Personal Update

[mike miller]

Here is a brief update on myself and the last several months in particular. I felt led to post something here, in the event it helps someone it will be worth it all.

I have to admit; I was getting sucked into the vortex of my job and all that pertains to it, especially CAD. It took awhile for God to get hold of me and show me how self-centered and ambitious I really was for success and prestige. It didn't all happen overnight, rather it was over a period of time I spent seeking God and asking Him to show me how I truly am, not as I see myself. Well, it's not pretty! I soon realized there is a black monster inside of me called SELF that oozes pride, envy, and selfishness and will absolutely rule my life if I don't let God rule my life instead. To be clear, I was a Christian before, it's just that you can be a sincere Christian...........and then be one in a much more real sense.

The whole experience didn't happen overnight- in fact, it took more like a year and a half so far. What God has shown me is the breath-taking implications of his Kingdom and all that it should mean to us. In short, it is a place where individuals are called to forsake all and pursue the life of Christ both in a personal sense and a corporate sense. Out of this corporate sense comes something incredibly beautiful that cannot be explained by the wisdom of men.

I am resolved no longer to linger
Charmed by the world's delights
Things that are higher, things that are nobler
These have allured my sight.

Dying to live and losing to gain doesn't make sense to most people, even some professing Christians. And yet, it is the only escape from the prison house of self and sin. Jesus came not only to save us from the effects of sin but also the reign and bondage of sin. You know what I mean: it's that gripping sensation that you have no option except to do what you know to be wrong. That's what He came to destroy, if we will only trust Him with our lives! The only escape from the tyranny of sin, self, and death that drags us downward to eternal death is to be united in Christ and to find freedom and life through Him. I am a walking testimony of this: I could talk for a long time.

If anyone has questions, I welcome them. You can comment below or PM me if you want.

[Frederick_Law]

I'm glad you found what you need.

[DanPihlaja]

That is awesome Mike.

I once had a random guy stop me and ask me if the cross necklace that I wear is just a bauble or is it a way of life? I said, its a way of life. He then said to me....and that makes us brothers.

So, hello brother!

[AlexLachance]

I'm glad to hear you're doing better brother. Know that while I am not religious, we travel a very similar path towards personal enlightenment. I'd rather not associate it with any religion as I find that associating things of that nature to religion tends to bring out the worse in people that are sometimes a bit too religious.

Happy to have news from you. I was happy to get a PM from you a few weeks ago as I had been wondering what was happening with you since your reduction in activity on the forum.

[mike miller]

Thanks for all your kind remarks. I know a lot of people are reticent to discuss "religion" and that made me hesitant to post here. At the same time, it's really NOT about what works for me or for you. What matters is what's true, and we should never be ashamed of the truth or even admitting we were wrong.

[Frederick_Law]

I'll say just let everyone believe what they believe.
Don't force other to believe what you believe.

[mike miller]

I'll say just let everyone believe what they believe.
Don't force other to believe what you believe.

@Frederick_Law I'm not trying to force anything on anyone. At the same time, if you know something is true (in an absolute sense, not just for you) would you stay quiet? Is withholding the truth really love?

I would encourage anyone with questions to actually investigate this for themselves. You can argue and say it's not true. You can say it's not relevant today. You can say you're basically a good person that has no need for Jesus. But until you're willing to look in the mirror and say, "That's not pretty, and there's nothing I can do about it", you won't get anywhere in life, morally or spiritually. I was there- and I haven't been the same since. That God is willing to work with stubborn and rebellious humans for years until they finally give up has never ceased to amaze me. If only I could have that kind of love and dedication!

[AlexLachance]

@Frederick_Law I'm not trying to force anything on anyone. At the same time, if you know something is true (in an absolute sense, not just for you) would you stay quiet? Is withholding the truth really love?

I would encourage anyone with questions to actually investigate this for themselves. You can argue and say it's not true. You can say it's not relevant today. You can say you're basically a good person that has no need for Jesus. But until you're willing to look in the mirror and say, "That's not pretty, and there's nothing I can do about it", you won't get anywhere in life, morally or spiritually. I was there- and I haven't been the same since. That God is willing to work with stubborn and rebellious humans for years until they finally give up has never ceased to amaze me. If only I could have that kind of love and dedication!

Truth in that sense is subjective, which is why Fred mentions not to force beliefs on others. Here's an exerpt from a song that really expresses my thoughts. The word God here is important, as it is not bound to any religious beliefs.

Change is one of the most difficult things that we face
But change is inevitable
One reason we don't like change
Is we get comfortable where we are
We get used to our friends, our job, the place we live
And even if it's not perfect we accept it, because it's familiar
And what happens is, because we're not willing to change
We get stuck in what God used to do
Instead of moving forward into what God is about to do
Just because God's blessed you where you are
Doesn't mean you can just sit back and settle there
You have to stay open to what God is doing now
What worked five years ago may not work today
If you're going to be successful
You have to be willing to change
Every blessing is not supposed to be permanent
Every provision is not supposed to last forever
We should constantly evaluate our friendships
Who's speaking into your life?
Who are you depending on?
Make sure they're not dragging you down
Limiting you from blossoming
Everybody is not supposed to be in our life forever
If you don't get rid of the wrong friends
You will never meet the right friends

[Frederick_Law]

There are God in different culture.
There are wars fought in name of God because "my God" is the only God.
God is all loving but human are not.

If God is all loving, why God don't allow human to worship "other" God? Since there is only one God, all God human worship is the same God.
If God is all loving, why would God strike and kill someone? They'll get punish after they die anyway.

[mike miller]

There are God in different culture.
There are wars fought in name of God because "my God" is the only God.
God is all loving but human are not.

If God is all loving, why God don't allow human to worship "other" God? Since there is only one God, all God human worship is the same God.
If God is all loving, why would God strike and kill someone? They'll get punish after they die anyway.

Those are excellent questions that I have wrestled with myself. Below are some of the conclusions I've reached in trying to understand why things are the way they are. But first, allow me to say that it is unbelievably hypocritical for "followers of Jesus" to kill someone in the name of Jesus, who said "But I say to you, love your enemies and bless those who curse you" (Matthew 5:44).

If we allow the possibility of the Christian view being correct, in particular the existence of an evil spiritual force, suddenly everything snaps into focus. God is not telling us to worship only him to be mean to us; he tells us to worship him because he knows that is what he designed us for, and he knows what will happen to us if we insist on following Evil Incarnate. If we have free will, we can make moral decisions (such as choosing to follow him or not). If we can make good moral decisions we can also make bad moral decisions. If we make bad moral decisions that we were never intended to make, let alone bear the consequences of them- that would be something like using a blender to make rock dust. It works after a fashion but you won't have a blender anymore!

If God is all loving, why would God strike and kill someone? We humans like to complain that God doesn't seem to care about all the evil and suffering in the world. But when he does intervene to bring justice into the situation, we don't like that either, especially when we're the targets!

The truth is , he will someday judge the wicked, and the righteous will be rewarded. But the last verse of the quote below tells us why he's waiting. It's for people like you and I- so that we have time to find him.

3 Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4 They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” 5 But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. 6 By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. 7 By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

[Frederick_Law]

I don't like tax collectors but they're not evil enough to be killed. Also everyone is judged after they die, not before.
So Jesus had a moment of weakness and killed someone in anger?
Jesus became Evil for a moment? God could became Evil?
Since "bad" one will go to Hell, so God and Devil work together.
Are they the same?

Yes, I start to sounds like Devil.

[mike miller]

I don't like tax collectors but they're not evil enough to be killed. Also everyone is judged after they die, not before.
So Jesus had a moment of weakness and killed someone in anger?
Jesus became Evil for a moment? God could became Evil?
Since "bad" one will go to Hell, so God and Devil work together.
Are they the same?

Yes, I start to sounds like Devil.

Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't recall Jesus being recorded as ever killing anyone.

As far as judgment, there are two parts to it. First, God sometimes brings judgment in this life (sometimes referred to as karma or poetic justice). Second, yes, there will also be an ultimate judgment after this life. But we can't point fingers at anyone and tell them they deserve to be punished because we have all committed treason against God and spurned his love. We're all guilty, now we're just talking about degrees ("your boat is sinking faster than mine, so I'm in good shape!").

The good news is that God offers us forgiveness and a fresh start with his help. That's why ultimate judgment has been delayed so long. Unfortunately many turn this grace into lawlessness by saying that we can now keep committing treason after we've been forgiven. I shouldn't need to point out how outrageous that idea is.