flash of insight

[ded2daworld]

I was discussing some science stuff with an atheist and we agreed to disagree.
He said, "Aren't you worried that I'm going to burn in hell forever?" (statement came out of nowhere)
I said, "What makes you think you'll burn in hell forever?"
He said, "because I don't believe in God or Jesus and done some bad things."
I said, (Here's where the flash came from)"You will eventually be united with God for 2 reasons.
1.) because it's not what you've done but what he has done for you and
2.) because it's not about who you are, but all about who he is"

He asked, "How can I know that for sure?"
I said, "once you know who God is and what he's all about, you'll see for yourself."
He said, "I'm not ready for that."
I said, "That's fine. You'll be ready when you're ready.

[dajomaco]

Please, let me inherit two shares of your spirit."

[ded2daworld]

I just would like this to happen more often. I often wonder if(in this life) we'll ever be totally and completely filled with the spirit of God. Paul and John might have experienced it briefly or longer, but I really don't know

[lomarah]

You know what I find really cool? Many people will call themselves atheists but when it comes right down to it they will admit they are just "not ready for that". My brother said almost the exact same thing to me years back. (I don't think I would call him an atheist, just unconcerned about the things of God at this point in his life.)

Great witness ded! 

[ded2daworld]

Lo-
The most famous atheist of our day with numerous books and videos out
has admitted in an interview by Ben Stein (The movie "no intelligence allowed")
that he does not discount the possibility that "somewhere out there there may have been
a designer or starter of the universe" so even he is technically an atheist.
Most atheists are really agnostics they just don't know what they don't know.
Atheist= I know that there is no God
Agnostic= I don't know for sure if there is a God or not because I'm wise enough to know I don't know everything.

I was once an agnostic that thought I was an atheist. Atheist think they are smarter than anyone else and that only stupid or weak people need the crutch of a "god" to worship. Claiming the bible is a book filled with myths and fairytales, very few had ever read it. I struggled through a king James when I was around 9 or 10 but tossed it aside as "unreadable" because I had never ever heard or read the language used. Someone gave me a copy of "good news for modern man" when I was 17 challenging me to at least read through in simple language what I was knocking. I prayed to know the truth before I started, I read and was changed, believing all as I read it.

[shawn]

I was discussing some science stuff with an atheist and we agreed to disagree.
He said, "Aren't you worried that I'm going to burn in hell forever?" (statement came out of nowhere)
I said, "What makes you think you'll burn in hell forever?"
He said, "because I don't believe in God or Jesus and done some bad things."
I said, (Here's where the flash came from)"You will eventually be united with God for 2 reasons.
1.) because it's not what you've done but what he has done for you and
2.) because it's not about who you are, but all about who he is"

He asked, "How can I know that for sure?"
I said, "once you know who God is and what he's all about, you'll see for yourself."
He said, "I'm not ready for that."
I said, "That's fine. You'll be ready when you're ready.

That was beautiful.

[reFORMer]

1.) because it's not what you've done but what he has done for you and
2.) because it's not about who you are, but all about who he is"

The change is wrought by exchange.  Our life for His.  I myself, as well as others I've known through the years, have fallen away from following Jesus because of missing this point.  The more you look for yourself to change, the less you find has changed.  We are not meant to be excessively introspective, but are meant to be Christ perceptive.  The more you look to Christ, His presence in your life, the more He is magnified and your life, being abandoned, is full of the character of that presence filling you.

[jabcat]

1.) because it's not what you've done but what he has done for you and
2.) because it's not about who you are, but all about who he is"

The change is wrought by exchange.  Our life for His.  I myself, as well as others I've known through the years, have fallen away from following Jesus because of missing this point.  The more you look for yourself to change, the less you find has changed.  We are not meant to be excessively introspective, but are meant to be Christ perceptive.  The more you look to Christ, His presence in your life, the more He is magnified and your life, being abandoned, is full of the character of that presence filling you.

amen.   

[Deena]

Well said Ded. I, too, since coming to understand UR have been freed from trying to beat Jesus into people. Jesus will draw all to Himself. I don't have to act like a fireman to save someone who doesn't want to be saved. All are in His able hands.

[ded2daworld]

Yes Deena,
When I was first a christian "evangelistic" christians told me that Jesus wanted everyone saved so it was up to me to tell them thay would burn in hell if they didn't let Jesus into their life. This kept my own parents, sister and 2 good friends to be aliented to me and my evangelistic spirituality. I couldn't understand because Billy Graham was like the most admired man on the planet and I thought I was only doing what he was doing. I stopped when I studied carefully what Jesus was doing and saw that he was no "super evangelist" while on earth.
Like the pool of Bethesda, there were a bunch of people lying around the pool waiting to get in the water for healing.
Jesus didn't walk around healing everyone at the pool, nor did he start preaching to them about the kingdom of God or warn of a fiery hell. Instead, he singled one guy out of the crowd and healed him.
I think if a fiery hell was waiting for the rest of the crowd, Jesus would have at least warned them.

[lomarah]

1.) because it's not what you've done but what he has done for you and
2.) because it's not about who you are, but all about who he is"

The change is wrought by exchange.  Our life for His.  I myself, as well as others I've known through the years, have fallen away from following Jesus because of missing this point.  The more you look for yourself to change, the less you find has changed.  We are not meant to be excessively introspective, but are meant to be Christ perceptive.  The more you look to Christ, His presence in your life, the more He is magnified and your life, being abandoned, is full of the character of that presence filling you.

AMEN reF, He's been showing me this recently.  And how freeing and amazing it is to completely forget about "you" and completely focus on Him who is the only One worth focusing on because He is AMAZING!!!

[reFORMer]

Here's a link to more teaching on the exchanged life:

http://www.normangrubb.com/

____________

from that website (or the following link) you can go to:

http://christasus.podbean.com/?s=norman+grubb

On the right hand side of the page there are some very good "connections" and "links."

[lomarah]

Thanks reF, I will def check those out!

[Deena]

Reformer, thanks for the link to Norman Grubb. I read part one of the article on our purpose. It has blessed me.