OK, one of my major battles is finding time, place and way for prayer. I have tried early morning (always hit snooze); evening (distracted by whatever); and in the car (thoughts wander off to distant places). Here's the Q. How do you incorporate daily prayer and devotion into your life? How do you overcome the battle against the gift we have been given to be in the Presence of the LORD? How do you shut out the world and make this a priority in your life? I really would like to know how others are fighting this battle. Kel

savedsinner7

Was not created for man. It was created as a punishment for Satan. However, if we ignore the gentle call of the LORD and choose to live in rebellion to Him and His Word, then He has no choice. He cannot allow sin to enter Heaven, which is perfect. Those who do not turn to Him will be sent to Hell. Not God's choosing, but by our own.

Luke 13:3
I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.

Job 36:12
But if they do not obey,They shall perish by the sword, And they shall die without knowledge.

John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
John 3:15-17 (in Context) John 3 (Whole Chapter)
John 10:28
And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.
John 10:27-29 (in Context) John 10 (Whole Chapter)

2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

lobrobster

You keep saying this, while ignoring the logical consequences of such an implication. When you say, "faith" (like you did at the end of your post), I'm willing to accect that and we can be done. Faith by definition is belief in the absence of evidence (or even in the face of contradictory evidence, which is the case here). So if you just want to say, "I don't know. It's ALL faith", I'll say fine.

But when you make statements like the one above, it demands explanation. Why? Because it doesn't make sense if you don't also explain why you extend the leeway to God that you wouldn't expect any reasonable person to extend in any other situation! Suppose...

I'm driving in a desert with a tankload of water when I come upon 3 stranded people who are dehydrated and dying of thirst. It wouldn't take much for me to provide all of them with enough water to relieve their misery. Instead, I give water to one, while ignoring the other two and watching them suffer and die of dehydration. Wouldn't you you question my cruelty? Wouldn't you even think to ask me why I helped one, but not the others? Why I stood there watching one quench his thirst, while letting the others die as they begged me for water?

Don't be silly! Of course you would! Yet, when it comes to God, the rules of common sense, logic, and reason cease to exist. No longer do you question a lack of mercy and moral decency we would expect even from a common crimminal! Why is that?

lobrobster

Has no choice? Are you saying that an omnipotent, omnisentient Creator who made the entire universe, and who can simultaneously hear and answer billions of prayers, part a sea, flood the entire earth, etc., is powerless to forgive someone who was unfortunate enough to be born in a place where people think Allah is the real God?


What do you mean by sin? Aren't we ALL sinners? If I understand things right, even a convicted murderer can be saved on his deathbed if he repents and accepts Jesus as his Savior. Is this incorrect? Why then, can't someone be forgiven for being born in the wrong geographical location, or having the misfortune of having parents who were Jewish, instead of Christian? Or even somebody like myself, who sees no compelling reason to believe any gods exist?

savedsinner7

Yes, lobrobster, we are all sinners. Jesus died for us and if we choose to believe in what he did for us we will be cleansed from our sins.

God's mercy is perfect. However, many still choose to turn their backs on Him and He will not be taken for granted. He is Holy. He is Perfect and we cannot know His ways unless He reveals them to us.

Maybe you should check out Not Religion! - Home and 1-888-NEED HIM - Why Am I Here? What Makes My Life So Hard? Answers to Life's Greatest Questions

You may find more of the answers you are looking for.

lobrobster

Thank you for the links. I'll check them out. Here's a question....

Do you think that when we die, we are given a chance to repent? Or must this be done BEFORE we die? Of course, if I were to see Jesus in heaven, I'd believe in Him. If I were to even see a heaven, I'd believe in heaven.

What about Muslims, Hindus, Jews, and those from other religions? Will they have a chance to convert after they die? Or are they doomed to eternal torture and suffering because they happened to have been brought up in the wrong religion?

And what about you? How do you account for the fact that you happen to belong to the "right" religion? Is it because you're smarter than all Hindus, Muslims, and Jews? Or is it some other reason? When I was a Christian I wondered about this all the time... What made me think I had inside info on God that all other religions didn't have?

savedsinner7

Revelation 20
Satan Bound 1000 Years
1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 3 and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.
The Saints Reign with Christ 1000 Years

4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a[a] thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.
Satanic Rebellion Crushed

7 Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. 9 They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. 10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where[b] the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
The Great White Throne Judgment

11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God,[c] and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. 14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.[d] 15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

May I recommend the book Driven By Eternity by John Bevere. Its an alegory that is about the judgment and heaven and hell. There is also an audio CD of a dramatization of this called Affabel. It explains this very well.

MoonlitWaves

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!!! I could not have said it better myself. God did not create Hell for man!! If anyone goes to hell it is their own fault. Their own choice. Yes!!! Great response. I still have not spread enough reputation to rate your answer or I would have savedsinner.

savedsinner7

I didn't say it, the LORD did, I just pointed out His words. He does love each, but allows us to make our choice to serve Him or not. He will not force anyone to follow Him.

savedsinner7

You see, my words are His words. I share with you what I know of Him, what He has revealed to me. Please see my profile for my experiences. This may help you to understand me better.

lobrobster

I just read your profile and I think it's very impressive! If belief in Jesus gave you the strength to turn your life around, I think that's great! I was in a similar situation through my teens and early twenties. I also turned things around, although without faith. So there's more than one way to achieve a means.

I also think you're a very valuable member to this forum. It's good to have someone as knowledgable as you are about Christianity. But I think it's wrong to preach unless specifically asked to do so. Many here are not looking for a sermon, but want honest advice or answers from real people. For instance....

There's this rabbi who devoted his whole life to pleasing God, and he did many wonderful things to help people in need throughout his life. Now if I ask do Christians believe that this man will burn in hell for eternity because he did not accept Jesus Christ as his Savior? Go ahead and cite scripture if you must.

But if I ask how you as a Christian can accept such a hidious belief, I'm not looking for scripture! I want to know how you reconcile this fact and live with it. That's a question that requires your honest human response. Does that make any sense?