#redeemedandreformedanswers

[faithwalkjournal]

Please pray for me. I have no peace in my life and i dont know what to do. I am working as an admin at a very reputed firm and I am good at what I do but I am not happy. I feel like I am lost. thank you.

Peace comes from God alone. Unless God is the epicenter and the foundation of our lives, we will know no peace. Because God’s peace surpasses all our understanding, will guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus.

When you put God first, everything else comes in alignment- finances, relationships, health, happiness, opportunity. So my best suggestion would be to spend your time in Prayer and reading the word of God. even though you don’t feel anything, don’t stop and don’t give up. Always go to the Lord in prayer and pour out your heart to him for He listens and He cares. Take care and God Bless.

[faithwalkjournal]

I feel sad. Every time I think I’ve found a group of friends, I end up in a position where people start to accuse of me of creating drama or otherwise start to create and perpetuate this false narrative of me, when they are the ones causing drama. I’ve done so much to self reflect each time on how I can change and what I did to potentially contribute to each thing, but I’m just tired of this happening to me :/

Friend's are meant to care for each other. Not judge. Maybe you should double check who you're hanging out with. Nevertheless, I suggest that you spend your time in prayer and reading the word of God. Spending time with God changes us, changes the way we see people and changes us to the point where people's opinions no longer bother us because we know who we are in Christ. So, God's word is your answer for everything. Take care and God Bless.

[faithwalkjournal]

Your blog is very encouraging. My page is filled with mountains, flowers and nature. I always thought that these brings me peace. But I am really worried about the present situations and I now I am scrolling through your page for comfort. Now I understood the importance of God's word. Thank you for your posts and for your prayers. Love you and God bless you :D

Thank you. Also there's nothing wrong with your page. Mountains, flowers and nature declares the glory of God. As it is written, “In wisdom thou hast made them all!” In other words the Lord delights in the expressions of his wisdom. This universe is simply a masterpiece of wisdom and order. What a wonderful experience it is when God grants us a moment in which we don’t take anything for granted, but see the world as though it were invented yesterday! How we would marvel at the wisdom of God. But, In the end, it will not be the seas or the mountains or the canyons or the clouds or the great galaxies that fill our hearts to breaking with wonder and fill our mouths with eternal praise. It will be God himself. Take care and God Bless.

[faithwalkjournal]

can you explain 1 John 3:1? sending you my prayers! your blog has helped me a lot

Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. - 1 John 3:1

Here, John speaks in amazement about this manner of love that makes us children of God. He speaks of the measure of God's love to us; and the manner of God's giving of love. The greatness of this love is shown in that by it, we are called children of God. As God looked down on lost humanity, He might have merely had a charitable compassion, a pity on our plight, both in this life and in eternity. With a mere pity, He might have set forth a plan of salvation where man could be saved from hell. But God went far beyond that, to call us the children of God. It is important to understand what it means to be the children of God, and that everyone is not a child of God in the sense John meant it here. God's love is expressed to all in the giving of Jesus for the sins of the world (John 3:16), but this does not make all of humanity the children of God in the sense John means it here. Here he speaks of those who have received the love of Jesus in a life of fellowship and trust with Him; But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name. (John 1:12)

i. Who calls us the children of God?

- The Father does ("I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty," 2 Corinthians 6:18)

- The Son does (He is not ashamed to call them brethren, Hebrews 2:11)

- The Spirit does (The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, Romans 8:16).

Therefore the world does not know us because it did not know Him: 

We can not be surprised or offended to find out that the world does not know us. The world had no right views of the real character of the Lord Jesus when he was on the earth. They mistook him for an enthusiast or an impostor; and it is no wonder that, having wholly mistaken his character, they should mistake ours. Ultimately, we should expect the world to treat us as it treated Him- rejecting Jesus and crucifying Jesus. While it is true that Jesus loved sinners and they, recognizing that love, flocked to Him, we must also remember that it was the world that cried out crucify Him!

[faithwalkjournal]

can you do a short exhortation about the Love of the Father?

I will try to explain this from one of the parables of the Bible - The Prodigal Son. We all think that this Parable is about the Son but this Parable talks more about the Father's Love.

This parable is the story of a father of two children, the younger one comes to the father and says, ‘give me my share of the inheritance now.’ Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So, he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.” (Luke 15: 13-20)

Jesus tells us that it was while the son was still "a long way off" that the father saw him and "was filled with compassion for him" (Luke 15:20). Literally, this father was moved by his compassion. The Greek word conveys an inward movement of concern and mercy, but this man was also clearly moved outwardly. The father runs to the son, embraces him (literally, "falls upon his neck"), and kisses him.

Jesus describes a scene that is far more abrupt and shocking than the story we often remember of a son who wanders away and returns home again. It is not the wayward son who runs to the father but the father who runs to his wayward son, and at that, without any assurance of his son's repentance whatsoever. In fact, the father runs without any promise that the son is even home to stay. What sort of a spiritual voyage and return journey would omit such a vital detail? Moreover, it is not the son who we find kneeling in the story Jesus tells, but the father. It is as if Christ is reminding us once again that all have indeed fallen short of the hope and promise and beauty of God, but that God has fallen to pick us up again and again, and to bring us home. Jesus tells a story whose merciful ending has far more to do with the actions of the father than any action of the child.

In this parable, Jesus bids us to slow down and be present, to taste and see, to be still and know: the Father is near. God is here, though we are absent. The Father waits, though we put off Him off. God grieves over our wandering hearts and minds, moving in grace to embrace those who long to see. God is a God who runs to greet his wavering child, and it is a sight to behold always. Now that is the Father's Love for us.

[faithwalkjournal]

How can I survive with a broken heart!

The best suggestion I can give you is to take it to the Lord in Prayer :)

[faithwalkjournal]

I work in the video game industry. Am I going to hell?

That is not how it works. 

Firstly we must believe in Jesus and then we must repent of our sins. We must make a firm decision to completely turn away from sin and plead with Jesus for forgiveness. 

Make no mistake – hell is not a place where people are simply “sent to.” There can be no question that hell exists. Jesus mentions it several times in the gospels. (Matthew 23:33; Luke 12:5; Matthew 16:18 to name a few.) Just as there is a way that leads to heaven, there is also a way that leads to hell – and it’s heavily signposted. It’s a path that someone decides to take, a direction they have been heading in and a course they have set, long before they get there. When one consciously chooses to live contrary to God’s laws, rejecting His promptings to repentance, they themselves are choosing what the outcome of their life will be. 

God has no desire that anyone should be cast into hell. He fervently loves each one that He has placed on earth. He gives people so many chances to repent. Repentance is the act of regretting sincerely the sin in your past with the goal to never do it again. It is making a decision to turn away from evil and to serve God. Repentance is one of the requirements for the forgiveness of sins. (Mark 2:17; Luke 15:10; Luke 24:46-47; Acts 3:19; Romans 2:4; 2 Corinthians 7:10). God reaches out to individuals in countless different ways, prompting them to be reconciled with Him. He even sent His only Son to earth to show us the way, all so that we could have every opportunity possible to be saved. (John 3:16)

In Jesus Christ, God lived among us, taught us, and healed us—but those things were not His ultimate mission. God became a human being so that He could die for us. Jesus, God in human form, died on the cross. As God, His death was infinite and eternal in value, paying the full price for sin (1 John 2:2). God invites us to receive Jesus Christ as Savior, accepting His death as the full and just payment for our sins. God promises that anyone who believes in Jesus (John 3:16), trusting Him alone as the Savior (John 14:6), will be saved, i.e., not go to hell.

[faithwalkjournal]

You know I read up on Calvinism the other day and I strongly disagree with the predestination thing.

Predestination is mentioned in the Bible. There is no such thing as Calvinistic or Artistic Predestination. Predestination means that God freely chooses some people to be the special objects of his grace and thus to receive eternal salvation. 

Romans 8:29 says that those God foreknew, he “also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son.”

Ephesians 1:5 says that God “predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ.” Let me begin with a simple definition.

Ephesians 1:11 adds that “in him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will.”

God is in charge of - What happens - When it happens - How it happens - Why it happens - And even what happens after it happens.

This is true of - all events - in every place - from the beginning of time.

He does this for - our good and His glory.

He is not the author of sin, yet evil serves His purposes.

He does not violate our free will, yet free will serves His purposes.

1. God has the right to do as he wills. (Romans 9:9-11)

2. God delays his punishment to some in order to show his mercy to others. (Romans 9:22-23)

3. God determined to show mercy to both Jews and Gentiles. (Romans 9:24-29)

4. Predestination is true because it is biblical. (Romans 9:19-29) - Some people are vessels of wrath; others are vessels of mercy. Some are chosen; others are not. God shows justice to all, saving mercy to some. The fact that we don’t fully understand this doesn’t change the truth.

5. Predestination humbles us because it exalts God as the author of our salvation. - It teaches us that salvation is of the Lord. It is a work of God from first till last. It starts with him and ends with him. If predestination is true, it means that we can never claim any credit for our salvation. We don’t even get credit for seeking the Lord because he sought us before we sought him.

6. Predestination preserves human freedom because each person must still personally respond to Jesus Christ. - The Bible says that God saves those who place their faith in Jesus Christ. No one is saved without faith in Christ. God has the first move, but the next move is up to you. One reason God has delayed his punishment is to give you more time to be saved. The Bible says that God is not willing that any should perish but wants all people to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

7. Every Decision Is a Free Choice. - God sees and knows everything you do. He hears everything you say. He will someday judge you for all of it. Nothing escapes him. Everything is transparent before his eyes. Yes, you have free will but you are 100% responsible for every choice you make—that includes the choices you make in the words you say and the thoughts you think. He won’t just judge the “big” things; he’s going to judge the “little” ones too.

8. Salvation is of the Lord. - Salvation is of the Lord. It is a work of God from beginning to end. Our choice is a free choice, but it is made possible only by God’s Spirit enabling us to believe and be saved. When you came to Christ, you made a decision of your will. You chose him. Predestination simply means, God chose you first and if he didn’t choose you first, you would never have chosen him. To say it another way, God so arranged the circumstances that when the moment was right, you had no other choice but to freely choose Jesus. You weren’t aware of it at the time, but in looking back, you could see the invisible hand of God drawing you to Christ. Or to say it yet another way: “He doesn’t make you go against your will, he just makes you willing to go.”

9. Run to the Cross. - No one has to go to Hell. If you go there, it won’t be because you were predestined for Hell. It will be because you are sinner deserving of God’s judgment. Earlier I said that no one can be saved unless God calls him. That thought may trouble you, but it shouldn’t. How do you know if God is calling you? If you have the slightest desire, then God is calling you. If you want to be saved, then God is calling you. It truly is as simple as that. No one will ever be lost who turned to Christ for salvation. No one will ever be lost who turned to Christ for salvation. No one will be in hell who truly wanted to go to heaven by faith in the blood of Jesus Christ.

We’re not supposed to understand all this.We’re simply supposed to believe it.

I hope that clears up any misunderstanding!

*I am not a Calvinist. Simply put, I am a CHRISTIAN.