God uses

[ex70sHouston]

This may sound strange but skyrider on another topic got me thinking.

God uses us sometimes and sometimes he uses unGodly people to answer prayers and do work.

Skyrider talked about a time as a wow that prayer healed the eyesight of an old woman. People with TWI did a great thing.

Once I was praying about buying a new car. My boss had been pressuring me ( they paid me to maintain one and have it available for company use). I walked into his office one morning and said I was going to buy a new car that day. He said don't. It was answered prayer.

I was praying about going into bussiness for myself. My wife and I had sat down to do some praying together about this. We were going to ask my parents for a loan. Before we finished praying the phone rang. My parents had had their truck stolen.

In my life God has used many people whom I don't consider christians to answer prayers.

God used twi at times and he uses others.

What are your views and what has happened to you.

[mj412]

Ex

I think people are able to learn and God is into us having lessons in life. YES twi taught me some huge lessons in life in very practical terms!

But it wasnt really twi where I gained insight or wisdom it was life in and of itself that brings wisdom,, Jesus christ says He brings life.

It is the words in the bible that make sense and the players we meet in life that teaches me the practical application of what Life is.

I do not think it is needed to learn the bible to learn lessons in life God is the God of ALL.

He doesnt ignore unbelievers, He may be getting them ready for a ministry that know nothing of or He may be directing scenes that avail His own to safety or something good. It is written all over in the bible.

God has many titles He is THE creator of this whole thing so it seems very reasonable to think He can and does as He wills. The players in our life are just that PLAYERS that meet HIS WILL for each of our life. We all meet in the path for sure. sometimes for a moment sometimes longer. I do believe God knows what my needs happen to be am I willing to be responsible to the authority?

God ways are a mysterious. I also believe God works through animals who have no "spirit" at all in theory from what twi taught. How do they know that hmm? It says in the bible the whole world could be filled with books yet not the whole story can NOT be told doesnt it?

[oenophile]

Ex70shouston,

I find myself agreeing with the thrust of your post in that God is not bound by our understanding how he oughtto act to bring about His will in our lives. However, the idea that God usespeople to bring about His will is repugnant to His nature. He has endowed each human with that sacred space within which is the freedom to choose.

[Galen]

oenophile:

“I find myself agreeing with the thrust of your post in that God is not bound by our understanding how he oughtto act to bring about His will in our lives. However, the idea that God usespeople to bring about His will is repugnant to His nature. He has endowed each human with that sacred space within which is the freedom to choose.”

I think that someway, somehow the following things MUST be reconciled:

1. Our Creator gives everyone freedom of will, to choose to do whatever they wish.

2. Our Creator sees everything that you have done, might do and in fact will do.

3. Our Creator may [at His will] chose to assist you in your path.

4. In assisting you; He may use angels, believers, un-believers, animals, or even acts of nature.

5. None of these above ideas can violate each other, or any other known fact of G-d’s behavior.

Is it possible that knowing what everyone everywhere is doing and about to do, that perhaps He can ‘guide’ you into the correct path to ‘bump’ into the right un-believer’s path?

Over the years I have seen things, that in every other context should have NEVER been allowed, and certainly never assisted by Him. But obviously what ‘box’ I had made was simply not big enough for Him.

A believer wants to swap a rock for an old pick-up truck, he talks to His Lord in prayer about his desire, and is guided into the path of someone in need. The believer helps the need is afterwards finds himself in conversation with someone who owns an old pick-up truck and is willing to trade it for just such a rock.

Now in that story, did Our Heavenly Father guide the un-believer? Or did He guide the believer into just the right circumstance such that this ‘unlikely’ trade could happen? Was an un-believer ‘used’? Could be. Did Our Creator un-fairly control anyone? No.

[Galen]

I certainly do not fully understand this topic. Allow me to express this first.

The ways of my G-d are wonderous to me.

I have been witness to people prayer for things, that I would have never thought possible, and yet I have seen happen anyway. Granted not always, but just often enough to give credibility.

I have seen many gangs of sailors going out into town, looking for ladies. Most often they came back hours later: drunk, dragging and broke [none of them usually will have gotten anymore from a lady then perhaps a phone number].

I have been witness to a couple of guys over the years, who have been in my services on-board as well as in our Twig, coming to me and in prayer asking to meet a 'speical lady'.

Now the first time I heard such prayer, I thought this guy had a lot to learn. And the following morning as he climbed out of a girl's car and approached the pier, I was made to confront my own limits that I had placed upon my Heavenly Father.

Now since that first time when I witnessed this. I have had a great deal of time to try to reconcile this into my personal 'doctrine'. Over the years, in dealing with men in my 'congregations' on-board different subs and at different times, I have witnessed this occuring more then once.

:-)

[oenophile]

Galen,

I think you and i are on the same page here. God has a lot of room to work around us and through us without trampling on our free will.

I am also glad you brought up the incident with the sailor wanting prayer to meet the special lady. It goes to show that God is not bound by our rigid ideas of His nature.

[dmiller]

quote:

God uses us sometimes and sometimes he uses un-Godly people to answer prayers and do work.

Regardless -- He sees the heart behind the work. :)-->

[Shellon]

:)-->