I had no clue she was actually very devout in her faith. She spent years begging to God that she would be made into a fine writer. This book taught me to pray. And then, getting a peek into her prayer journal, I realized our prayers could be as honest as we want them to be. He wants all of it, just as it is. I had been taught to accept ready-made dogma rather than to personally take my doubts to God. Make no mistake; I do not blame the church for my lost time. I might well have fallen away no matter what. But it is just possible that several years of painful isolation from the Lord might have been avoided had I learned at an early age this simple truth that most Reform Jews know: God loves an honest question.
This book is a beautiful testimony to how our weakness can be made perfect through the strength of Christ. Spurgeon was one of the most regarded preachers of his time and still is. Please help me to push myself aside. What book or books have shaped your faith? It took time as a family to move on.
But, even though it was a long hard road, Andy has also been healed from alcoholism, thanks to Jesus becoming the centre of our marriage. Now, as a couple, we are closer than ever. We are much more open as a family now. Our kids have seen us make lots of mistakes. We are not perfect, but we know that God can help us at even our lowest.
I have always worn my heart on my sleeve and want my children and others to know the truth about me. No one knows what is going on inside your head unless you tell them. We are always learning about ourselves, and there are more things God brings to light that we have to deal with. But as Christians, we can know that God is with us, forgiving all our mistakes and failures, and healing us from them. There is nothing in your life that is too big for Him to save you from. His death on the cross paid for all our wrongs, so that we can be forgiven by God!
Every day I thank God for sending Jesus to die for me and pay for my failures. And I thank Him that He is alive and living in me. He will never leave me and He is preparing a place in heaven for me! Stories of God at Work. Share Facebook Twitter Email Print. All I need is God. When I look back, God has brought us through so much!! I ended up discovering a bingo website which became addictive If there is no reward of an afterlife then there is no need to do good. God promised us a reward for being faithful.
Because we love him, and because he died for us, thats our motivation. When I do good i know it pleases God, otherwise there would be no point in doing "the right thing" At that point situational ethics would be prevalent.
Suppose God Wasn’t Watching you? Would You Still be Good?
Maybe im missing something but it sounds like ur saying even if God doesnt exist we should have integrity or are you saying if God isnt watching we should still have integrity. I think of it like this. A woman usually yields herself in marriage of course to a man who is loving, kind, romantic and so on.
A rude and offensive man wouldn't even get the time of day. However, while there's nothing wrong with the good man looking forward to that moment with her again in marriage , or in being motivated by the fact that loving men usually find success with women, there would be something seriously off if that same man only did what he did for Intimacy is cheapened if it's treated as an exchange of goods.
As the woman gives her "reward" in marriage to the man who shows her love for its own sake, so Jesus will reward those who loved Him for the sake of it. Are you saying Jesus only rewards those who love Him just because? Then what is the reward you are talking about?
Salvation is a gift to us not because we love Him but because He loved us. And because He loved us and sacrificed His life for us, I personally am drawn to that and that is why I love Him. Romans 3 tells us that no one is righteous vs.
So I am just making sure the comment is about blessings and not about salvation. When we respond to Jesus love and follow His commands, He tells us that we are rewarded with blessings from the Father. But this is not about salvation. Yes we are saved by faith in Jesus alone, and we keep His commandments because it's just good to be good for goodness sake, and all such people be brought to Heaven. Nothing to be confused about. Lawrence, your question takes us in a different direction.
If there were no God, would we even exist? The rest of your comment sounds a bit as though the only reason to do good is because of the rewards in the next world. I don't think this is true. I believe that God only asks us to live in a way that is best for us. Thus even in this world and in the worst of circumstances, those who truly trust God will always have more peace and joy than those who do not. I find that reading how others found God to be faithful strengthens my own faith. But I believe there's more to it: When we truly get to know Jesus and allow Him to change our hearts to be like His, we will love like He does, regardless of who is watching.
It will be part of our nature, as it is part of His. I would add to Lawrence's thought that if God is not watching, He is not God as He has presented Himself to fallen mankind.
Answering Brian Flemmings “The God Who wasn’t there”
That He watches is emphatically pointed out in scripture. It is to lead us to consider our ways and to "fear the Lord". Joseph gave his reason for fidelity when tempted to "sin against God". Solomon's solemn "conclusion of the whole matter" in the last two verses of Ecclesiastes reminds us of God's close watching of every word and deed. To those with faith, this is encouraging, to sinners, a warning.
Our motives are not to be fear of punishment, for I will predict that NONE will be in heaven who "obeyed" from fear of flames. So what is our motive? Sinners, whom He has provided with the Propitiation, that He might grant us life eternal and peace today. When we "see" His goodness we repent. No one truly repents because of the flames. But the flames are promised, as warning to lead us to seek what God has offered as an escape from the inevitability of the flames, and to encourage us that justice will be done at last.
About the surprise of those in the parable of sheep and goats; was Jesus aware that He was doing His Father's appointed work? Were the servants in the parable just before the sheep and goats aware of what they were doing? We work with purpose, not by accident. We should know daily if we are serving the Lord or not.
The Holy Spirit is given to convict us of such things so we can find help in time of need. If we daily seek to know and follow God's will, there is no surprise. Also, the reward already promised is not the motive, instead the motive will be the Love behind the giving of the Gift of Life to all who believe. Our faith in God's promises will transform us and the motives for our righteous deeds will be the same as Christ's: We will love our fellow man as God has loved us.
Zoe: “When I look back, God has brought us through so much!” | ODB UK Military
Our motive will be from within as we behold those in such need as we were before we believed. It will be a joy to lift up the fallen, pointing the lost to Jesus, the Way, the Truth, the Life. The parable of sheep and goats teaches a truth, but not a reality. Does that make sense? Not sure if I can explain it adequately here, but look at the story prayerfully and ask for help to understand it's meaning for you. That God is watching so closely cheers His sons and daughters in this life. It brings hope, strength and faith.
I think it fits. Robert there is not doubt God is watching, and I see nothing in this posts that questions that fact. The post is just a simple hypothetical question to help us examine our motives. William, your post has made many good points, yet it leaves me with some questions concerning what you are actually saying. If so, isn't that very legalistic and works-orientated — to only do good so long as there is a God Who is watching and waiting to reward our good behavior and punish our bad behavior? I feel something isn't right.
It's as if keeping God always before us Ps Yet it almost seems to suggest it as I read it. God wants us to know this. As I wrote above, it seems almost urgent that we never forget. Could our natural weakness be the reason God gives this "incentive" such emphasis? The other part about the sheep being surprised I addressed above. These are my only questions concerning your post. Perhaps I have just misunderstood what you mean. I agree with you that the sheep are motivated out of love for those around them in need.
They seek to uplift their fellow man out of genuine desire to help. This is the result of being transformed by the renewing of their minds by taking the yoke of Jesus and learning of Him. One thousand Amens to this post! This I believe is the most simplest argument to the old "why do we need works if we're saved by faith" question. No need for a complicated breakdown of the difference between justification and sanctification. Just simply tell them "it's just good to show love for its own sake.
I believe those who make it through the time of trouble will be strict followers of the commandments.
- Zoe: “When I look back, God has brought us through so much!”;
- Answering Brian Flemmings “The God Who wasn’t there”!
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Not because they want to be "ready" when Christ returns or found "spotless" after the close of probation. But because they can't live with the thought of hurting their God or other people whom they love dearly. This strikes at the heart of both legalism which seeks reward and cheap grace which seeks to justify hatred. Heaven will be populated by people who are strict about good works because anything less is to justify someone else's mistreatment. Lastly, am I the only one who cringes whenever someone from the pew to the pulpit declares that we should "finish the work" so we can go to heaven already?
As if the reason we should share the gospel is not to populate heaven with as many new friends as possible, but to get ourselves out of this sin sick world. Do we not think that people can read our efforts as seriously self serving?
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I believe that when we share the gospel out of a deep love for people, to save them no matter how long it takes, Jesus will return. Not because He saw our efforts and sped up the clock, but because as the old maxim states, time flies when your having fun. Thanks Lawrence and Bensheh for your comments. The point is simply God appreciates when we do things out of love and not because He is watching to reward us.
This is a wonderful perspective indeed. Reminds of Enoch when he walked with God. Spirit of prophecy reveals that though he did not see a difference between the fate of the wicked and the righteous he remained upright nonetheless. He did good because he loved to do right, he loved the way of truth and so he was doing good because it was good and not merely because he was seeking a reward. May we all live our lives in this way!
Chris, read Psalm 73, and understand that Enoch saw the reward of the faithful and prophesied it. Enoch was not omniscient.