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I am really interested to find out how people answer these questions.
What's you predestination?
What have you been born for?
Is there a special purpose/meaning of you being living here on the Earth?Thank you VestnikRA for this question, it is one of those areas I've been meaning to spend time and to seek guidance so as to understand at what level God predestines our lives.
What I've concluded best aligns with scripture is:
When God gave to man, the dominion of the earth, He did just that. And in doing so He limited Himself in what He is able to do on earth to accomplish His will without overridding man's dominion, He was left with; what he had set in place at creation (more later), what He can accomplish through His people (those from all the ages who have chosen to be obedient) and finally to exerting influence upon all people (not by forcing them, but by moving in their situations to achieve His desired result).As to the major “interventions” of God, I believe they were actually put into motion at creation, some examples are:
* The flood possibly started by a meteorite crashing into the earth
* The ten plagues of Egypt could have been caused by a volcano in Greece
* The parting of the sea was due to winds, landslides, or some other mechanism not currently understood
* The geography of Sodom and Gomorrah was such that it was destined to suffer a natural disaster fitting the description given
* The walls of Jericho were build on ground that through some natural occurrence would fail and cause the walls to collapse due to the vibration caused by the marching and a shout of a million or so people.
* An asteroid somewhere out there has planet earth in it's future path to fulfill being the one predicted in revelation.Once again, trying to be clear, I believe that God limits His direct intervention to; natural occurrences (arranged by Him at creation, prior to giving man dominion), those He can accomplish through His people by their faith, (such as floating axe heads, curing ills, confusing enemies, etc.), and through maneuvering the ungodly into situations so that their choices, accomplish His will.
Now with all that said, God's plan for my life was not (in my opinion) detailed at the foundation of the world, however I believe that God has various plans for us, a perfect plan but due to human weaknesses will most likely fail, a good plan which could succeed (despite my weaknesses) with a concerted effort on my part, and an acceptable plan which contains many of my failures but by His grace includes my salvation. God will work within the limits He has set, He does not force us or directly intervene without those having the dominion (man) making a request (through prayer).
Now I believe that satan and his cohorts achieve some level of dominion through mostly the ungodly whom they can easily deceive, but also through the Godly as they fail to be obedient to God. There have been times that satan has tried taking a more active role but has lead to a response from God when they cross some line (chains in darkness type thing).
Now, I believe, God knows what will happen in my life, that at times I will be deceived and make wrong choices, sometimes, He will do all that is possible within His restraints to try and help me make the right decision, other times He allows me to make wrong decisions without even a whisper when going through it accomplishes a greater good (for me or others).
In the end God is glorified because He left man with dominion (we wouldn't have really had it if He would have taken it back right after the fall) and despite having limited Himself to an apparent disadvantage to satan, He has displayed for all how satan could never be like the Most High even in an environment and with people that give him all the advantages (weak as the flesh is).
This also explains the evil surrounding us and why God does not intervene (beyond stirring His people to fight it).
This postulation seems to be in line with the whole of scripture (as best as I can remember it), but I would appreciate others input as to where I might of missed something (and of course I could be totally wrong but it sure seems to fit, to me anyway)
Wm
Hi VestnikRA:
You ask:
What's you predestination?
Quote Rom 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate [to be] conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. As a born again Christian, I was predestined by God to be conformed to the image of His Only Begotten Son and His Christ, Jesus.
And you ask:
What have you been born for?
Quote Act 17:26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
Act 17:27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:This world exists temporarily in order that we may hear that God is a reality and that we may have the opportunity to be reconciled to Him through the free gift of His Son who He has given to be the propitiation for the sins of humanity. So, I was born so that I would have this opportunity.
Finally, you ask:
Is there a special purpose/meaning of you being living here on the Earth?
Quote
Before I entered into a personal relationship with God, the meaning an purpose of my life was to eat, drink and “make” Mary. There was no real meaning for my life except self gratification, but now that I have a personal relationship with God the purpose of my life is to glorify God through the life that I live in obedience to Him so that others may want to be reconciled to Him.Nick,
What requires more power, to bump a nearby meteor into the earth or to set it on a course thousands of years ahead of time?Where did I say that God was ruled by nature? Quite the opposite I stated that God set up these occurrences to happen naturally.
I consider an axe head floating, dead being raised, leprosy being cured, miracles don't you?
I gave my opinion which offered a solution to interpretation conflicts, I could be totally wrong, but give me chapter and verse, but please do not twist what I said then offer it as proof that I was wrong.
Wm
Hi ST,
I agree many of the happenings predicted on earth will come about through natural events-perhaps a polar shift explains Is 24. But I struggle to see how all the plagues on Egypt could have been such.Quote (seekingtruth @ Oct. 26 2008,07:16) As to the major “interventions” of God, I believe they were actually put into motion at creation, some examples are:
* The flood possibly started by a meteorite crashing into the earth
* The ten plagues of Egypt could have been caused by a volcano in Greece
* The parting of the sea was due to winds, landslides, or some other mechanism not currently understood
* The geography of Sodom and Gomorrah was such that it was destined to suffer a natural disaster fitting the description given
* The walls of Jericho were build on ground that through some natural occurrence would fail and cause the walls to collapse due to the vibration caused by the marching and a shout of a million or so people.
* An asteroid somewhere out there has planet earth in it's future path to fulfill being the one predicted in revelation.
God created the heaven and earth and he certainly uses his own creation or nature to do such. The bible personalises it because God is personal and not an inanimate force as some think.Nick,
Quote I struggle to see how all the plagues on Egypt could have been such. I watched Exodus Decoded on the History channel, it showed how a volcano erupting in Greece could have caused all ten plagues, I recommend watching it but if you can't I'll give a quick summary:
The massiveness of the eruption caused earthquakes along a fault under the Nile delta which caused gas to escape under the Nile and while rising to the surface it drove iron oxide from the bottom to turn the top of the water red, this also happened in Cameroon in 1986.
This would kill all the fish and cause all the frogs to leave the water plague #2
The dead fish and lack of clean water would lead to #3 lice #4 Flies #5 epidemic
Carbon dioxide gas mixed with air caused boils in Cameroon in 1986 and probably did in Moses time also #6 boils
# 7 is hail, volcanic hail is caused when the ash cloud goes high into the stratosphere combines with the moisture to produce hail stones
# 8 locusts, the cold weather from the hail and ash cloud causes a drop in the locusts body temperature causing the swarm to land en masse
# 9 Darkness, down wind from an ash cloud would darken day
#10 Death of the eldest, a final eruption of carbon dioxide gas released being heavier than air, it would create a deadly fog (prior to dissipating) that would hang low to the ground, combined with the privileged position of the eldest sons to sleep on Egyptian beds low to the ground while the less privileged slept on rooftops, wagons, etc.. and those sitting up eating a passover meal would be totally unaffected. This also happened in Cameroon in 1986 killing 1800 people sleeping, but sparing those sleeping on higher ground
On the show they gave many other facts supporting this theory I highly recommend the show.
I want to be clear I'm not saying absolutely this is what happened but it does show there are possibilities. As I said I believe it gives more glory to God that he could proclaim ahead of time the plagues and work within their timing for something He had setup thousands of years prior.
Believe me I'm not looking to take anything away from what God did, quite the opposite I find it all the more awe inspiring.
Wm
Praise be for all the poxes, plagues and smitings that god has bestowed upon us by his overcomplicated and implausible plots.
Stuart
Hi VestnikRA
We make our own meaning for our lives, somewhat within the limits of our genetics and upbringing.
That is true for everyone here, whether they have chosen a religious meaning or not.
Stuart
Actually that was very personal question – What's your predestination? I was wondering if anybody know their true predestination?
Please reply in a few words of your own without quoting Bible or any other sources.Quote (Stu @ Oct. 26 2008,12:55) Hi VestnikRA We make our own meaning for our lives, somewhat within the limits of our genetics and upbringing.
That is true for everyone here, whether they have chosen a religious meaning or not.
Stuart
Stuart, I agree with you here.
That's why I hope to hear different answers from different people.
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