DIR Return Create A Forum - Home
---------------------------------------------------------
Love God Only
HTML https://lovegodonly.createaforum.com
---------------------------------------------------------
*****************************************************
DIR Return to: Things of the Mind
*****************************************************
#Post#: 7379--------------------------------------------------
Are We Always Who We Are?
By: Runner Date: May 20, 2014, 11:32 am
---------------------------------------------------------
I never quite know where to place a thread LOL Kerry can move it
if it is in the wrong board.
I was wondering...are 'we' always inside who were always were?
Do "we" ever change or is it just that our reaction to
everything that has happened to us during life appears to change
us, making us different?
I know for instance I am tougher than I was as a child...things
don't hurt me like they used to...does that mean that something
has actually changed , I have changed, or are we the same 'me'
that is preserving the soul of me?
Do we ever really "change" or just appear to?
I have probably not written this very well, it's a bit hard
getting it into words.
#Post#: 7380--------------------------------------------------
Re: Are We Always Who We Are?
By: Amadeus Date: May 20, 2014, 3:35 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
[font=courier]Consider Jesus. He was a very special man no
matter what our specifics beliefs are. What is the scripture
says?
"And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with
God and man." Luke 2:52
Doesn't that mean that Jesus changed?
And then concerning you and me and the other guy:
"And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one
cubit?
If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take
ye thought for the rest?" Luke 12:25-26
So then cannot the verse regarding Jesus (Luke 2:52) be applied
to us as well? Does not even a complete and continuing heathen
increase in some things? The increases may not be positive...
meaning in the direction of God, but surely a person can
increase in carnal things or the things of hell.
You say you are "tougher" and I do not doubt, in the way you
mean it, that you are. So am I, but without God that just means
you can endure things here in this carnal body better than
previously.
A good question here might be: What is the difference being
calloused to the ways of man and being calloused to the Way of
God? [/font]
#Post#: 7381--------------------------------------------------
Re: Are We Always Who We Are?
By: coldwar Date: May 20, 2014, 3:50 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Well... this is one time when I will defer to my old
Fundamentalist - Evangelical roots, and say affirmative... yes
we change when indwelt by God's Spirit. I know I changed - it
was a transformation. Since then, especially looking back, I
went through some hard knocks of learning, sinning, getting back
out of it, and now a degree of sanctification of being far more
tolerant of others.
#Post#: 7382--------------------------------------------------
Re: Are We Always Who We Are?
By: Kerry Date: May 20, 2014, 4:55 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
[quote author=Helen link=topic=735.msg7379#msg7379
date=1400603534]
I was wondering...are 'we' always inside who were always were?
Do "we" ever change or is it just that our reaction to
everything that has happened to us during life appears to change
us, making us different?[/quote]
I'd say that's a two-way street. "Who" we are depends on the
relationships we have with others. If I got married, I would
"be" a husband. If I got a job fighting fires, I'd "be" a
fireman. But that's on the surface. Man is like God in that
man has the ability to "be" almost anything. To a large extent
that depends on his choices.
[quote]I know for instance I am tougher than I was as a
child...things don't hurt me like they used to...does that mean
that something has actually changed , I have changed, or are we
the same 'me' that is preserving the soul of me?
Do we ever really "change" or just appear to?[/quote]My
definition of "hell" is a place where people go who refuse to
change. They cling to the idea of "self" they have adopted as
if they might go out existence if they changed.
[quote]I have probably not written this very well, it's a bit
hard getting it into words.
[/quote]Very hard. It's one of life's mysteries, I think. Why
did God divide "the male and female adam" into two parts (Adam
and Eve) and then tell them to become one again? Well, love is
possible only if we are different creatures. But the truth
really is that we are all part of God. Just pretending to be
some "thing." Still, love is possible in this sort of
arrangement. Sad to say, so is hate.
Think of who you "are"? Are you British or Canadian? What if
you packed your bags and moved to Mexico and became Mexican. To
a very large degree, what we "are" is the results of our
decisions; and thank God our mistakes are not permanent!
Wouldn't it be horrible to realize we are sinners and had to
sinnners eternally? I don't think God would have created us if
change was impossible. He wouldn't enjoy us if that were the
case.
I believe all things are moving towards perfection and changing.
I saw some flowers the other day by the side of the road and
thought of the verse that as long as the earth existed, there
would be seasons. It made sense to me as I was driving along.
Everything is moving towards perfection; and think of it, the
plants provide food for us while we are giving the chance to be
moving towards perfection.
Revelation 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and
honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy
pleasure they are and were created.
While it's regrettable that some go to hell, it's also actually
a good thing. It cleans up the other places by providing a
prison for the unruly and stubborn -- and they can always change
for the better anytime they wish if they are willing to see how
they are creating hell themselves. Yet I long for the day
when hell has served its purpose and will no longer be needed.
How grand that will be, and it will reveal the Wisdom of God
in how He created things.
Error is not permanent. We can learn from our mistakes.
Mistakes are be turned to an advantage if we learn from them and
don't repeat them out of stubborn sense of "self."
#Post#: 7384--------------------------------------------------
Re: Are We Always Who We Are?
By: Runner Date: May 20, 2014, 7:52 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Thank you for all the responses. Very helpful. So if I take and
overview of all the comments I could say that Maturity changes
who we were, right?
The shy, insecure , innocent girl has gone now...and I am "
whatever I am" right now.
I never liked the fearful insecure part of life, but it's kind
of sad to know that the 'me' I once was has gone. ( or buried
under 'things and happening" of life)
Then maybe I think that maybe I could have been a better me, if
certain things had not happened to harden me up and put me on
guard.
I know that all this is just soulish thinking...and as John
said...the increase needs to be positive and Godward.
You know how someone can sit and muse...in musing I thought of
two puppies from the same litter , who get sent to two different
homes...one to a positive, caring home where it is loved
understood stroked and cared for...the other to a builders yard
where it is encouraged by no fun, touching, care, or nurturing,
to become an unhappy aloof guard dog that people are scared of.
Same mother, same father different environments, different
personalities are cultivated.
Maybe people are like that too. My thinking was, is the original
nature still there buried deep or has the whole shape of the
soul changed.
But, I think you answered the question.
God help us to get secure in knowing that our true identity and
DNA is within the Father, not in those who were given us as
earthly parents, precious though they may have been to us.
I am still "thinking on these things".
#Post#: 7386--------------------------------------------------
Re: Are We Always Who We Are?
By: Kerry Date: May 20, 2014, 8:06 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
There seems to be a cycle of losing our innocence through
experience . . . followed by the trek back to Eden and the lost
innocence. But when we get back into Eden, we know what to do
with the serpent when it shows up. We do not fall again because
we've already done that. We can be innocent around people who
don't take advantage of us and as sly as the serpent when around
the serpent. The struggle is to become as gentle as the dove
but as wise as the serpent. Face it, in this world, it's not
wise to trust everyone. It would be nice if we could, but we
can't.
Yes, when innocence is regained, the serpent can no longer
injure us. Nor will the fruit of the "forbidden tree" injure.
Mark 16:18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any
deadly thing, it shall not hurt them . . . .
#Post#: 7389--------------------------------------------------
Re: Are We Always Who We Are?
By: Brad Date: May 20, 2014, 10:28 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Me and my wife were just speaking of the saying "There's no
fool, like an old fool." I had told her that when I was
younger, I didnt understand the truth of this, because in my
mind, a fool, is a fool, is a fool! But with age, we are
supposed to have "learned" from our past mistakes, and be less
the fool we were when we were younger, and thats why an old fool
is worse, because they have had more time to learn wisdom and
yet still is a fool. The point being here, that we typically
change as we get older, and hopefully for the better or we
indeed become the "fool". So your change Helen is probably for
the good I would think.
#Post#: 7390--------------------------------------------------
Re: Are We Always Who We Are?
By: Kerry Date: May 21, 2014, 12:20 am
---------------------------------------------------------
^ I heard someone say that people are like wine. Some gets
better the older it gets, and some gets bitter. Now if I see a
young person acting bitter, I wonder what he'll be like in ten
or twenty years. I pray to God that he doesn't keep hardening
his heart. Isn't that what it is? Making the same mistake
again and again, just to prove "I'm right!"
Remember how people were healed when the waters were troubled at
the pool of Siloam? I believe moments of trouble can make us
stronger and heal of problems sometimes we didn't know we had.
Sometimes we do know and we're given many chances -- and if we
aren't healed, then we are on the path of becoming old fools.
#Post#: 7391--------------------------------------------------
Re: Are We Always Who We Are?
By: coldwar Date: May 21, 2014, 5:28 am
---------------------------------------------------------
^ "Remember how people were healed when the waters were troubled
at the pool of Siloam? "
They weren't actually healed were they? Wasn't it just a fable?
Jesus healed one man out of the whole crowd there.
#Post#: 7392--------------------------------------------------
Re: Are We Always Who We Are?
By: Kerry Date: May 21, 2014, 5:56 am
---------------------------------------------------------
[quote author=coldwar link=topic=735.msg7391#msg7391
date=1400668133]
^ "Remember how people were healed when the waters were troubled
at the pool of Siloam? "
They weren't actually healed were they? Wasn't it just a fable?
Jesus healed one man out of the whole crowd there.
[/quote]Only one person was healed at a time. Whoever made it
into the waters first was the person who was healed. The man
Jesus healed? I can't figure why he was there since he
couldn't move and had no one to move him.
Oh, I got that wrong. It was at Bethesda. Sorry. I read it
rather literally.
John 5:2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool,
which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five
porches.
3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind,
halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.
4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and
troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of
the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he
had.
5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and
eight years.
6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long
time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?
7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the
water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am
coming, another steppeth down before me.
8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.
9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed,
and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.
*****************************************************
DIR Next Page