Genesis 3:24

Cage said:
Awsome! That was an inspiring and very hopeful post...thank you! So does this mean that while we are here on earth that we cannot enter this realm, or does it just mean that I need more work, or more faith, or more understanding? My past haunts my dreams, and I do sometimes struggle with some of those negative spirits we've talked about in this thread.

I still have trouble viewing Christ as G-d, but I certainly see divinity in him, if that makes sense. I fully trust his teachings, but I have not yet fully embraced him, or his sacrifice. I have a better understanding, but I have not yet come to the realization, ya know?

Perhaps this is and will continue to be my biggest delimma concerning Christ, and finding my own salvation in him. I'm learning as I go/grow in G-ds Love.


James
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Well, then a suggestion would be to take it one step at a time. No sense in trying to tear off a pound of meat, when one can only swallow a mouthful at any given moment...Cage, even I can only chew on what I can handle, just like you.

No offense meant, but by your own admission, you've only been at this a little while..."young teeth" are not as strong as older, more sharpened teeth...eh? ;)

v/r

Joshua
 
Your mother sounds like a beautiful woman, Joshua. I got chills over the angels coming to tears over songs of salvation. Thanks for that...

I have that feeling of guilt sometimes (Self imposed) but I am most certainly trying to rid myself of it. I understand G-d's love, and I know in my heart that I have been forgiven through Christ; it is the details that worry me so much, and my own tendency to fall from what I so deeply believe in.


Well, then a suggestion would be to take it one step at a time. No sense in trying to tear off a pound of meat, when one can only swallow a mouthful at any given moment...Cage, even I can only chew on what I can handle, just like you.

No offense meant, but by your own admission, you've only been at this a little while..."young teeth" are not as strong as older, more sharpened teeth...eh?
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That is exactly why I like it here, Joshua. There are so many 'seasoned' in this faith on these boards that I can get a good understanding just by throwing thoughts and ideas, and concepts and such of of you people.

One step at a time...sometimes I'm very slow to learn while other times quick, but I'm constantly moving forward in my faith.


Thank you,


James
 
Cage said:
Your mother sounds like a beautiful woman, Joshua. I got chills over the angels coming to tears over songs of salvation. Thanks for that...

I have that feeling of guilt sometimes (Self imposed) but I am most certainly trying to rid myself of it. I understand G-d's love, and I know in my heart that I have been forgiven through Christ; it is the details that worry me so much, and my own tendency to fall from what I so deeply believe in.




That is exactly why I like it here, Joshua. There are so many 'seasoned' in this faith on these boards that I can get a good understanding just by throwing thoughts and ideas, and concepts and such of of you people.

One step at a time...sometimes I'm very slow to learn while other times quick, but I'm constantly moving forward in my faith.


Thank you,


James
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LOL, there is one more "Mom-ism". Once on the path, there is no slow or fast, there is only, in yours and God's good time, see now you're partners...:D :D :D
 
Hi Cage –

I'm not sure how to respond as I think differently than you on this issue. I don't think it is possible to even get close to Eden w/o first being prepared in heart,

"And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
Matthew 3:2

The word for 'repent' in the NT is from the Greek 'metanoeo' – which means 'change of heart', so your idea is quite close to what Christ was preaching – not that that we have to be ascetic athletes or intellectual giants – all that is required is a 'change of heart' ... and the rest follows naturally, and supernaturally, but repentence is usually expressed sentimentally – and sometimes over-sentimentally – sorrow, chest-beating, tears – the whole process of beating ourselves up, which although is part, is also deceptively not all that 'metanoia' is about.

I did a quick search. In the OT 'repent' is from the Hebrew nacham:
1) to be sorry, console oneself, repent, regret, comfort, be comforted

The Greek metanoeo:
1) to change one's mind, i.e. to repent
2) to change one's mind for better, heartily to amend with abhorrence of one's past sins

I think that Eden is that place where we feel peace in this world, within ourselves, as well as an overwhelming comfort and serenity even in the midst of hardships. That to me is Eden, and the kingdom of Heaven on earth.

And I tend to agree with that idea – without necessarily discounting others – Eden is an intimate experience of the Divine.

I don't think we have a permanent residence as we will always have our inner demons to overcome...even daily.

Indeed we do, but help is ever at hand – and here we can draw strength – the Father is ever ready to forgive, and the Holy Spirit is ever active in realising that forgiveness, that 'change of heart'.

When I gave up smoking, I used to be offered cigarettes and I would say: "I've given up," and be met with a wave of sympathy, support, admiration, suspicion ... but all of it, positive or negative, reinforced me as a smoker battling with a habit, and I lasted a couple of weeks ... the 2nd time I gave up, (22 years ago) I would say "I don't smoke" and the different order of response was stunning ... it was simply 'nothing' ...

So if we run around crying "I am a sinner, oh forgive me! Oh, what a dreadful person ... " this is not a change of heart, it's just a change of attitude, we're still steeped in what we were...

So if we run around crying "I am saved! I am born again!" ... ditto.

"Behold thou art made whole: sin no more, lest some worse thing happen to thee."
John 5:14

"Then Jesus lifting up himself, said to her: Woman, where are they that accused thee? Hath no man condemned thee? Who said: No man, Lord. And Jesus said: Neither will I condemn thee. Go, and now sin no more."
John 8:10-11

D'you see what I'm getting at? No big deal. No tears. No sackcloth and ashes. No baggage ... Don't think about it. Forget it. Just don't do it any more.

There's an old Tommy Cooper joke:
Patient: "Doctor, my arm hurts when I do this."
Doctor: "Well don't do it then."

I'm trying to get at the simplicity of it. Change of heart is profound, you are transformed. You will see the world through new eyes.

As the Buddhist say:
Chop wood, carry water ... even in Eden you have to boil a kettle to make a cup of tea ...

Thomas
 
Quahom1 said:
My mother once told me that when a man even begins to turn towards God, all of heaven holds its breath...

Why? Because when man turns towards God, that is one step closer to heaven becoming perfect, for God's original plan and design to flesh out into reality.

She said there will be two choirs in heaven, that of the angels, and that of man. When the angels sing, man will be stunned by the power and beauty of the sound...but when man sings, the angels will be brought to tears, because they will hear the song of salvation, which has no equal in the universe...because a song of love and gratitude has no equal, for even the angels can not fathom salvation, but man's song will give them a revelation to what it means to be saved...:)
v/r

Joshua
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This is the beautiful thing!
 
Perhaps, to summarize, we can say that the point of life here on earth is to gradually make it a heaven within you so that when you see Heaven you can say "Hey, that looks like my neighborhood" or something like that.:)
 
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