>>God said, "Anything you ask, believing, it shall be done for you." There weren't any exceptions to that statement.<<
>boy, this is the second time that god has come into my investment activities.<
I guess this is an investment discussion vehicle. However, I wasn't thinking about investments when I got into philosophy. I have mixed emotions about involving God in Sexi or NFLI. I'll bet you "believed" it was a risky investment.
I should not have attempted to make such a broad statement without all the related topics. The subject is so complicated that I know I don't know all the answers - I don't think anyone does. My comments are based on my present understanding and I'm learning every day of my life. Without trying to turn this into a whole different forum, I feel that should add some additional thoughts to illustrate that I don't think the answer is as simple as my first post indicated I may have thought.
> observing my own lives, the lives of others and the attitudes we all hold from this perspective.<
That was the basic principle I was trying to throw out;i.e., we are so controlled by our prior conditioning that we are unable to believe some things. We must learn how to change our subc memory banks to "allow" us to believe the things we want to believe.
> before going further, i'd like to be clear that every person should have a map to guide them to the destination they chose and the tenacity to stay on track<
Without step "A", the map is ineffectual (although it is still infinitly more valuable to have one than not)
>i have seen people be devastated by this type of paradigm, though. i'm not healed b/c i don't believe. my child isn't smart b/c i don't believe (or have faith). my husband beats me b/c i don't believe. and i could go on and on. the trauma of such unfortunate situations deserve compassion and not self inflicted guilt.<
I never though about that. I guess if someone had a very shallow understanding of what faith or belief really is they could conceivably place guilt on themselves. However, they would still be greatly influenced by faulty conditioning. >my husband beats me<, I think, illustrates my point more than yours, for instance.
>donnie, i know you mean to express the positive side. <
I think attitude is the "magic word". However, positive thinking doesn't always work. Without the self-image correction, just thinking positive won't make anything happen. I have lots of examples of this fact.
>in any case, my experience is that god has an over riding agenda in our lives.<
We didn't get deep enough in the discussion to talk about finding your mission in life. That's another key principle - that's a whole 'nuther session. I do have a worksheet for a starter. Until you bring your goals and activities in line with your mission in life, you're getting nowhere slow. Valid point, though, and I didn't intend to suggest that you should or could use belief to override this all-important area. All the principles have to be integrated and work in concert, and finding your mission is the most important.
>i don't believe steven was sawed in half because he lacked the belief<
I agree. Some individuals are lucky to be a part of God's big plan and in some cases (like Steven) dying is part of the deal. If I had a chance to make that kind of impact on the world, I'd die to do it. Tragedy & affliction are similar. Another whole session, but think about all the kids afflicted with CP, etc. It's hard to think about God being involved in that, but didn't he say to Moses (when he was trying to avoid the draft), "Who made the deaf deaf, Who made the blind blind. Who made the afflicted afflicted. Was it not I, the Lord?" God took the credit or blame for affliction. I Thes 5:18 says, " In ALL THINGS give thanks, for that is the will of God in you." All things? Even a mongoloid child? Dr. Barnhouse's wife when she called her mother to tell her about their new baby being born a mongoloid child said, "Mother, we've been blessed with a mongoloid child. We don't know the nature of the blessing, yet, but we know it is a blessing."
>learn from defeat (i've been beat up oh so bad over the past 6 years - long story) <
Don't forget to be thankful for all those beatings! I have a rare form of Leukemia (Hairy Cell), and it was probably the best thing that ever happened to me. I didn't think that when I was almost dying and lying in the emergency room of the hospital awaiting my doctor dropping six surgery cases to stick me in the operating room, but after a little "why me" self-pity, I took a minute for a prayer. I'm not saying I heard a loud voice or anything, but I heard/felt/sensed "Donnie, you're going to be all right." From that moment on, I was the only person on earth who knew I was going to live. My doctor wouldn't even let a corner of his mouth curl up for 3-4 days. In retrospect, that brush with death "helped" me put things in perspective in my life and made all the difference. I don't think I would have done that without a jolt. We just never know why some things happen. Romans 8:28 says, "All things work toward good for those who are living according to God's ways." Expect the best & always be thankful, no matter what.
This is really a deep subject! We're such a mess, it's not a simple matter getting shaped up to where we can live as God intended for us to. If anyone has the answers, please let me know.
I think all the pieces of the puzzle have to be fitted together, but I'm not sure which piece has to come first, or if it matters. |
