Am I asking too much of God?

perhaps you should embrace the mystery of life, and cease from expectations beyond your control.

even if an intelligence made us, it is likely to be something that struggles mightily, and is more naturalistic than supernatural.

maybe the perfect box of God doesn't fit reality. maybe the higher power is within one's own self.

expectations and the idea of perfection instead of advancement is a crusher.

life is a challenge, embrace that.

life has never happened before until 4 billion years ago. it's the grand experiment.

URAVIP2ME said:

Who says 'faith that had no works' because I find at James 2:26 it says faith without works is dead.

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Rev 3:15 - 17
15 I know your works(deeds), that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.

PopeADope said:

Somebody recently told me the devil will accuse me on Judgement Day of shaking people's faith and murdering Souls.

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You should dress up as a supervillain and wallow in your superpower.

PopeADope said:

That isn't what I want to do. I simply want God to be faithful to his word. Then I want to strengthen people's faith.

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They can't have God taking responsibility because then THEY would have to take responsibility.

PopeADope said:

I don't trust what people say, and I no longer trust the scriptures, because the scriptures and God have let me down repeatedly.

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That's what happens when book reviews get out of hand.

PopeADope said:

Can somebody tell me what Jesus meant when he said "ask and you shall receive , seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be open to you? Ask anything of the father in my name and it will be done for you? Faith of a mustard seed can move mountains? Those who believe in me will do the works that I do and greater works?"

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He was a guy who lived off others' hard work. He naturally has this opinion. It can be discounted as the opinion of a spoiled brat. Per the law, his little Temple tour should've gotten him stoned to death, but Mary and Joseph wussed out. He learned he could get away with whatever he wanted.

Up until he didn't, of course.

PopeADope said:

I have a reason to be angry. I diligently sought God and the grace to do his will, and God refused to give me the understanding, the maturity, and the sanity necessary to do that.

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I find that when we don't get answers, the question is probably a false premise. Christianity, sadly, sells false premises by the boat load.

PopeADope said:

I look at the world around me and I see a bunch of blind and confused people. God has simply abandon them. God is the most pitiful, pathetic, low, incompetent father and Shepherd I've ever heard of!

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I don't think we're actually praying to "God", but an overidealized character. When you look up Yahweh and El, you realize They weren't nearly as awesome as the current PR suggests. We're asking a Pinto to be a Mercedes. It's not going to happen.

PopeADope said:

I just want God to be faithful to his word. Is that so much to ask?

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I asked a similar question to God. He told me He didn't say half that stuff in the bible. Humans spread that "Word of God", not God, who doesn't need a publisher and ink and paper.

PopeADope said:

How is my resentment of God not justified?

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I totally feel you. However, do try to keep in mind that, again, you resent not getting what was advertised, and humans did the advertising.

PopeADope said:

My blasphemies are simply Justified grievances against a god who's refusing to do his job and refusing to be honest!

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I don't recall you making many blasphemous posts. Posts by people who don't care about what's going and have selfish motives and shallow, ignorant beliefs are the blasphemous ones. They think that God is going to die like Tinkerbell: believe or the fairy bites it. That's not how Divine Reality works.

PopeADope said:

I find the Bible to be thoroughly disgusting! Yet the answers I keep getting from Christians are " read the Bible"...

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It has some good scenes and some memorable lines, but there are much better works out there with similar moral lessons.

LuisDantas said:

Maybe it is just me, but I sure feel that you might have attained as much as you should expect to from that specific arrangement, and the time has come to aim higher, beyond scriptures and messiahs.

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Exactly. It turns out Jesus is only the milk, not the meat. Nothing is worse than milk past the expiration date.

URAVIP2ME said:

I never heard the ^ above ^ before, but I have read that Scripture is God's Word as recorded at Psalms 119:105.
To be used as an owner's manual, the Bible used as a 'light' ( flashlight ) to guide our immediate steps to success,
and used as a 'lamp' ( high beams ) to clearly direct our roadway ahead of us to be successful.

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I don't need an owner's manual on how to be an ancient Middle Eastern Jew. I need one for MY life.

Koldo said:

How about considering that this entity greater than you might not be God ?

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Or at least not the One we assume? Not even the bible could hide its polytheistic origins completely.

Kelly of the Phoenix said:

You should dress up as a supervillain and wallow in your superpower.


They can't have God taking responsibility because then THEY would have to take responsibility.


That's what happens when book reviews get out of hand.


He was a guy who lived off others' hard work. He naturally has this opinion. It can be discounted as the opinion of a spoiled brat. Per the law, his little Temple tour should've gotten him stoned to death, but Mary and Joseph wussed out. He learned he could get away with whatever he wanted.

Up until he didn't, of course.


I find that when we don't get answers, the question is probably a false premise. Christianity, sadly, sells false premises by the boat load.


I don't think we're actually praying to "God", but an overidealized character. When you look up Yahweh and El, you realize They weren't nearly as awesome as the current PR suggests. We're asking a Pinto to be a Mercedes. It's not going to happen.


I asked a similar question to God. He told me He didn't say half that stuff in the bible. Humans spread that "Word of God", not God, who doesn't need a publisher and ink and paper.


I totally feel you. However, do try to keep in mind that, again, you resent not getting what was advertised, and humans did the advertising.


I don't recall you making many blasphemous posts. Posts by people who don't care about what's going and have selfish motives and shallow, ignorant beliefs are the blasphemous ones. They think that God is going to die like Tinkerbell: believe or the fairy bites it. That's not how Divine Reality works.


It has some good scenes and some memorable lines, but there are much better works out there with similar moral lessons.


Exactly. It turns out Jesus is only the milk, not the meat. Nothing is worse than milk past the expiration date.


I don't need an owner's manual on how to be an ancient Middle Eastern Jew. I need one for MY life.


Or at least not the One we assume? Not even the bible could hide its polytheistic origins completely.

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Great post!

PopeADope said:

I want to strengthen people's faith.

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Why? No, really why? I mean: why do you want to do that?

PopeADope said:

I need understanding. Is that so much to ask from God?

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Yes.

PopeADope said:

Can somebody tell me what Jesus meant when he said "ask and you shall receive , seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be open to you? Ask anything of the father in my name and it will be done for you? Faith of a mustard seed can move mountains? Those who believe in me will do the works that I do and greater works?"

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Mathew 7:7
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."

Matthew 7:21:
"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father in heaven."

PopeADope said:

Why should I not be angry?

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The pot drips what is in it.

PopeADope said:

How is my resentment of God not justified?

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You are the one living with your resentment.

Ponder This said:

Why? No, really why? I mean: why do you want to do that?



Yes.



Mathew 7:7
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."

Matthew 7:21:
"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father in heaven."



The pot drips what is in it.



You are the one living with your resentment.

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Why? Because I want to see people spiritual and enlightened

And the way the world's been lately, maybe Jesus needs to shove some light bulbs up people's butts.

PopeADope said:

How is my resentment of God not justified?

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One's state of mind, whether full of resentment or full of contentment, is result of one's own choices.

Contentment is always at hand.

YMMV.

@PopeADope

I find it sickening that what I want from God is simply the grace to do his will, and God won't even grant that... I'm willing to give up everything for God if he would simply demonstrate that he's trustworthy. I need understanding. Is that so much to ask from God?

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He who seeks desires understanding, and he may find it, but he who is with God has understanding.

Can somebody tell me what Jesus meant when he said "ask and you shall receive , seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be open to you? Ask anything of the father in my name and it will be done for you? Faith of a mustard seed can move mountains? Those who believe in me will do the works that I do and greater works?"

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You have to desire it in your heart and your mind, but you and all man kind are bignorated.

Kelly of the Phoenix said:

And the way the world's been lately, maybe Jesus needs to shove some light bulbs up people's butts.

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I find the ' new normal ' is very well described at 2 Timothy 3:1-5,13 that we are in the last days of badness on Earth before Jesus, as Prince of Peace, will usher in global Peace on Earth among person's of goodwill.

It is the international spreading about the good news about God's kingdom government of Daniel 2:44 which is now being done on such a vast global scale as never before in history as mentioned at Matthew 24:14; Acts 1:8 to the point that information is now separating people to choose before there is divine involvement into mankind's affairs.
In other words, before mankind can bring ruin (Revelation 11:18 B moral or otherwise) to Earth, through Jesus then God will bring to ruin those ruining Earth.

Fool said:

Rev 3:15 - 17
15 I know your works(deeds), that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.

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Remember that Revelation 3:14-17 is directed to the people in 'one out of seven congregations' and that was the congregation of Laodicea. That congregation was materially rich but spiritually poor or spiritually impoverished.....
They are an example of what Not to be, we should be like James 2:26 in that faith without works is dead.

PopeADope said:

Somebody recently told me the devil will accuse me on Judgement Day of shaking people's faith and murdering Souls.

That isn't what I want to do. I simply want God to be faithful to his word. Then I want to strengthen people's faith.

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I'd suppose your problem is your expectations of God. You expect God to be like this or that and fulfill what you require of him.

The way I looked at it was that God knew what I needed when I did not. So whatever situation I found myself in, it was for a reason, even if I could not understand what the reason was.

I understand you want things but maybe what you want is not what you need. Even the Apostles had the issue with the followers of Jesus wanting specific gifts.

Bible Gateway passage: 1 Corinthians 12 - New International Version

You have to trust that you are where God needs you to be doing what God needs you to do. This is not necessarily the same as what you want to be doing or feel you should be doing.

If you're going to believe in God you have to believe that God knows you fully. Knows what you need and what you need to be doing even if you do not. It's the only way to find peace in your situation.

It's not your responsibility to decide what you should be doing. Just accept whatever gifts you have, trust God will put you where you need to be and do your best.

I suppose that means accepting other people are where they need to be as well. Not your job to fix yourself or the world. That's God's job. God will work through you as he sees fit to bring this about.

Well, that's what I used to believe and it brought about in me a sense of peace with God and the world.

PopeADope said:

That isn't what I want to do. I simply want God to be faithful to his word. Then I want to strengthen people's faith.

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"There is no sign until after the trial of your faith" and "He who loseth his life for my sake shall find it."

PopeADope, usually you make great sense but I noticed a problem with your quote there.

You want other people's faith to be strengthened through you while you want God to do it to you. Why can't other people do it to you and why can't other people be God's business? God picks few prophets and it is entirely up to Him. Would you really want the responsibility of being a prophet because that's what you're asking? (I believe God is Aliens).

robocop (actually) said:

"There is no sign until after the trial of your faith" and "He who loseth his life for my sake shall find it."

PopeADope, usually you make great sense but I noticed a problem with your quote there.

You want other people's faith to be strengthened through you while you want God to do it to you. Why can't other people do it to you and why can't other people be God's business? God picks few prophets and it is entirely up to Him. Would you really want the responsibility of being a prophet because that's what you're asking? (I believe God is Aliens).

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Yes I would like the gift of Prophecy and then the responsibility of being a prophet. I could help out a lot more people with that gift than I do as a confused man

Well, then you have a lot of above and beyond expectation to get there my friend.

PopeADope said:

Yes I would like the gift of Prophecy and then the responsibility of being a prophet. I could help out a lot more people with that gift than I do as a confused man

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In my opinion, anyone who supports him/herself non-corruptly can be a prophet.

URAVIP2ME said:

In other words, before mankind can bring ruin (Revelation 11:18 B moral or otherwise) to Earth, through Jesus then God will bring to ruin those ruining Earth.

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Too bad so many people are dying while we wait.

PopeADope said:

Yes I would like the gift of Prophecy and then the responsibility of being a prophet. I could help out a lot more people with that gift than I do as a confused man

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Who says you're not already? When you really start thinking about the prophets, a lot of them suffered something that would be considered mental illness today: not just the obvious voice hearing, but severe depression and anxiety, as well. Through their "issues" they were able to see outside the box, for the most part.

Rael suffered depression for years!