In my last few thread their have been those who would mock experience as any type of validation of God, or they mock the idea that anyone could have experienced anything differently than what their 'efforts' have yielded.
If this were an accurate way to assess experience then those with years of practical real world experience would make no greater impact as an employee as someone fresh out of school. Experience can be an asset or it can be a hindrance depending on how it is used. Personal work experience, like personal God experience does not generally transfer from person to person. (I can not pass my 22 years of work history over to the new guy and have him be able to produce what i produce, like wise I can not simply share what God has done for me and it mean the same thing to you.) God does this by design. In that if we had absolute proof of God we would have no other choice but to bow down and worship Him. God has given us the freedom to make decide for ourselves whether or not we want anything to do with Him or not. In order for Him to do this we had to have a way to know God as deeply as our understanding would allow, but at the same time also allow those who did not want to know God the freedom to deny Him.
Which is why I say, if my experiences of God matched what many of you claimed to have found, then i would most likely have the same take on God as you have. God has done some pretty extraordinary things in my life, and he continues to do so. But it was not always like this. I had to learn to submit myself to God in order to see and hear what He has done for me. i say that because looking back, even when I was not a believer, I dismissed everything God has done for me to some sort of observable phenomena.
Just because we can put a name on the process which God has used does not mean God can not use that process. Remember The God of the bible is the God of the Natural universe, so it is only natural that He use the processes (Science) He created to accomplish what He sets out to do. That said God is not bound by these processes. He can circumvent them if He wishes to do so, but at the same time is not bound by some sort 'magic clause.'
The Idea of a magic/mystical God came out of the dark ages. Where God by decree of the pope God Had to be completely unknowable by everyone but the church/pope. The fact of the matter is He is not unknowable, infact He goes through great lengths, so we can infact know God. That is why I harp on Luke 11 and A/S/K so much. God literally offers to come and work in your life, and show you the 'proof' YOU need to establish a solid faith. However their is a catch. You have to do things his way, and if you want these experiences to increase you have to be faithful to what he has shown you already.
Meaning If God shows you a deal breaking sin in your life that is keeping Him from fully working with you, and you do nothing about it then know, that the 'guilt' you feel is all you will ever know of the Holy Spirit. Now, if you are faithful to what He has shown you and you continue to a/s/k then you will be given More to work with. God will take whatever you put into this relationship and turn over 10 fold, if you take the 10 He will inturn multiply that blessing 10 more times. God has no upper limit, so whatever you experience is only limited by what you are willing to give of yourself.
If this were an accurate way to assess experience then those with years of practical real world experience would make no greater impact as an employee as someone fresh out of school. Experience can be an asset or it can be a hindrance depending on how it is used. Personal work experience, like personal God experience does not generally transfer from person to person. (I can not pass my 22 years of work history over to the new guy and have him be able to produce what i produce, like wise I can not simply share what God has done for me and it mean the same thing to you.) God does this by design. In that if we had absolute proof of God we would have no other choice but to bow down and worship Him. God has given us the freedom to make decide for ourselves whether or not we want anything to do with Him or not. In order for Him to do this we had to have a way to know God as deeply as our understanding would allow, but at the same time also allow those who did not want to know God the freedom to deny Him.
Which is why I say, if my experiences of God matched what many of you claimed to have found, then i would most likely have the same take on God as you have. God has done some pretty extraordinary things in my life, and he continues to do so. But it was not always like this. I had to learn to submit myself to God in order to see and hear what He has done for me. i say that because looking back, even when I was not a believer, I dismissed everything God has done for me to some sort of observable phenomena.
Just because we can put a name on the process which God has used does not mean God can not use that process. Remember The God of the bible is the God of the Natural universe, so it is only natural that He use the processes (Science) He created to accomplish what He sets out to do. That said God is not bound by these processes. He can circumvent them if He wishes to do so, but at the same time is not bound by some sort 'magic clause.'
The Idea of a magic/mystical God came out of the dark ages. Where God by decree of the pope God Had to be completely unknowable by everyone but the church/pope. The fact of the matter is He is not unknowable, infact He goes through great lengths, so we can infact know God. That is why I harp on Luke 11 and A/S/K so much. God literally offers to come and work in your life, and show you the 'proof' YOU need to establish a solid faith. However their is a catch. You have to do things his way, and if you want these experiences to increase you have to be faithful to what he has shown you already.
Meaning If God shows you a deal breaking sin in your life that is keeping Him from fully working with you, and you do nothing about it then know, that the 'guilt' you feel is all you will ever know of the Holy Spirit. Now, if you are faithful to what He has shown you and you continue to a/s/k then you will be given More to work with. God will take whatever you put into this relationship and turn over 10 fold, if you take the 10 He will inturn multiply that blessing 10 more times. God has no upper limit, so whatever you experience is only limited by what you are willing to give of yourself.
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