| Author | Message | ||
| Maryann |
Hi Y'all, Have any of you ever wondered why we are here? Have you ever looked at the life cycle and said Hmmmmmm? Have you ever considered that the life cycle that YOU are in will be repeated by some length in your children and it was repeated many times over all the way back to Adam? Think about that and the question of, why, comes up again. You were born and grew to adulthood. You have children in the same way as you and your ancestors. For why? Every new generation is trying to improve from the last. Sometimes is just gets worse and other times it gets better. These people are our parents, ourselves, peers, children etc. Some develope into fine citizens. Some turn into less desirable citizens. These are "our children" and great grandchildren.....! Have you ever wondered why God allows these cycles to continue? I sometime feel this is a futile thing! Just cycling and cycling! Why doesn't God end the cycling? I keep getting the "end is near, just look at the signs of the times" from Mom! That "cry" has been going on for eons! I heard an interesting explanation. "God created us to save us." Wow, what a concept? That just seems so odd to me. Somehow, even though that seems to be Biblical, my little pointed head has a hard time computing that! Sooooo, what are your thoughts on this? Upward and onward..........Maryann | ||
| Maryann |
Hmmmmmmmmmm, you know, I really had my thoughts together for the above post earlier, but that long winded "Memory Lane" post took the wind out of my fingers. I really hope you guys understand that I wasn't being flippant! I really DO wonder these things. How about you? Maryann | ||
| Bobc |
Dear Maryann, The lurker returns! Had my "holiday" rather than a vacation - took weeks to recover from it, so perhaps next time I'll try the vacation! I have tried several times to post on this forum and failed. I have no intention even to try to answer the questions you have raised and I am in that part of the cycle which is destined for recycling! But I couldn't resist taking a look at the first question: "Have any of you ever wondered why we are here?" Maryann, you and all the others are here because that is where God wants you to be. I'm now talking about the FAF! This is a marvellous forum. I have been helped immensely by you and all those who have contributed and I'm not even a "former". You only need to look back over the threads to see what is happening. We have "formers", Adventists and people like Chyna and myself who have relationships with Adventists. I do not wish to dwell on my problems within a marriage lasting 36 years but which resulted in a break of five years. The first thirty years was marred by Adventist relations and friends - and these were and still are dyed-in-the-wool Adventists. We could find no area of agreement when it came to the Adventist "special truths". It was either Adventism or nothing at all with them. I could go on but I won't! Maryanne, some of you formers were probably like those Adventists who affected my life and marriage. I wish I could have met you all years ago. But God moves in mysterious ways - and some while before I visited this site I had already "met" Dennis Rainwater on the net quite by accident and in what I consider to be a rather miraculous way. He has been like a brother to me (younger) and one who has helped me to understand Adventists and Adventism better. He has been "there" like the majority of you. Dennis, as a former Adventist you are now being recycled by God. Maryann, you are here because our Father wants YOU here. May God continue to bless you all and your ministry. ps I apologise for the mistakes, I am not even going to try to edit as I always lose the text. Bob C | ||
| Susan |
Hi Maryann, I've been thinking about your post. I agree with Bob's great comments. Here's another idea that I hope is helpful. I think it comes from one of the confessions, I can't recall which one at this moment (Westminster? help anyone!) "Our sole purpose in life and death is to glorify God and live forever with Him." Not sure if this is the exact wording but I think this is pretty close. Kind-of gives you a whole new perspective! In Christ, Susan | ||
| Billthompson |
I've often wondered if our dog ever sits in the back yard and wonders, "why am I here?" or the single goldfishin a bowl in my son's bedroom, etc. These may be poor parallels to our situation where God is concerned. I like what Susan said above. This is a good answer for why we are here on planet earth. I think that is from the Westminster confession. I like what Bob C. had to say about why we are here on FAF. When I left the SDA church 21 years ago I knew of no one else who had left the SDA church for doctrinal reasons and actually grew stronger in their relationship with Christ. We had been told one would go to ruin and that walking away from SDAism was equated with walking away from God Himself. This site is a great witness and encouragement for those in the transition phase. Bill Thompson | ||
| Joni |
"Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." Matt. 5:16 Also "Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely that Gos was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself,, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation..." 2Cor.5:18-21 So I think we are here to glorify God and to help in the reconcilition of others. A few years back I read "The Path" and made these 2 verses my mission statement for life. I'm a leaving on a jet plane............ See you all in a few weeks. Joni | ||
| Maryann |
Hi BobC, Welcome! :=) I hope you're here for a while:) Non-formers are real assets to us as people like you and Chyna have had experiences from the, "other side looking at us" and that is important. I usually wait a few rounds before tease someone, but I JUST have to get you in round 1! Bobc makes me think of a set of books I was NOT allowed to read as an SDA.....Bobc Twins! Ha ha:-) Recycled adventist....that's really funny. My compliments to you:-)) And........you need not apologize for mistakes. Everyone makes them. However.....I live for the mistakes that some of the "finer folk", you know, the "edge-uh-muh-cated folk" make here. It just makes me feel so good that even "they" goooooof up on occasion:):):) Meeting Dennis here again, that's so cool. It really is a small world! I take it that you are married to and SDA and/or have very close friends that SDA? Would you please give us a run down on your 36 years as an "outsider looking in?" You could start a new thread for "you outsider's". I think that would be so helpful to the audience out there to see how this "us only" attitude affects friends and family! Really, I'm serious:) Hey all of you out there, let's think of a great name for a new thread. Like: CHRISTIAN'S: Married to SDA's or PERSECUTION: By the Remnant or BROKEN HEART'S: By SDA Separatism or ????????????????? Again, thank you Bob, for coming out of the woods and figuring how to post. Looking forward to more. You said that I'm here because God wants me here. That's a very good reason! I still have to wonder as it just seems that God is letting this "cycling" thing go on and on. It's like the "wicked" is getting getting "wickeder". And 3ABN is getting bigger and deceiving more and more people along with so many other's like TBN and so many, many, many cults out there. So not only are the wicked spreading their goods like wildfire, so are the deceived religious organizations spreading their goods too? Upward and onward.......Maryann | ||
| Colleentinker |
I've come to believe, Maryann, that we're here because God wants to glorify himself through us. I've been reading Desiring God by John Piper, and he makes such a compelling point that God's goodness is ultimate and powerful, and God's pleasure is in seeing himself revealed in us. (I'm definitely paraphrasing here!) I've come to suspect that our creation was about God solving the sin problem. Just as Israel was formed and nurtured in order to demonstrate the depth of man's sinfulness and the impossibility of keeping the law and being good without a redeemer, in a larger way I think the creation of humanity was about God solving the sin problem and demonstrating his responsibility and immeasurable love. We are here to allow God to demonstrate his glory and love and power through individual lives as well as through the collective life (now) of the church. I consider being here and being found by Christ to be an amazing priviledge! In Him, Colleen | ||
| Colleentinker |
I just realized that my above post could be construed to say that WITH GOD we CAN keep the law and be good. I didn't mean that! Here's what I meant: Israel's experience deomonstrated the depth and hopelessness of sin. It also shows us God's interaction with sinful humans before our redemption. His love was always there; his goodness and grace were always there. But the reborn life filled with the Holy Spirit was not there! Praise God for Jesus and for salvation, grace, and life! Colleen | ||
| Maryann |
Hi Susan, Well........Hmmmmmmmmmm? I guess I'm still having somewhat of a problem with perspective (mine). Well........Hmmmmmmmmmm? Maybe I'm also questioning God? Naughty me;-(( Somehow it seems to be a loosing battle. The people who's sole purpose it is to glorify God in life and death seem to be, percentage wise, shrinking? The scales are about to tip over! Maryann | ||
| Maryann |
Hi Bill(th), My dogs don't wonder what they are created for!!!! It's eat, sleep, bark and mess:=(( And they do it well! I hope this thread continues to get responses as these are some nagging questions that a lot of people have and don't want to stir up the water or they are afraid of criticism if they ask to many questions. Questioning God is a scary thing! But it still needs to be delt with as "WHY" is such a big question these days. Maryann | ||
| Graceambassador |
Hi Maryann: Your quest is a very valid one! If I may let me humbly suggest this food for thought: Isaiah 46:10 - "God declares the end from the beginning" - He sees us as finished products. We're the ones who can only see our most current atomic moment, with no vision for eternity, not even the next second, and thus see ourselves in the "assembly line"! Colossians 2:10 says that we are "complete in Him", the same as "perfectly made in Him". Compare with Romans 8:30 and the tense of the verbs it uses: God sees us as "justified" or just if I'd never sinned and GLORIFYED, a finished product! You mentioned cycles. What an excellent outlook to see God's dealings with us. The text cited above of Romans 8:30 is in context with Romans 8:28 that states that "all things work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose". The term "work together" is a very interesting one in the GREEK: It is "SYNERGY". Sinergy means "energy exercised together to achieve a common goal". To explain that, let me use the same illuistration I use when I preach on "SYNERGY": When I was a boy, I hated broccoli (could and can't even spell or smell it) and other vegetables. I loved, though, suggared stuff. I liked ice cream and other sweets. My mother knew that I NEEDED vegetables for my healthy growth, but liked ice cream. So, she would get some vegetables and ice cream and blend them well in a blender. She'd put broccoli, (somebody correct me please), carrots, tomatoes and other healthy food in the blender with ice cream and blend it with a little sugar, sort of in a Mary Poppins way (just a spoonful of sugar makes....). I would drink it because of the taste and feel really good about overcoming my disgust for vegetables! God does the same thing with our lives: He ALLOWS bad situations, the cycles you mention, to befall us. If we look at our lives through a microscope and catch it in one of its bad moments and consider that to be our life, we will be miserable and unhappy. But, God, allows these bad situations, WHICH ARE IMPORTANT TO OUR SPIRITUAL GROWTH to be blended with pleasant experiences in life and, there it is, we have our SPIRITUAL VITAMIN! Do not look to your life as a cycle! Do not look at your life with a microscope. Find the broad view of God's plan for you and you will see that the "low cycles" were not that bad after all and that after them YOU'RE STRONGER! I agree with what everybody says about us living for God's Glory! We do. That is why Romans 8:30 says we're GLORIFIED. God glorified us in response to Jesus prayer in John 17! This is SYNERGY! The energy of low cycles working with the wonderful situations in life to mold us into the stature of a person that God has already FINISHED from end to beginning in His timelessness! To conclude, let me remind you that the Book of Ecclesiastes chapter 3 tells us that "there is a season for everything UNDER THE SUN". It is here, on earth, our realm that there is such as thing as time! But not to God! He is timeless! BELIEVE in the God that in his TIMELESSNESS has ALREADY YOU AS A FINISHED AND PERFECT PRODUCT! Between your knowledge that YOU ARE PERFECT IN HIM and THE MANIFESTATION OF THIS PERFECTION TO YOU there is one bridge. This bridge is called PATIENCE! But this would be another thread! You have been blessed with ALL kinds of Spiritual blessings in heavenly places in CHRIST JESUS! Ephesians 1:3 Grace Ambassador | ||
| Steve |
When I was a brand new Christian, I was met (and attacked) by Mormons. They seemed very loving and concerned about me. They posed three questions to me: 1) Where did I come from? 2) Why am I here? 3) Where am I going? If you know anything about Mormonism, you know that their theology is set to answer those 3 questions exactly. Now that Maryann has posed a similar thought, I feel that I'm in a little better place to answer that question than I was 25 years ago. I came from God. Not in the Mormon sense. I wasn't born of Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother as a spirit being. Like Jeremiah, God knew me before I was formed in the womb (Jeremiah 1:5). I am here to give glory to God, to enjoy the abunadant life that is mine in Jesus Christ, and to be used by God for others. And I am going to spend an eternity, not becoming equal with God, but always having intimate fellowship with Him. In that sense, this life is kind of like the first two or three courses of a 7 course meal. There's more to come. And it's all good! I can't wait to find out what dessert will be! (And you know that with God, dessert will never end!) Steve | ||
| Allenette |
On the other hand, I would recommend reading "The Selfish Gene", by Richard Dawkins, to help answer that question :-) | ||
| Darrell |
Grace Ambassador, I enjoyed your example about the "spiritual vitamin". My wife, who is also Brazilian, used to make a smoothie which she called a "vitamin" out of fruit juice, parsely, mint, wheat germ, and probably a few other things I can't remember. It was both healthy and delicious! Even sweet smoothies made from avocado are delicious, although they sound strange to most Americans. (It's a Brazilian thing.) | ||
| Graceambassador |
Darrell: Please tell your wife "oi" and tell her that we beat Argentina 3X1, our major rival only to be humiliated by Chile 3X0. No problem... Help is on the way... Our coach is bringing in back Romario, Ronaldinho and the others who play for Italain teams... There is hope!!! I have satellite TV and I have to suffer. I've eaten two floor rugs, tore up a brazilian flag, puncture a soccer ball with my teeth and drilled a bore in my new door for a new lock with my own fist...! Why do we brazilians are so crazy about the REAL football (soccer)? Is your wife the same way? Tell her also to get 1/2 a can of condensed milk, an avocado (abacate for us) some lemon and blend it with regular milk in the blender. If she likes it even sweeter, exagerate in the sugar!!! The thicker, the better! Drink it real cold in the morning! What a breakfast! This is "corner bar" recipe (she knows what is "bar da esquina"). Well, this week end I am cooking a feijoada with a whole salt cured pork! So much for believing in dieting! Want to join me? (No caipirinha, though, that would be a sin!) (The rest of you have no idea of what I am talking about...!) Tell her: Muito Obrigado!!! Grace Ambassador | ||
| Patti |
Dear GA, My sweet hubby is Dutch. We just spent oodles of money so we could get the European cup games on satellite. Can't wait for the World Cup again. (BTW, didn't the the Dutch beat Brazil in the semi-finals last year, or was I dreaming? :) Here's hoping you will still speak to me...:) Patti | ||
| Graceambassador |
Patti: Nooooooo!We won! The game was 2X2 regular time and then the born again believer brazilian golie, Taffarel saved 2 penalty kicks in the penalties tie breakers. We won! Only to yellow our bellies before the "le bleu de France" by 3X0 in the final game. Brazil is 4 times world champion. The only team to reach that mark and the only one to win three times in 4 World Cups and a fourth time. 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994. In 2002 your husband can buy per per view in any DSS type satellite. Now he can have the Fox sports package and get games from all over Europe and South America, I love it! And yes... I'll continue to speak with you... I love dutch football. Specially after the era of Johann Cruiff...And now with that African- Dutch (well... a black dutchman, perhaps from Suriname, South America) who plays with sun glasses! He is gooood! But I hope you know who is STILL THE BEST!!! (Churches in Brazil cancel services if the World Cup game is during a service. They know that they're watching in heaven anyway, so why interrupt them! And they're all rooting for Brazil!!!) Grace Ambassador | ||
| Patti |
You are right! My memory must have collapsed. (Or else I was trying my best to forget that game. The Euro cup was deja vu all over again. Semifinals--Holland lost by free kicks. ARRGGHHH!) My husband's best friend spent 6 months in Brazil. He played soccer in the Netherlands (not professional) but he wrote the Brazilian coach and asked if he could come and spend some time with the Brazilian team, at their training camp. The coach said yes, and off he went to Brazil. (Very interesting, btw, that all this soccer talk falls under the thread, "LIFE: Ever Wonder Why We Are Here?" Is that just coincidence, GA? :) | ||
| Graceambassador |
Patti: The answer could very well be: To watch Brazilian soccer! So much for a blessing! (wherever a Brazilian is involved, soccer will come up sonner or later - I prefer to say the real football. Soccer is related to a little girls game...) Grace Ambassador |
