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JimfromOhio

I am happlily married with 5 kids. I am an accoutant and worked in an accounting field for over 25 years. I like to make a habit of writing down whenever I have deep thoughts about God (so I won't forget). I really into Reformed Theology that is connected to Presbyterian Church in America.

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Location: Columbus, Ohio, United States

I enjoy having deep thoughts about God and put down what I actually think about (so I won't forget).

Friday, November 18, 2005

Life's Lessons

The Apostles, Joseph, Joshua, Daniel, Job, David and other great biblical characters lived in the same world, but how differently they interpreted their relationship with God. Learning from them, I can see that circumstances did not control them; it is their reaction to circumstances that determined what kind of people they were and most importantly, how faithful they were. Biblically, as a Christian, I should be submitted to, be modified and be conditioned by the Holy Spirit. If I yield under pressure, this tells me that I am are too weak spiritually to resist. Spiritually, I ought to follow Christ with persistence and that I must go on. There are spiritual opportunities to be seized so therefore, I need to keep walking by the Spirit. In reality, I cannot expect to escape circumstances because they will always happen, one way or another. Without circumstances, my self-discovery will not be completed and my self-judgment will be biased and imperfect. This is why I am to work along with the Holy Spirit so that I may make amendments as the circumstances demand. By discovering who I am, I will also be finding whom I am not and whom I can be through Christ. My greatest teachers have been my circumstances because my greatest spiritual growth occurred in the most unfavorable of circumstances. When I am most aware of my weaknesses, I am more inclined to collapse into God's strength and experience His amazing grace. "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness." (2 Cor. 12:9). Having faith in God allows me to go as far as I can while trusting in God's grace to overcome the difficulties I face every day. God is asking me to stay strong in faith, keep at it, to carry on, to stick with it, as I trust in HIS possibilities. In doing so God will lift me above my circumstances as He develops my character.