New to the forum

[Diane]

Hi Everyone!

I finally got up the nerve to join the forum.  I have been lurking in the background and reading the posts here for a while now.  To tell you a little about my experiences so far, I was raised in a Baptist congregation but hated going my whole life.  I felt it was just a ritual to get up on Sunday morning and attend a building with other people who didn't seem to know much more than I did.  I quit attending after I got out of high school and didn't return until I met a woman from a charismatic congregation after my children were born.  She began speaking of all the miraculous things that would happen to her and peaked my interest in God once again.  This was good for awhile but, I fell away and after that I was too ashamed to ask God to help me any more because I couldn't seem to be "good enough" no matter what I did.  In my childhood years, I was yelled at if I questioned the scriptures and told that the bible says it and I am not to question it.  What I realize now is, I was questioning their beliefs that didn't make sense and found they were not scriptural at all when I began reading it for myself.  This made me very fearful of God and I more or less served Him totally out of fear of going to hell.  THEN, I came across websites about UR and, in my efforts to disprove this, I ended up being persuaded myself. 

So, that's my story.  I'm happy to be here.  I don't pretend to understand everything but, He hasn't left me alone and continues bringing me back for a reason.  Therefore, here I be! :dontknow: :Sparkletooth:

[WhiteWings]

Hi Diane,

I finally got up the nerve to join the forum

Why be nervous when joining a place that feels good to you?
Does it feel like you are betraying what you parents thaught you?

Anyway  :welcome: :hithere:

[Diane]

No, not at all.  I hope I am too old for that now. :laughing7:  I guess I am afraid of posting something stupid more than anything. :dontknow:  Thanks for the welcome! 

[WhiteWings]

The most stupid questions are the questions that are never asked.
Thousands of thelogians had 2000 year figuring it out. Guess what? They started wars about it. Yeah they even called eachother stupid  :winkgrin:

[jabcat]

Welcome Diane.  Our stories have some similarities.  Relax, enjoy, you're among friends.

[jabcat]

P.S.  as far as "saying something stupid"...

USUALLY  :mblush:  when we post in terms of "as I understand right now" etc., most folks will kick it around with you and try to help.  If someone comes across as harsh or rude, figure that's their issue.  (that also has its limits)   :2c:  Post away!  Blessings.

[CHB]

Welcome Diane,

As far as saying something stupid, I am the worlds worst for that just read my post. Sometimes I write things and after reading what I wrote can't figure out for the life of me why I wrote it. :mblush: I embarrass myself sometimes but I figure no one pays me much attention anyway, so why worry. I figure at some point in time I might say something worthwhile and edifying.  :bigGrin:

CHB

[Diane]

Thanks to everyone for the warm welcome and encouragement!  I'm enjoying all the interesting topics here.   :thumbsup: :happygrin:

[jabcat]

I figure no one pays me much attention anyway

I enjoy and benefit from your posts.   :thumbsup:

[CHB]

Thanks j, and I yours.

chb

[rosered]

  Welcome Diane 
Hope you fit right in ,  I returned after many months of being  ''cut off '' lol      Jabcat / James 
helped me   get back on , by my sisters  request  Shelia ..
  Shelia is not on because her computer   crashed ...

   Many good  conversations here  sis , so you just ''dig right in ..

and  we can get into many of misunderstandings  :winkgrin:,  due to my poor writing skills lol   and lack of  understanding ..........

but love never offends and get offended  :HeartThrob:

being rooted and grounded in love/ Christ  is how you overcome  and that takes some trial and errors to get better at it ..lol as Christs  love becomes  more  real to us , working within   all our hearts

Holman Christian Bible

The Parable of the Sower Explained


13 Then He said to them:


"Don't you understand this parable? How then will you understand any of the parables?



14 The sower sows the word. 15 These[c] are the ones along the path where the word is sown: when they hear, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word sown in them.[d]



16 And these are[e] the ones sown on rocky ground: when they hear the word, immediately they receive it with joy.



17 But they have no root in themselves

; they are short-lived. When pressure or persecution comes because of the word, they immediately stumble./take offense


18 Others are sown among thorns; these are the ones who hear the word,


19 but the worries of this age, the seduction of wealth, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.



20 But the ones sown on good ground are those who hear the word, welcome it, and produce a crop: 30, 60, and 100 times what was sown."


  Hope you stick around sister in Christ  !  :HeartThrob:

[Diane]

The most stupid questions are the questions that are never asked.
Thousands of thelogians had 2000 year figuring it out. Guess what? They started wars about it. Yeah they even called eachother stupid  :winkgrin:

This is so true WW.  Thanks! :winkgrin:

  Welcome Diane 
Hope you fit right in ,  I returned after many months of being  "cut off " lol      Jabcat / James 
helped me   get back on , by my sisters  request  Shelia ..
  Shelia is not on because her computer   crashed ...

   Many good  conversations here  sis , so you just "dig right in ..

and  we can get into many of misunderstandings  :winkgrin:,  due to my poor writing skills lol   and lack of  understanding ..........

but love never offends and get offended  :HeartThrob:

being rooted and grounded in love/ Christ  is how you overcome  and that takes some trial and errors to get better at it ..lol as Christs  love becomes  more  real to us , working within   all our hearts

Holman Christian Bible

The Parable of the Sower Explained


13 Then He said to them:


"Don't you understand this parable? How then will you understand any of the parables?



14 The sower sows the word. 15 These[c] are the ones along the path where the word is sown: when they hear, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word sown in them.[d]



16 And these are[e] the ones sown on rocky ground: when they hear the word, immediately they receive it with joy.



17 But they have no root in themselves

; they are short-lived. When pressure or persecution comes because of the word, they immediately stumble./take offense


18 Others are sown among thorns; these are the ones who hear the word,


19 but the worries of this age, the seduction of wealth, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.



20 But the ones sown on good ground are those who hear the word, welcome it, and produce a crop: 30, 60, and 100 times what was sown."


  Hope you stick around sister in Christ  !  :HeartThrob:

I hope to stick around too!  Some of that seed must have fallen on good ground because if it hadn't I would have been gone long ago. :HeartThrob:

CHB & Jabcat, I can relate also.  I've been reading both of your posts and have been blessed by several of them already. :cloud9:

One thing that really caused me to dive in to UR was that after reading scriptures pointing to it and then immediately doubts would creep in and I would think that I don't know what to believe and then walk away from it but, found myself coming back to it over and over again.  I finally just threw my hands up and really began praying for God to open my eyes to the truth.  One morning, I was not even looking for anything in particular and was actually searching for something another person had asked me about.  All of a sudden I came to this verse:

2Thes 2:1  Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
2  That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
3   Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
4  Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
5  Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
6  And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
7  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
9  Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10  And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11  And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:


And what was this lie???????? (I NEVER saw this before as many times as I read it)

  12  That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.


Isn't that amazing???  I think it's fantastic!!  This was like a huge light turned on for me and a heavy load lifted from my shoulders I had been carrying around all of my life.  I will share one more with you that seems to be a witness to those verses and it's interesting to read it in it's context. 

Is 66:4 I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.
5   Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.


I may be wrong but, it sounds to me as if it was all planned from the beginning so that God could show us who really is in charge from the beginning and that no lie can remain hidden that He doesn't bring it to light for all to see eventually. 

Perhaps, I should have opened up another thread for this but wanted to share with you my joyfulness about this being revealed to me and my being lead here  by accident (?) and once again thank you for the welcome.  I look forward to being with all of you and am thankful to have been lead here.

:girlheart: :HeartThrob:

[Sherman]

Welcome Diane,

I look forward to your participation here.

Blessings,
Sherman