Learned an important lesson in humility last night.

[HisLeast]

Yes. You were reacting to what you now admit was partial information.

When did I admit having "partial information"? "Partial information" of what?

[Bandit]

Exactly the kind of thing I'm used to hearing when we're dealing with "little things", like malice. But for other sins the conclusions have been the complete opposite.

But given that God is longsuffering and not willing that any should perish, what kind of things would God be longsuffering about? Little things, or big things, or all things?

[HisLeast]

But given that God is longsuffering and not willing that any should perish, what kind of things would God be longsuffering about? Little things, or big things, or all things?

I don't know. From this human's perspective, and listening to His appointed teachers, it appears to be completely random things.

[Bandit]

I don't know. From this human's perspective, and listening to His appointed teachers, it appears to be completely random things.

So, is God 'random' in His longsuffering towards men? And who are these "appointed teachers" you speak of? I guess I'm not aquainted with them, or at least I don't know that I have heard of them.

[Bandit]

When did I admit having "partial information"? "Partial information" of what?

You did not know this person's full situation. Once you became aware, you showed compassion.

[HisLeast]

You did not know this person's full situation. Once you became aware, you showed compassion.

Don't think you understand where I'm coming from, but that's ok.

[Bandit]

Don't think you understand where I'm coming from, but that's ok.

Sorry if I got it wrong, but it sounded like you hated a person you really didn't know (had only seen a certain side of). Then, once you got to know a different side of this person, you had compassion on them. Did I get this wrong?

[HisLeast]

Sorry if I got it wrong, but it sounded like you hated a person you really didn't know (had only seen a certain side of). Then, once you got to know a different side of this person, you had compassion on them. Did I get this wrong?

Yes. But that's probably due to my inability to explain than anything else. At any rate, its not important either way.

[HisLeast]

Instead of this thread and working it out... get on you knees, lift your questions up to God and you two, work through the questions and let Him answer them all for you.

ALL in this thread have had our own questions and many of us have posted them out openly on this board and received help and some answers but to receive "healing" answers and answers that will lead to change... only God will do that. The only way for Him to do that is for you to go into a position of prayer and seek the answers from Him.

For a guy with such a close and charismatic relationship with God, it must seem incongruous that someone can do exactly as you describe above and be met with absolute silence. However, that's where I find myself. That's where I've ALWAYS found myself.

[the rookie]

So, a few weeks ago you said you were open to chatting with me - offer still good? I'm game if you are. Over in C2M? Here? Up to you.

[Slug1]

For a guy with such a close and charismatic relationship with God, it must seem incongruous that someone can do exactly as you describe above and be met with absolute silence. However, that's where I find myself. That's where I've ALWAYS found myself.

I have found silence from God... He was silent with me until I went back to be obedient to the "last" thing He told me to do when I was in communication. Once I stopped my rebellion and went back in humbleness to do what He said to do, I was able to receive ministering from Him again. Until I did that... I was to the point of ANGER that He wasn't listening to me. I was upset at peers who were in commo with God. Sometimes in the past I've felt... screw this and just sit in a pew and warm it as my purpose in the Kingdom.

Anyway... while in a period like this, I was at a seminar and the speaker changed topics. Then said basically... "Ummmm, if you haven't been hearing from God and you are frustrated that He's not listening... go back and DO the last thing He told you to do and once complete, you will be back in obedience to Him." Then he paused and just kept on with where he left off in the topic of the seminar.

Ummm, yeah... God was speaking TO me, through this dude who was prompting from the Holy Spirit to say that and I KNEW IT WAS FOR ME.

Yeah, I went back and got back in obedience with God's will and the commo was reestablished.

We use cliches like... getting off the path, and turning away from God, or doing it MY way and not God's way... etc.

Well, pick a cliche but the reality... it's true.

Anytime I can't hear God, I now go back and it's easier now since I journal so much. I have since learned because there was a time I cried out to God and He did answer and simply gave me a page number. You see, I'm into my 4th notebook of journaling but I continue writing page numbers at the top of the page and presently I'm on page 749 of journaling as I write this reply. Anyway, in crying out to God, all He ministered to me was a stupid page number!!!!! I was even upset that all He was capable of ministering to me was a stupid page number. When I finally looked at that page and read it, it was a task He was ministering to me at that time and it was about 6 months prior (from that time in my life) and I had not accomplished what was ministered. So, I humbled myself and began to do the task and within days... the period of silence ended and prayer communication resumed.

I don't have a "charismatic" relationship with God. I am simply obedient and when I am not, I experience the EXACT same thing you experience... SILENCE.

Edit:

It may sound incongruous that someone who is accused of being "charismatic" can experience periods of silence from God but... I've had many others as well. Not only because I was not being obedient but also because of periods of being sinful until I surrendered the sin over and exercised repentance in humbleness before God. I have experienced silence because God was letting me go on WHO I am IN HIM and even though I prayed and never received ministering in return, I kept on keeping on in doing my job in the church He's placed me or out in the world doing ministry. I learned ALOT during these times because they are periods of HANDS ON learning. Once I've learned, then He continues to minister and shows me WHY, I had to experience what I did to be prepared for the next task and then He'll inform me where to go or what to do.

So yeah, I've experienced silence and only when I was throwing a tantrum, was the silence a problem... INSTEAD of a learning period/experience.

Ya want to know what has been the WORSE periods of time of silence for me?

When He's told me to stop and sit down and actually WARM some stupid pew and ONLY read the Bible and study and not do anything but study. I'm a person OF ACTION and such obedience is TOUGH for me but God knows what I will need for what I am to do in the future and when such periods are complete... then I'm on the GO again. SO I understand the need to sit now... I may not like them, but I understand the purpose of them now.

[HisLeast]

I don't have a "charismatic" relationship with God. I am simply obedient and when I am not, I experience the EXACT same thing you experience... SILENCE.

Edit:

It may sound incongruous that someone who is accused of being "charismatic" can experience periods of silence from God but... I've had many others as well. Not only because I was not being obedient but also because of periods of being sinful until I surrendered the sin over and exercised repentance in humbleness before God. I have experienced silence because God was letting me go on WHO I am IN HIM and even though I prayed and never received ministering in return, I kept on keeping on in doing my job in the church He's placed me or out in the world doing ministry. I learned ALOT during these times because they are periods of HANDS ON learning. Once I've learned, then He continues to minister and shows me WHY, I had to experience what I did to be prepared for the next task and then He'll inform me where to go or what to do.

So yeah, I've experienced silence and only when I was throwing a tantrum, was the silence a problem... INSTEAD of a learning period/experience.

Ya want to know what has been the WORSE periods of time of silence for me?

When He's told me to stop and sit down and actually WARM some stupid pew and ONLY read the Bible and study and not do anything but study. I'm a person OF ACTION and such obedience is TOUGH for me but God knows what I will need for what I am to do in the future and when such periods are complete... then I'm on the GO again. SO I understand the need to sit now... I may not like them, but I understand the purpose of them now.

I hope you know that when I said 'charismatic', I didn't mean it as an insult. If you can sense explicit instructions (whether you're hearing a literally audible voice, or just an unmistakable gut feeling), I would characterize that as charismatic. Perhaps I've unwittingly picked the wrong word though. In either case, I'm sorry it caused offense.

You describe silence as something you experience when you're disobedient. I, on the other hand, have never experienced anything BUT silence.

I suppose one could attribute that to lifelong tantrum or loving a sinful lifestyle more than wanting a proper relationship with God. Even though I disagree very strongly, I will offer no defense against that kind of accusation.

[Slug1]

I suppose one could attribute that to lifelong tantrum or loving a sinful lifestyle more than wanting a proper relationship with God. Even though I disagree very strongly, I will offer no defense against that kind of accusation.

You have your experiences, I have mine... my answer is only based on my personal experience(s) of silence, from God.

Long ago when I had my faith in God through a religion, I never heard from God either. All I heard was what I was told by the church and when I read my Bible, what they said wasn't aligned with the scriptures. As I grew up and questioned this... I was told to listen to the church and their doctrine that has been followed for many years of comfort.

I was told that the ONLY person I could hear God... was from the person talking at the pulpit.

So, for all those years of religion and tradition, rituals and doing it "their" way... I never heard God either.

Once I chose to get away from all that religion, traditions, rituals and false doctrines and I began to SEEK God through prayer and the Bible, He freed me of the bondage that all that stuff, held over me. I was fearful to leave that church and that alone should have been clue I was in bondage. Yet, when a person is in bondage, their eyes are closed, or worse... their heart is hardened. Anyway... once free and able to pursue a PERSONAL relationship with God, through only His Son, as led by ONLY the Holy Spirit, I was led to a church not built on any religion, tradition, rituals and false doctrine.

Now, when God wants to minister to me, I am led into prayer and I listen.

[HisLeast]

You have your experiences, I have mine... my answer is only based on my personal experience(s) of silence, from God.

Long ago when I had my faith in God through my religion, I never heard from God either. All I heard was what I was told by the church and when I read my Bible, what they said wasn't aligned with the scriptures. As I grew up and questioned this... I was told to listen to the church and their doctrine that has been followed for many years of comfort.

I was told that the ONLY person I could hear God... was from the person talking at the pulpit.

So, for all those years of religion and tradition, rituals and doing it "their" way... I never heard God either.

Once I chose to get away from all that religion, traditions, rituals and false doctrines and I began to SEEK God through prayer and the Bible, He freed me of the bondage that all that held over me. I was fearful to leave that church and that alone should have been clue I was in bondage. Yet, when you are in bondage, the eyes are closed. Anyway... once free and able to pursue a PERSONAL relationship with God, through only His Son, as led by ONLY the Holy Spirit, I was led to a church not built on only religion, tradition, rituals and false doctrine.

Now, when God wants to minister to me, I am led into prayer and I listen.

Well I'll have to agree with you here. Almost everything valuable I have learned about God, I learned in spite of the church. I stopped doing things "their" way a long time ago.

But I've still only experienced silence from above.

[Slug1]

Well I'll have to agree with you here. Almost everything valuable I have learned about God, I learned in spite of the church. I stopped doing things "their" way a long time ago.

But I've still only experienced silence from above.

Apply yourself into prayer as David applied himself... Psalm 139

Fast, show God you are serious... make a time for a retreat to be with God and get away from everything and just seek God earnestly. Be in a fast leading up to this day of being ALONE with God. Unplug the TV, turn off the phone, bring only a Bible to read, have paper to write and start praying and listen.

Get away from everything and CRY OUT TO GOD.

When I pray and then get up to go about my business, I hear only silence... because I don't wait for God to minister to me. If I do this for a week straight, then that is a week of silence. I do that for a year, then that is a year of silence. If I DON'T wait and listen... then I never will hear God.

I tell people that my prayer time is usually about an hour and they think I'm nuts and HOW can I pray for an hour... I tell them I may only be led to pray for 2 minutes, but I listen for a long time during an hour time period. Or at least UP to an hour and I've listened LONGER because I was seeking an answer. When I fast, I don't have to wait as long OR, when God ministers, it's clearer when I am also fasting as I seek Him through prayer.