOLE population of men, both young and old ( Gen 19:4 ) came wanting the men so they could "know them" ( Bible talk for having sex ) , Lot went outside and closed the door behind him to quell the crowd and was telling the men "Don't do this wicked thing. My daughter's have not known men ( Virgins ) please, take them instead." , it seems clear the whole town was basically all homosexuals. Now if I'm not reading this correctly , neither are all the scholars who wrote commentaries saying this very thing. They have taken this from the original text and know both Hebrew and Greek translations. I'm sure they have more knowledge on the scriptures than any of us here. If I can't read the Bible with my own eyes and see this is what is being talked about, then I guess I may as well not be a Christian as who knows what the Bible is talking about in any of it. The Bible uses cross references a lot. What God was talking about in Ezekiel was pointing out how they could be judged for what they did wrong too, just as Sodom was. But I don't think it was talking about the "why" of Sodom's judgement. One further note- the word Sodomy doesn't come from Inhospitality.
- March 3rd, 2009, 12:34 am
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Share on Facebook

#129   Reply With Quote
BeccaBear BeccaBear is offline
BeccaBear's Avatar

BeccaBear I want some margaritas and tacos.

Quick Study

Join Date: Feb 2009

Posts: 111

See profile

wildman wrote :

Becca, you can't see that when the whole town of men ( not the women ) turn out to a house and say we want relations with the men you have inside, while turning down the two virgin daughters of Lot ( I mean seriously, a whole town of men would turn down women?) that it points to homosexuality? No, God didn't come right out and say that word, but the inference is clear. And when He says the WHOLE population of men, both young and old ( Gen 19:4 ) came wanting the men so they could "know them" ( Bible talk for having sex ) , Lot went outside and closed the door behind him to quell the crowd and was telling the men "Don't do this wicked thing. My daughter's have not known men ( Virgins ) please, take them instead." , it seems clear the whole town was basically all homosexuals. Now if I'm not reading this correctly , neither are all the scholars who wrote commentaries saying this very thing. They have taken this from the original text and know both Hebrew and Greek translations. I'm sure they have more knowledge on the scriptures than any of us here. If I can't read the Bible with my own eyes and see this is what is being talked about, then I guess I may as well not be a Christian as who knows what the Bible is talking about in any of it. The Bible uses cross references a lot. What God was talking about in Ezekiel was pointing out how they could be judged for what they did wrong too, just as Sodom was. But I don't think it was talking about the "why" of Sodom's judgement. One further note- the word Sodomy doesn't come from Inhospitality.
I just don't agree that it is 100% for sure that that makes them homosexuals. Maybe they mean to torture the men for being outsiders? I don't agree that it is right to assume that they were all homosexuals, because, let's face it, if they were they wouldn't have had any children. I'm just saying that it's not hard fact that that's the reason especially when (as stated previously) it says in ezekiel 16:49
Behold this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy.
God had already condemned this city to be destroyed, maybe this was just the part that showed there were no other righteous peoples in the city? Yes I can see where you are coming from, but I don't believe that it is 100% correct.
- March 3rd, 2009, 07:24 am
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Share on Facebook

#130   Reply With Quote

ADVERTISEMENT

Reply
Page 13 of 18 « First 3 11 12 13 14 15 Last »

Bookmarks

« Christian friends | Array | Do You Believe in Pre-Marital Sex ? »
Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On

Latest on our Dating Advice Discussion Boards

“There has to be some level of attraction in a relationship. This includes physical attraction. Perhaps you could consider talking to your guy about it. Guys can't read minds.” – Mr_Right

Join the “dating for two years” discussion

“If it's expensive I'd say it was an excellent date for you. You could make a massive fuss about it. ” – trixie1868

Join the “Is a Cruise a good Date?” discussion

“You do need to talk about this..... wait and see what happens when he comes back to Aus, talk to him then, it might be time to end it,or not. Sometimes, when away from home, people get into ... ” – Lilycat

Join the “reading between the lines....?” discussion

“I have been on and off several dating sites for more than 10 years. I have only had 1 relationship in the process, so indeed, it is nothing personal.” – olrowe

Join the “What am I doing wrong?” discussion

“Wanted to add my success story to some of the others. Met my wife on Eharmony. She was a first day match. First and only one I dated. I know this is HIGHLY unusual but that's what happened for me. ... ” – knarf7575

Join the “How do I stop getting too attached to my matches too soon?” discussion

“Nice, PY_2! I’ve probably told this story before, but it’s worth repeating – your 11 months isn’t so awful compared to someone I know who got poofed on by an eHarmony match for 3 ½ years…then got ... ” – PY_2

Join the “My match responded!!!” discussion

“I have no idea what they are trying to share details that make you uncomfortable -- I'm not there communicating with them! And I can't generalize or project the infinite motivations issues or ... ” – thefastcat

Join the “Why overshare?” discussion

“There is already a lot of really good food for thought in here. One thing that struck me is that you seem to be uncomfortable with the silences, could it be just as simple as that? We are ... ” – Lilycat

Join the “what to do... second guessing myself” discussion



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 04:00 pm.

Discussion Boards Archive

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.1
Copyright ©2000 - 2009, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Search Engine Friendly URLs by vBSEO 3.3.0