11 replies to this topic

[Thinker]

Tears are important to God, if they are genuine tears coming from the hearts of His children. Psalm 56:8 conveys the thought that God actually keeps our tears in a bottle. The Psalmist prayed, "....put Thou my tears into Thy bottle: are they not in Thy book?" Does it need to be actual tears? Many times there are actual tears. On the other hand, outward tears may not come but there can still be "tears of the heart." Do we grieve over the "lost?" Do our hearts weep over Christians, longing for them to grow and mature? Have our hearts throbbed with concern for those who needlessly plunge headlong toward eternal Hell? Do we lament over those who have little or no involvement with God's Holy Word? On a much lower but important level, are we deeply saddened over the downward spiral of our world and our country? Are we longing to see a slumbering church ignited with the passion and power of the Holy Spirit? Think on Psalm 126:5, "They that sow in tears shall reap in joy." Obviously, we are not talking about "worked up" tears. We are thinking of hearts that have been given a measure of His great love and concern for the souls of men. Albert S. Reitz, in the second stanza of "Teach Me to Pray," gave us a prayer that we might make our own, "Power in prayer, Lord, power in prayer -- here 'mid earth's sin and sorrow and care; men lost and dying, souls in despair -- O give me power, power in prayer! Living in Thee, Lord, and Thou in me -- constant abiding, this is my plea; grant me Thy power , boundless and free -- power with men and power with Thee." Selah! Are there some who would cry out for the lost, the wandering, the indifferent and for revival and holiness? Thinker (Ron)

[bob wire]

my eyes are dry my faith is cold  and I know how I ought to be  alive to you and dead to me. what can be done  to an old heart like mine. we read  watch videos  of prayer  remember great quotes by  ravenhill, tozer  and then offer  our weak prayers   God please  forgive me  stir this  old man   for your glory

[Meema]

Bob,

 

What a mess we are in today, eh?

 

Sometimes, when I read a definitive analysis of the conditions that enslave us today, my first impulse is to respond with a �bravo!�.  And then, reason takes over and stops me in my thought process. I realize that most of the ills of this world are directly attributable to the weaknesses in human nature. The impulses, self-will, self-interest, all of which are easily manipulated by dark force that masquerades as light. I conclude what is the use of speaking the truth? Who wants to know? Who wants to change the course that we set for ourselves?

 

And thus I do constant internal battle with the conundrum - should I speak or remain silent?

 

Therefore, I don�t usually post in%2

[Meema]

Therefore, I don�t usually post in here. I do read though and then I ponder to myself the things the other members post. While there are a number of folks in here who could speak to your heart felt post better than I, I hate that no one has stepped up. So, I can�t speak for others but only myself - please keep that in mind. 

 

First of all you ought to know that you are not alone. Many of Christ�s sheep are languishing for life giving, soul restoring food and water nowadays. I have my theories on why this is in this era. Personally I first attribute it to the clever manipulations of satan who knows how to divide and conquer us at our core. Who knows how to pander to our weak human natures. Who knows how to entice us into religiousity and churchianity, ridged laws, demands, and expectations that eventually, predictably, let us down and make us wonder if there is a God at all. Or makes us wonder if we are worthy and therefore keeps us from rising to His perfect will for us.

 

But you know, Christ, Himself, said that His yoke was easy. 

 

(Matthew 11:28) Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  (11:29) Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  (11:30) For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.           

 

Why then are we so attracted to the hard way?

 

I don�t know your story. I don�t know if you have been let down by religion or others. All I can do is make assumptions based on your words that you are weary. Of what though is the question. God is the same forever and always. We are basically, based on the fallen human nature the same as well. We make the same missteps and wrong choices over and over again. Like brain-dead thirteen year olds. But this is not news to our Lord and Savior. He knows He knows. He still wants us anyway. Satan just wants to keep us from Him.

 

There is the old saying that it is always darkest just before the dawn. Clear you head and silence all the clanging voices that tell you that you aren�t doing it right and just ask Him what He wants from you. He does not live in a building. He is not revealed in men�s writings and books. He is patiently waiting for anyone who just wants to know HIM. Not what others think. 

 

I say, what do you have to lose by asking?

 

For Him,

 

Meema

[Charles Miles]

bob, like meema, I don`t know your situation, but your words have been spoken before. There are many, many things I don`t know, there are many things I think I know, and there are some things that I do know beyond any doubt.  What I do know is this....if you ask, you will receive, if you earnestly seek, you will find, God is closer to you than your next breath.  You have not been abandoned by God and left helpless in this world.  We are all sinners and until we accept the fact that Jesus sacrificed Himself for us to give us His righteousness, we are all in a place of terrible, terrible condemnation. There is only one way out of this death sentence, for the sentence is deserved by all of us, and is on the way. 

 

Sounds as if you have heard the Word, and maybe at one time you believed.  Salvation is a great thing and is available to us all, but we need to know what it is, how we can obtain it, who gives it to us, how the salvation was obtained for us, and then we need to be secure in the fact that we have it. Well, maybe we don`t need to know all the points, but in knowing them we can rest assured and bask in a peace that is so fine as to defy description. 

 

I pray you find God`s peace through His salvation purchased through the sacrifice of His Lamb.

 

Charlie

[Ginger]

Perhaps selfishly I grabbed hold of the question...Are there some who would cry out for the lost, the wandering, the indifferent and for revival and holiness?  And somehow in spite of my lacking all I count on is that God does what is love... much of the time I blame myself for not loving the LORD or others' ... seems folks have used or misused the word love for so long that I have a difficult time and get into thinking about how do I love God or others at all? 
 
Perhaps having dry eyes and believing faith is cold is part of a long dark night of the soul.... Don't know what you've been wrangling with Bob but God KNOWS and God Cares... we don't shock Him... Somehow in spite of all my faults, failures, fuming, and fussing there remains 2 words that help in spite of my state of faith or of feelings...... "God KNOWS".
 
God Knows each doubt, each sorrow, each and every thought or feeling and only God can save me to the uttermost and that is something that is more than my wee brain can fathom so back to "God KNOWS" and to let it be okay that I don't know how to pray as I ought...  Perhaps only God KNOWS and holds onto us and never lets go or stops keeping us through it all... God KNOWS....
 
I can feel whatever and be plumb pitiful and full of self .... God KNOWS and keeps me through it all...... God KNOWS is what I can hold onto whatever....  From the Cross and from the Throne O Lord Jesus you knew and you KNOW. 

 

Hebrews 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

 

Please God and thank you ....

 

Ginger

[bob wire]

I thank Christ for speaking thru you all.I heard believed the word many a year ago and the lord truly brought me into a new man.my salvation is not in doubt. words , thoughts are hard for me to get out.my hearth just aches for more. and the reality of the presence of Christ I desire and seek .
Lord there has to be more to this . bob

[Charles Miles]

Bob, there is much more to this and if you seriously seek what it is, you will find it. I can remember a night on my knees in my back yard. A night of soul searching and asking God if there was more to all this than I had known in my life. Why all the load, all the worry, all the pain? The answer I got was
not what I expected and it may not be the same one you get, but where you are sounds
a bit like my situation. Here is what I was told, or what was revealed, or whatever...I know God let me know, because everything suddenly became so very clear, and I knew it was the truth. "Charlie, you know all ABOUT Me, but you
don`t KNOW Me" My Father wanted a relationship with me! He wanted me to trust Him, talk with Him, and allow Him to be a part of my daily life. The God of the universe knew my name and wanted me to have an actual relationship with
Him. All of a sudden I had a hunger for Him and wanted to climb into His
lap and cry, laugh, yell, and just be His.

Is there more to all this? For me the answer is YES...a thousand times YES! I
pray that you find the joy and the experience of the Father`s love that will
change your life. It changed mine.

Your brother in Christ,

Charlie

[ADVRider]

I thank Christ for speaking thru you all.I heard believed the word many a year ago and the lord truly brought me into a new man.my salvation is not in doubt. words , thoughts are hard for me to get out.my hearth just aches for more. and the reality of the presence of Christ I desire and seek .
Lord there has to be more to this . bob

So Bob,

You are in a good place; your heart aches for more of Him. Keep asking for the Lord to stir your soul, but know the stirring is just to Him. It's not a stirring to more striving, effort to please, or the like. Jesus paid that part. Think of Mary as opposed to Martha. Mary was just sitting and loving. Martha was working to please the Lord and that is not what He needed, or wanted. There is a difference. I know this sounds like a sound bite. But ask the Lord to help you to practice this perspective and I believe your heart cry will be answered; you will receive more of Him.

[bob wire]

thanks be to all for your thoughts caring. back to original posting weeping for the lost indifferent ,may our gracious Lord open my eyes to see people as He sees them .

[Candice]

I will not try to add anything more....all posts here are beautiful responses of grace..