DIR Return Create A Forum - Home
---------------------------------------------------------
HTML https://unitedindiversity.createaforum.com
---------------------------------------------------------
*****************************************************
DIR Return to: Members' Corners and forum updates
*****************************************************
#Post#: 2535--------------------------------------------------
Re: Paul
By: KerryD Date: October 23, 2025, 4:22 am
---------------------------------------------------------
[quote author=Mike Waters link=topic=34.msg2533#msg2533
date=1761163596]
I've got another puzzler.
I'm too tired to look things up in a proper study so this is all
from previous thoughts and memory.
When the 12 apostles were chosen I think the criteria was that
they had to have physically walked with Christ during his
ministry and been witnesses to his resurrection.
Intellectual calibre seems not to have been a factor and many
came from lowly walks of life (maybe they were of limited
ability to write) and few seem to have contributed to the New
Testament canon of scripture.
Why were they not all endowed with spiritual prowess to overcome
their limitations?
After all those that did contribute seem to have been given
extra prowess and are we not told that scripture came from 'Holy
men' who spoke as they were moved by God.
Maybe much more scripture (the origin of which we assume to have
be inspired) was in fact written by scribes who relied on verbal
accounts from those who couldn't write (and probably were also
somewhat short on 'memory').
I personally know of no 'Scribes' who were converts away from
their lifelong dedication to keeping records of Jewish past and
present history.
So were they really likely to have reliably recorded factors of
a ministry that placed absolute necessity on those who were so
indoctrinated by the expectation of the ultimate restoration of
an 'Earthly Jerusalem', that they had to be told that they
needed to be 'Born again' into the real expectation of the
restoration being to a 'New Heavenly Jerusalem'. (sorry that's
so long and convoluted).
Perhaps I should say no more.
[/quote]
Looking that passage up, I see Peter wrote it; and I doubt he
was thinking of any New Testament books since it contains the
word "old."
2 Peter 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the
scripture is of any private interpretation.
21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but
holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
I would think he meant the Pentateuch and the books Jews called
"The Prophets." The others were called Scriptures since they
contained some useful information; but they were not considered
highly inspired; and some even had errors.
It struck me as odd that I and II Chronicles and I and II Kings
are considered prophetic while I and II Chronicles are more
historic than inspired. Think of this difference: Kings
mentions some unflattering things about Solomon; but I doubt
you'd find one unkind word about him in Chronicles -- unless you
count the reference to 666 in 2 Chronicles 9:13. Was Chronicles
affected by politics?
Most of the books of the New Testament don't even purport to be
prophetic. I find the Gospels valuable since they contain the
words of Jesus; but I think the authors writing things they had
heard. Luke tells us his Gospel is historical in nature. I
don't think he was inspired by the Holy Ghost. He was relating
facts as he had heard them. I trust the Gospel of John more
however since John was present when Jesus said those things; and
I trust his account of the Crucifixion more since he was
present.
#Post#: 2536--------------------------------------------------
Re: Paul
By: Dave Date: October 23, 2025, 10:44 am
---------------------------------------------------------
As I was slurping my coffee as I'm wont to do as Helen would
confirm, I had this thought, why did no one of the 12 say, 'call
me tomorrow', was it a case of many are called but few are
chosen?
As in some church scenario's people leave over who are the
'chosen' and there appears in the 12, three were chosen from the
chosen, and what merited their choosing above the others?
#Post#: 2537--------------------------------------------------
Re: Paul
By: KerryD Date: October 23, 2025, 11:37 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
[quote author=Dave link=topic=34.msg2536#msg2536
date=1761234253]
As I was slurping my coffee as I'm wont to do as Helen would
confirm, I had this thought, why did no one of the 12 say, 'call
me tomorrow', was it a case of many are called but few are
chosen?
As in some church scenario's people leave over who are the
'chosen' and there appears in the 12, three were chosen from the
chosen, and what merited their choosing above the others?
[/quote]
Here's another question to ponder. Why were the Apostles afraid
to meet Paul? Why did Barnabas have to go tell them that Paul
was okay? Why didn't the Holy Spirit tell them he had become a
Christian? Then shortly after telling us how the Apostles were
afraid, we read twice about how bold Paul was.
#Post#: 2538--------------------------------------------------
Re: Paul
By: Rita Date: October 24, 2025, 2:50 am
---------------------------------------------------------
[quote author=KerryD link=topic=34.msg2537#msg2537
date=1761280644]
Here's another question to ponder. Why were the Apostles afraid
to meet Paul? Why did Barnabas have to go tell them that Paul
was okay? Why didn't the Holy Spirit tell them he had become a
Christian? Then shortly after telling us how the Apostles were
afraid, we read twice about how bold Paul was.
[/quote]
It wasn’t the Apostles that were afraid, it was the disciples.
So Barnabas then took Paul to the Apostles. I presume this was
to reassure the disciples that Paul could be trusted.
As far as the Holy Spirit telling people not to be afraid,
becoming a Christian doesn’t eliminate mistrust or fear as we
are all human. If someone has had a dodgy past and does a
complete turnaround it is more difficult to actually believe
they can be trusted and not feared. We may hear the Holy Spirit
within giving reassurance, but our own human responses are also
within us. The disciples trusted the Apostles, so reassurance
from them was needed.
#Post#: 2539--------------------------------------------------
Re: Paul
By: Mike Waters Date: October 24, 2025, 3:09 am
---------------------------------------------------------
I awoke this morning after the most restless night you could
imagine. Paul and the other 'Apostles' couldn't be further from
my mind.
I'm 90 years old and had got led through every conceivable
moment of my past life.
When I awoke I just had to get out of bed, make coffee and tea
for Christine and myself (a couple of hours earlier than usual)
in the hope that it would switch my mind out of its chaos.
So, where does it leave me?
I consider the fact that I was virtually 'born into
'Churchianity'.
At the tender age of 10, I changed from CoE Sunday School to
join that of the 'Chapel', a stones throw from my parent's home,
simply because I learned that to be the SS attended by my one
and only childhood sweetheart.
I morphed up the SS ladder until I was in the final 'young men's
class'.
I further morphed along until The Chapel became the cornerstone
of my life.
Those around me professed to have experienced a 'distinct moment
of conversion' and, so as not to be left out, I decided that CoE
to Chapel had to be my 'moment of conversion'.
Right up until now nothing has changed with me always having
adapted to my 'chameleon like' life style, running parallel with
my OCD compulsion to be 'leader' of everything that crossed my
path.
Last night my mind became captivated by the impossible task of
pulling into chronological order every minute aspect of a life
(0utside of Religion) that it was driving me crazy.
I just had to get out of bed to clear my head, and here I am, a
man 'broken' by the remorse of all my 'wrong doings'.
If only I had heeded the wishes of my wife (my aforesaid
childhood sweetheart) and stayed in my steady Local Government
job.
But I didn't and I am left with my epitaph "If only ~ but too
late now".
#Post#: 2540--------------------------------------------------
Re: Paul
By: Helen Date: October 24, 2025, 7:51 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Sad reading this Mike. Does nothing in your Christian life
bring you peace? I’m sure you wouldn’t say no. ( ? )
Could you not have just had a bad night ? Even a horrid
night of the enemy of our souls who attacks our minds ? He
comes to rob, steal and destroy , bringing misery. That’s his
job.
It’s his job because he is the ‘tester of the saints’.
Over the years I’ve seen you ‘contending for the faith ‘ too
much , for it to have all just been a “change of mind, or change
of church.
I think you have to learn how to mentally climb onto Fathers
lap, snuggle and just ‘be’.
Ofter we get ourselves beyond prayer to a place of - “ Be
STILL , and just know, that I Am God.”
xx
#Post#: 2541--------------------------------------------------
Re: Paul
By: Dave Date: October 24, 2025, 9:29 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Looking back Mike is not always the best move, all the seeming
past mistakes seemed right at the time.
I wonder if Peter woke up in the night with the accuser of the
brethren saying, “how’s denying the Lord working for you these
days”
I read this just yesterday, hot off the press, “ Forgiveness
doesn't excuse what happens,
It’s not about
changing the past
- it’s about
freeing the future.
Edith Eger from her book “ The Choice”
#Post#: 2542--------------------------------------------------
Re: Paul
By: Mike Waters Date: October 24, 2025, 9:56 am
---------------------------------------------------------
[quote author=Helen link=topic=34.msg2540#msg2540
date=1761310293]
Often we get ourselves beyond prayer to a place of - “ Be STILL
, and just know, that I Am God.”
xx
[/quote]
And that's exactly where I am.
But with a lot of caveats.
But I'm too tired to more fully enlarge upon right now with a
discourse of what I have constantly referred to as the 'bigger
picture'.
'Briefly' (lol) it's about God being GOD of the entire universe
and for the eternity of 'Timeless Time', as distinct from being
limited to the origination of the Mediterranean based religion
of the Jews.
If God created the entire universe I just have to believe that
'He' has always been equally interested in the earliest
inhabitants of the far eastern antipathy of 'Mount Ararat'.
And when we say that there is no way to God other through Christ
I have to believe that far eastern different 'religions' still
do exactly that....but In different forms simply because of them
not having the background of Mediterranean influence.
Hence my old uncompleted 'blog', which I think still exists
under the URL of
HTML https://myuniversalgod.blogspot.com/
Looking it up I see that its lost most of its 'Title' and that
modifacation all carry the misleading modifications dates of
December 2024.
#Post#: 2543--------------------------------------------------
Re: Paul
By: Mike Waters Date: October 24, 2025, 10:22 am
---------------------------------------------------------
[quote author=Dave link=topic=34.msg2541#msg2541
date=1761316150]
Looking back Mike is not always the best move, all the seeming
past mistakes seemed right at the time.
I wonder if Peter woke up in the night with the accuser of the
brethren saying, “how’s denying the Lord working for you these
days”
I read this just yesterday, hot off the press, “ Forgiveness
doesn't excuse what happens,
It’s not about
changing the past
- it’s about
freeing the future.
Edith Eger from her book “ The Choice”
[/quote]
You're a wise old 'Bird' Dave.
#Post#: 2544--------------------------------------------------
Re: Paul
By: Rita Date: October 24, 2025, 10:37 am
---------------------------------------------------------
[quote author=Mike Waters link=topic=34.msg2539#msg2539
date=1761293376]
I awoke this morning after the most restless night you could
imagine. Paul and the other 'Apostles' couldn't be further from
my mind.
I'm 90 years old and had got led through every conceivable
moment of my past life.
When I awoke I just had to get out of bed, make coffee and tea
for Christine and myself (a couple of hours earlier than usual)
in the hope that it would switch my mind out of its chaos.
So, where does it leave me?
I consider the fact that I was virtually 'born into
'Churchianity'.
At the tender age of 10, I changed from CoE Sunday School to
join that of the 'Chapel', a stones throw from my parent's home,
simply because I learned that to be the SS attended by my one
and only childhood sweetheart.
I morphed up the SS ladder until I was in the final 'young men's
class'.
I further morphed along until The Chapel became the cornerstone
of my life.
Those around me professed to have experienced a 'distinct moment
of conversion' and, so as not to be left out, I decided that CoE
to Chapel had to be my 'moment of conversion'.
Right up until now nothing has changed with me always having
adapted to my 'chameleon like' life style, running parallel with
my OCD compulsion to be 'leader' of everything that crossed my
path.
Last night my mind became captivated by the impossible task of
pulling into chronological order every minute aspect of a life
(0utside of Religion) that it was driving me crazy.
I just had to get out of bed to clear my head, and here I am, a
man 'broken' by the remorse of all my 'wrong doings'.
If only I had heeded the wishes of my wife (my aforesaid
childhood sweetheart) and stayed in my steady Local Government
job.
But I didn't and I am left with my epitaph "If only ~ but too
late now".
[/quote]
So sorry you feel this way Mike, you know I think The Lord may
have a completely different prospective on your life. We all
impact in ways that we can never grasp from where we are , Gods
view is so much better. The Lord can do way more with our
brokenness than we realise , may He reassured you in some very
clear way x
*****************************************************
DIR Previous Page
DIR Next Page