Hoot's question got me to wondering about others. How do you see God, what is He to you? Does your past, family, etc. hinder your relationship with Him? What, besides salvation, has been your greatest joy with Him? Do you feel one with the Father? bjc said they're 'best friends', can you explain that, please?

-- Cindy (S.E.IN) (atilrthehony_1@yahoo.com), July 20, 2001

Answers

Wow Cindy. That is no small feat in just a couple of questions there....I'll take a whack at it.

1) How do you see God, what is He to you?

I am much more worried about how He sees me. I see Him as beyond my capabilities to describe. Omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. Whoa. I guess the Bible verse {paraphrased}...What is man that thou art mindful of him??? is the best summation of that.

2)Does your past, family, etc. hinder your relationship with Him?

*I* hinder my relationship with Him. I can't go beyond where I am and I often have a somewhat inconsistent growth rate. Nobody's fault but my own. Of course pieces of the past jump up from time to time.

3)What, besides salvation, has been your greatest joy with Him?

Comfort. Knowing that I am not in charge, but still responsible. Knowing that HE is indeed in charge and always working...yep. Comfort.

4) Do you feel one with the Father?

No. In my mind to be ONE with the Father is to have all the knowledge the Father has. Occasionally, I feel really, really close, but I think flesh itself is the seperator. It's like you can't get away from having to take care of physicality. You must eat, you must drink water, you must sleep. That's my take.

-- Doreen (animalwaitress@yahoo.com), July 20, 2001.

I think that a person's relationship with the Almighty is the most personal relationship one could have- far more so than any marital or familial one. So it's a little hard for me to talk about, kind of like discussing what exists between a person and their mate. But I'll try to answer your questions.

What is He to me, how do I see Him? He is my confidante, the only One who sees and knows everything I do, why I do it, for what reason, and what I think and feel. Nobody else knows this and they wouldn't understand it if they did- He does. I feel in awe of him at the same time so intimate and with all my thoughts and intentions laid bare before His eyes. Just looking at all the beautiful things He has created, knowing that we couldn't create even one blade of grass in a million years with all of humanity working on it- but he made so much more, and he made it for us. He would have made it for us even if I or you had been the only human in existance-what a thought, such love and generosity!

I have had some unpleasant times in my life (haven't we all?), but I don't feel that my past and family hindered my relationship with Him. It wasn't His fault, He didn't do it, and He didn't approve of it. He was my friend in a time when I had no other friends. there is a song that said it so well- "My light in times of darkness, my strength in times of weakness, my joy in times of sadness." That is what He has been to me, and so much more.

-- Rebekah (daniel@itss.net), July 20, 2001.

We see God through Jesus Christ. John 1:18 "No man has seen God at any time; the only begotten God, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him." Also, I John 1:1-3 "What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we beheld and our hands handled, concerning the Word of Life-and the life was minifested, and we have seen and bear witness and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us-what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, that you also may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ." Jesus bridges the infinite gap between God and us. God's ultimate revelation of Himself to us is in Christ. We can know He is real because of the overwhelming witness to His life, death and resurrection. Those are the facts that fuel the faith. The depth of my relationship is harder to explain, perhaps because I've never known any other kind of life, having been raised in a Christian home and being exposed to the gospel from birth and receiving Christ at an early age. I can't say that I feel one with the Father, because I am daily confronted with my own sin, but I have assurance of my acceptance with Him because I know that my SIN has been dealt with on the cross. I have a peace and trust in God's sovereignty that I know nothing can shake. There is no event or circumstance that could cause me to doubt my security in Him. My greatest joy has been in seeing His answer to prayer, which is not always what I want, but always what I need. He is always faithful. Life situations certianly affect my level of obedience to God. It is so easy to let circumstances pull me away from fellowship with Him. That really is the ultimate challenge of the Christian life: to be fully yeilded to the Holy Spirit moment by moment. It only takes a moment of self to take back control and think that I need to do it my way. It's easy to trust God for eternity. It's a lot harder to trust Him for tomorrow.

-- Skip Walton (sundaycreek@gnrac.net), July 20, 2001.

Finding God, and developing a relationship with Him, is part of my attraction to the homesteading forums. I didn't expect this to happen. I was raised in a home where God was just a word, usually used as part of a string of swear-words. As children, we never went to church. I remember asking my Dad once, when I was about twelve, if he believed in God....his answer was yes. That was good enough for me. I've always prayed, believed, searched, and knew He was there for me. Cindy, Doreen and Hoot have helped me sooo much with my faith, and I plan on sticking around, because you all are rubbing off on me, and I'm greatful to have found you.

-- Cathy in NY (hrnofplnty@yahoo.com), July 21, 2001.

Finding God [Jesus Christ] was something we didn't usually talk too much about when I was just a pup. No real wickedness or anti- Christian behaviour would be tolerated at home by pap. We went to church occasionally but as those churches started closing our attendance started to dwindle quite a bit. It wasn't until I was in eighth grade that we really became serious about Church. I was 17 when I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour--June of 61. At a little Southern Baptist church in the country was actually where my walk with Christ started officially. I'd known long before that that something was missin in my life and actually knew what it was but just didn't want to acknowledge it in public.

My walk has been kinda rough and rocky, at times, for the last 40 years but that's the way we learn to trust Him. We all have doubts at times about our salvation but our "gut" feelings present the rock solid Truth that's indwelling in us.

My prayer is for all reading this--if ya'll don't know Him--now is the time! If the Rapture doesn't happen for another 20 years---death may come first. The end result is the same--if ya'll are not ready to meet Him-the outcome is the same. I'm not perfect by any means---JUST FORGIVEN! Glory to God!! ole hoot. Matt.24:44

-- hoot (hoot@pcinetwork.com), July 21, 2001.

How do you see God? I see God through my risen Savior Jesus Christ. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth,and the life; no man come unto the Father, but by me.(John 14:6) God's grace was extended to me when I was a child of 12. Upon my belief and confession in the Almighty God and His free gift of salvation presented in the form of His only begotten virgin born son, Jesus Christ, who lived, died, arose again, and asencded to the Father as my advocate, I am saved. Praise the Lord! He is my very best friend, counselor and great physician.

Does your past, family,etc. hinder your relationship with Him? I can't say that any of these hinder my relationship. My past is washed away - clean slate. I have a daily relationship with Him. Of cousrse, I am human; I sin; I make mistakes. But, ask His forgiveness and try hard not to repeat the same mistakes. Throught the guidance of His Holy Spirit, He can ammend may ways as I yeild myself to Him. He is in control.

What has been your greatest joy with Him? Our relationship, God and I is the greatest joy. He has always provided for me. He has given a wonderful family - a wonderful husband and a precious son. Seeing Him working in our lives is a blessing. He has given me a wonderful and supportive church family and friends.

Do you feel one with the Father? We have the best of relationships as He guides my life. I am His.

Best Friends? Jesus laid down His life for all. His love showed the greatest love. What a friend! He took all our sins and bared them on himself in the agony and public ridicule of the cross in order to give us eternal life with Him in heaven. He gained the victory over the face of evil. Now,He gives us a free will to decide whom we will follow. His way is righteous. All others fall short, way short.

Jesus is my best friend. He is with me always - in happiness,in times of trouble,in grief/sadness. He is my comfort, my shield and my safety. I can always go to Him no matter what is happening or where I am. I love Him! And, Oh, how He loves me!

God bless you!

-- Squirrel (ThicketyRowWife@aol.com), July 21, 2001.

WOW! Not easy to put all of this into words...How do I see God? There are so many different ways: I see God in everything around me..He created it all from the tiny garden slug in the moonlight to complex human beings..He is consumate beauty. I see God in the majesty of nature...the towering ocean waves with power beyond my comprehension were made by Him. He made the crashing thunder as well as the fury of hurricanes..He is ultimate power and authority. I see God as Jesus Christ saying, "To the least of these you do to me." He is the personification of love. I see God as both the strict judge of my soul as well as the merciful one who died and rose again so that insignificant "me" can enter heaven..God makes me significant.God is everything to me, the very breath of life. My family never kept me from God, only my own actions and self-centeredness did. My greatest joy in Him is that He is with me all the time.."He never slumbers, nor sleeps..." I am never alone or lonely or in need. God is, indeed, my "best friend", yet I do not feel "one" with Him for He is so much greater than I am...I feel a "oneness" when I know I am living my life according to God's commands..a secure feeling that I sure do not have to ever suffer the anxiety of not knowing where I will spend eternity..I'll be going to my real home, where He is waiting for me as He has promised in His Word....There is a wonderful contemporary Christian song that is terrific, called "I Can Only Imagine"..it talks about how it will be to meet Jesus face to face, wow, I can only imagine! God bless.

-- lesley (martchas@bellsouth.net), July 21, 2001.

Lesley, you so beautifully expressed what my heart feels....but in a lot fewer words than I could even attempt! WOW, and awe beyond description, and yet sooooo comforting.

The other day I was noticing these "weeds" on a shaded side of my barn and they had the most beautiful tiny, itsy bitsy, perfect flowers on them and I thought...Look how much He loves His creation! He even made flowers small enough for the ants to appreciate!!! It gave me so much joy. To me it's actually impossible to assign words fit to describe the wonder and love, and amazement I feel pondering "who God is" and what He did for all of us....I'm just floored. No matter how much I see or how much I come to comprehend, it's only a bit.....and I am blown away by a bit. And yes, He is my best friend, because your best friend always tells you the truth, always loves you, and is there at even the most uncomfortable times.

Several years ago, after I was saved, I was backslidden and not living right, and I KNEW it, and I was in a very bad relationship and going through a breakup. (There's a long dissertation on the need for fellowship and the importance of mentoring of young Christians that is directly related to this continuance in sin, that I once tried to post on the Christian site and it didn't go through, ...maybe i will try again.) I was angry at God....what a dummy I was. I thought He put us in an untenable position here only knowing "part" and kind of muddling through this quagmire of life with half a clue. God used my own foolishness to really teach me something that day. I had a rather astounding experience. There I was all upset about this horrific relationship finally being over, and thinking that God was being mean to me, He put me on my butt! Literally. Like when you have a kid throwing a temper tantrum and you push them into a chair...only there was no chair.:) So many things rushed through my mind at light speed about the character of God and the nature of man and all the little catch phrases, and truisms, and the astounding wisdom contained therein, that I was put instantly at peace, lifted up out of the situation and over it...MOST importantly, that is the day that I learned in my heart, and in the rest of my being, that He is LORD! Not "just" Saviour,(as if that isn't enough!) but Lord God Almighty! I think that prior to that day, I had treated my salvation almost like a vaccination from damnation. It was just such an incredible awareness and surety and serenity that I felt after that...perhaps that's the day I started to learn to really surrender. I have felt the same blessed feeling since, it's just that I wish I could stay there forever. Can't wait. Must now learn patience....(:smile:)

Cindy, thanks for asking these questions, it has been a tremendous blessing to read people's responses. May God bless and touch each and every person that reads this thread.

-- (bisquit@here.com), July 22, 2001.