Q1. Beginning Again

[lrdl3535]

You know Pastor,

I'm not sure how to answer that one. I have felt God in my life a lot and a lot of times I start out to do what I assume is what he is asking and then it ends up stopped. I know a lot of that depends on my own thoughts and how I handle what is being asked of me, but it seems something is always blocking my way or slowing me down. Yes, I know that satin plays a role in blocking our paths when God asked something of us, but it's hard to define sometimes where to go with things and what to do with the resourses you have. I think that was probably a lot of Abrahams feelings, he had so many to take care of and at times he didn't know what God really was asking him to do. He was promised a nation and it was not given to him in his timeing or understanding.

A lot depends on God's timeing and maybe when we are headed in a direction we feel God wants us to go, that along the way we are doing more then we think. God uses us no matter where we are ,so when we stop or feel we are stopped that maybe it is God's doing. Maybe God wanted us to take a break and do something right where we are and then God will move us forward, in His time.

So I have stopped in my path many times, but my path is where God allows me to go and when. I just keep trying to go forward.

[Seeking His Face]

I must say I have started some things believing God had called me to them, but later they fell to the side. I repented of that today, and asked forgiveness of those things. Praying to God that I would do what he calls me to do. Could those times of failing be like when the seed falls on rocky ground?? It doesn't take root, and falls away?? I am striving to be more like Him..

[hanks]

Q1. (11:32)

Have you ever begun something in response to God's urging and then stopped?

Did God want you to stop?

Is it time now to renew your obedience and begin again?

(Don't take this question lightly. Sometimes circumstances prevent us from doing what we once felt God wanted us to do. However, he is able to redirect you into his will for you now. Seek him diligently to learn his will.)

I have had ideas to start certain things, but on reflection have not been sure if it was God that was urging me on. Otherwise I have done and am doing things that I feel God wants me involved in. It would always be better if I could be even more involved, but as you say I have to diligently seek His will.

[Foofee's Nana]

Have you ever begun something in response to God's urging and then stopped?

I think in all honesty we have all begun things at God's urging and stopped. When I lived overseas with my husband in the middle east I felt I should read the Bible through and then little by little found that daily life took control.

Did God want you to stop?

No, I do not think God wanted me to stop.....I stopped....and had excuses...lack of time, away froorm family.

Is it time now to renew your obedience and begin again? (Don't take this question lightly. Sometimes circumstances prevent us from doing what we once felt God wanted us to do. However, he is able to redirect you into his will for you now. Seek him diligently to learn his will.)

Last year I stopped working on 11/14/08....and it was my desire...God's really....to read the Bible through in that first year. I was obedient....and completed it in 11/09....I have started it again in a different translation and my days are not complete without it. That is when I also wanted to do an online Bible study and have been thrilled with this.

[sun]

Q1. (11:32) Have you ever begun something in response to God's urging and then stopped? Did God want you to stop? Is it time now to renew your obedience and begin again? (Don't take this question lightly. Sometimes circumstances prevent us from doing what we once felt God wanted us to do. However, he is able to redirect you into his will for you now. Seek him diligently to learn his will.)

Many times through distraction I was stop from obeying God, When things was good in my life I did not give God the

time he needed to complete me or to have a personal relationship with him. I was so busy carrying out daily actitivies around the house, watching my favorite soap opera, cooking, talking on the phone,etc...

I wanted a personal relationship but was not willing to be discipline. But if you are chosen by God he will allow

you to have free will and then destruction will come you way. Because God can not and will not work along beside

the devil. And when you have made a mess out of your life by you choice, you then will call on God and that when

the change will take place and you will develop a personal relationship with God.

[Pearl]

Q1. (11:32) Have you ever begun something in response to God's urging and then stopped? Did God want you to stop? Is it time now to renew your obedience and begin again? (Don't take this question lightly. Sometimes circumstances prevent us from doing what we once felt God wanted us to do. However, he is able to redirect you into his will for you now. Seek him diligently to learn his will.)

I have neglected to fufill my calling because of pride and fear of man. Since I now have neither and I know for myself that God can take me through anything I won't neglect my responsiblities in the future.

[stevenp]

Q1. (11:32) Have you ever begun something in response to God's urging and then stopped? Did God want you to stop? Is it time now to renew your obedience and begin again? (Don't take this question lightly. Sometimes circumstances prevent us from doing what we once felt God wanted us to do. However, he is able to redirect you into his will for you now. Seek him diligently to learn his will.)

Yes, I have felt Gods leading into working with a pastor friend of mine in 2007. I did that for about a year & a half. I fell away from this ministry and moved to where I am now. Much to my surprise, Good Lord Is Awesome, this ministry that I spoke of is expanding from southeast Mi. to the Toledo area. I have been contacted by my pastor friend to work in the ministry here in Toledo.

[wifee]

I felt a prompting to speak out about a big issue at a church,then hesitated. Felt God saying press on,i did and he gave me the words to say.God challenged me & others to think hard about the issue. The outcome was not as expected, but I see God at work in me in an amazing way in where I am currently serving and I am learning more each day from His word which I can see with be invaluable as I go forward serving Him.Thank you Jesus

[Alan8]

This doesn't quite answer the Question for today, but it is a question I have that maybe some of you have some insight on. The passage reads:

[11:31] Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot son of Haran, and

his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and together

they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. But when

they came to Haran, they settled there.

[11:32] Terah lived 205 years, and he died in Haran.

[12:1] The Lord had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your

people and your father's household and go to the land I will show

you.

Dr. Wilson indicates that there may be some discrepency over whether the passage in 12:1 should read "HAD said" or just simply "said". Here is my question. Do any of you believe, as I do, that maybe it is more appropriate to think that the "HAD said" version is more accurate?

First, if not, then why would they have picked up and left? That's a big move to make, "just because".

Other questions that arise for me, though, are:

1) If the Lord spoke this to Abraham, what made all the rest of them tag along? If they really were a moon god worshipping culture, what would have made them think that GOD had actually spoken to Abraham? Did he have THAT much influence with his family, even his father?

2) Maybe the fact that Lot and Terah came along is precisely WHY Abraham ended up in a holding pattern in Haran. The Lord said to LEAVE your country, your people and your father's household. Maybe I'm misinterpreting this, but it comes across to me as, leave your family behind. I'm calling YOU. They will be a hinderance to you.

Now, I'm assuming that since God is God is God, yesterday, today and forever, and His Word makes it clear how sacred the marriage relationship is, the assumption would be that Sarah would have been expected to come with Abraham. But, it seems that maybe Abraham was supposed to separate himself from Terah and Lot, but was not fully obedient in that.

3) To me, the placement of that verse at 12:1, AFTER they have stopped in Haran and basically waited until Terah has died gives me the impression that we are being almost "reminded" of the fact that this might not have had to be, if Abraham had actually listed to God fully and left Terah and Lot behind. Even though there was no mention previously of God speaking to Abraham about leaving, the passage in 12:1 implies that there was AND that Abraham's response was not FULLY obedient.

4) Some of the "proof" seems to simply be the rest of Abraham's journey to finally arrive in Canaan. First he has to wait in Haran for Terah to die. Who knows why. Maybe Terah makes the decision to stop there and is not ready to move on. Abraham is respecting his father's wishes. So, he waits in a holding pattern, missing out on what God had for him.

Then, he has issues with Lot. First, the quarreling between their herdsman over land for the livestock. So, he parts ways with Lot. Then, he ends up having to rescue Lot. Then, he has to convince God not to wipe Lot off the face of the planet along with his less righteous neighbors in suburban Sodom.

Seems to me that Abraham would have had a much easier time following God's direction and moving into his calling and his blessing, had he not brought Terah and Lot along for the ride. He should have broken those ties way back in Ur.

Obviously, this is alot of speculation. I suppose it's entirely possible that it was God's plan that Terah and Lot come along and maybe Abraham would not have had opportunity to move into his calling any sooner. But, that's just how it comes across to me. What do you guys think?

[Alan8]

I totally agree with Klawncare. I believe the call was for Abraham and Sarah and not for Terah and Lot. In the end Abraham had a lot of grief over his nephew. If they were idol worshipers why would God call them? They could only serve to pull Abraham down. Perhaps Abraham's influence did have some affect on Lot but some of the things he does seems to be very questionable indeed. We will never know what the outcome would have been if only Abraham and Sarah left by themselves.

[Alan8]

In answer to the question. The Lord called me into the ministry but I did not respond at first. The reason was I was fairly new in the Lord. I wanted to wait, get more grounded to make sure it was the Lord calling me and not my own wishful thinking. During the time I did get deeper in the Lord and it also got me grounded in a church and then from there it was not too difficult to determine which Bible school to attend. However the timing was important. I waited for several years and as I did I was getting more and more comfortable in the job that I was doing. That is what happens sometimes when we are only half obedient. Things can get in there and distract us or pull us down. I believe Abraham's father and nephew were definitely distractions to God's will for him. When my supervisor came to me and said we would like you to take a couple classes at the community college during the evenings and afterwards we will promote you and later you could even be president of the company. At that point, I was close enough to the Lord to know I needed to get out and get to Bible school or else the distraction would become a hindrance to God's will.

[Bro Rick]

God called me to preach when I was eighteen years of age but my family was poor and had no money for college. I enlisted in the US Air Force and after three years six months and twenty three days I was honorably discharged. I then enrolled in college and finished a BA in Pastoral Ministry. Though there have been many ups and downs, today at the age of sixty two I am still preaching the glorious Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

[Spen]

Most of us have several false starts in our Christian life and I'm no exception. In my case getting older in age and mellowness has greatly contributed to my being consistent and faithful in responding to God's call. God has been merciful to me over the years as He has been teaching me

His ways of loving and sharing His love. I often wonder how my Christian ministry would have looked if I had not experienced the things I have over the years. God through His circumstancial will has used the experiences and circumstances (many painful and regretful) that have shaped and molded me as a follower of Christ and now enable me to identify and relate to others in need of spiritual direction and help with the issues of life. God in that same circumstancial will used the human family of Abraham in much the same manner.

In this world we live amidst forces that want to corrupt us and being vigilent to stay watchful and humbly in league with God through the community of faith is a most valued asset, as it was for Abraham and Sarah.

[Highohfaith]

Q1. (11:32) Have you ever begun something in response to God's urging and then stopped? Did God want you to stop? Is it time now to renew your obedience and begin again? (Don't take this question lightly. Sometimes circumstances prevent us from doing what we once felt God wanted us to do. However, he is able to redirect you into his will for you now. Seek him diligently to learn his will.)

This is a hard question for me to answer.I have been sitting here contemplating and praying for the Holy Spirit to give me the answers.

I know there have been many things in my life started and left unfinished.But what I don't know is whether or not they came from God or from self.As I mature in Christ, I find his calling to become more clear.

Recently he has called me to reunite with a son whom because of circumstances beyond my control and to involved to get into here. I was separated from at age 13 months and have not seen since. For years I was afraid to even think or let my heart feel the pain of the separation from my son,out of hurt and fear, shame and quilt. Recently God has showed me that I'm not to feel quilt, that I'm not to feel shame and that I'm to ready myself to seek reconciliation. I have tried unsuccessfully to find him and in the process found out that my other two daughters have talked with him as recently as two years ago. At that time he made it abundantly clear that he wanted nothing to do with me and felt a great deal of resentment towards me. He does not know the whole story, only lies fed to him by his father who raised him. My daughters claim they do not know where he is now..

Recently in the last year God has called me to pursue this relationship which I have ran away from dealing with for many years..26 years. I haven't stopped on God's command but I DO find it difficult and become easily overwhelmed and frustrated.Because I don't know how to find my son. No one in the family will tell me where he is, or even if they know where he is, for fear of me getting hurt. I feel God is urging me to do this but that he is not giving me a 'time line'. Just to keep it in my heart and in my prayers that someday a reconciliation will take place.I pray everyday for God to open my son's heart so he may someday WANT to know his mother. I want to KNOW HIM! So, I don't feel I have stopped on God's command, just that perhaps I'm moving slowly. That being said, I feel I am right where God wants me to be at this time concerning this issue. I do seek God wisdom and DILIGENTLY pray for HIM to intervene and help move things along a little faster.But I am content,I hope not complacent, but merely content to feel that God has me right where he wants me to be at this time concerning this reconciliation. and that all good works takes patience and perserverance..

This story is confusing, I'm sure to some.I hope I made sense of this question..life has dealt a lot of difficult circumstances to me, as is with everyone's life. Nothing is perfect. None of us are perfect. Only God is supreme and perfect! I did not rededicate myself to God until 2005 at the ripe age of 54. A lot had transpired in my life in prior to this, and I have experienced much growth since my rededication..stil learning and growing and hopefully will grow for the rest of my life in the Wisdom of God and his will for me.

[Colleen7373]

I know that god has called me to do "something" big - I have spent years working two jobs and attending school so I can become an accountant (I have two classes left until I receive my Masters in Accounting).I know that right now my calling is to fully understand the bible, inside and out. I know eventually I will be called to use the bible to assist people. I dont know when and where or how but I know my god wants me to be a faithful follower just like Abraham was. I started reading the bible three years ago and I start it stop and etc. I told myself a couple weeks ago that I was going to follow though and learn the bible and understand it so I can accomplish my next task that god has in store for me. This is hard to find time to do this but I know in the end the rewards will be worth it. I also know that my life wills improve the more I grow closer to god.

[yovan]

Q1. (11:32) Have you ever begun something in response to God's urging and then stopped? Did God want you to stop? Is it time now to renew your obedience and begin again? (Don't take this question lightly. Sometimes circumstances prevent us from doing what we once felt God wanted us to do. However, he is able to redirect you into his will for you now. Seek him diligently to learn his will.)

[/qu

till now i don't know what i'm called to do for the LOrd? i have a desire to serve the Lord but i don't know in what ways.

[mc'el4life]

Q1. (11:32) Have you ever begun something in response to God's urging and then stopped? Did God want you to stop? Is it time now to renew your obedience and begin again? (Don't take this question lightly. Sometimes circumstances prevent us from doing what we once felt God wanted us to do. However, he is able to redirect you into his will for you now. Seek him diligently to learn his will.)

Yes sometimes ago in my former Church joined a group of youths preaching and teaching the word but I believe it was not the right group for me as this is not a Bible believing Church so when I saw the light I left as I cannot still be in darkness and preaching the word of God at the same time. Now I am born again & believe I am in the right Church feeding on the right word and have totally surrendered myself for His will to be done in my life. Apart from my Ushering job and the commission in Matt.28:19 which I am working towards I don't know of any other calling and I pray that He will make me stand and open my eyes daily to see what He want me to do for Him.

[newtothis]

Greetings to everyone. Beginning again for me is to follow this form. In a previous Bible study I attempted to answer one of the questions but could not.

[SISMONZICA]

Yes I did. A few years ago I had wonder away from God word, joining my friends because I wanted to be apart of their lives for it had look then to me excited. for I did not like that lonly feeling or the feeling that had said I was different, and being treated that way, so I refuse to obey God"s calling in me to tell my friends about who He God was, instead I join them, little did I knew I was heading down the road to distruction.

I went through hell here on this earth. for what I though was fun was not, what I thought was happiness was not, what I thought was wealth was not, who I thought was my friends was not, what I thought was love was not, for it was all fake and addictions, to keep me hook on a fake life. and that is what the Devil does to you. work on your weakness, and then get you hook on the sweetness that turns into bitterness, which was bitterness all along but I was to blind to see that, making me dig a deeper hole for myself. I've learned and I've paid the price for my disobedience, thank God for his forgiveness of my sins and accepting me back home with Him.

[royk]

I have been called by God several times to help people by doing a business model which used to be called "prepaid legal," now called "Legal Shield." For a lot of reasons I failed, but primarily because I was doing it without praying and hence was not really following Him, or leting Him lead me. Following, I now understand is like in John 15 when Jesus says "remain in me ... and I shall remain in you... do what I comand..." If we have lost our connection, we are not following, we are not being led.

Up til now I htought this was only to be called to do evangelism, to witness Christ's Glory. Now I realize that with Legal Shield, a strong Christian company, I can serve people well, and develop relationships with them that can be fruitful in God's kingdom. All this can only work if I follow him all the time, i.e. not do it by myself. Seems easy to say, but for me it is a challenge to let go and let God. That is my confession, now I need to pray about it a lot and continue this study.

God bless

[joy irowa]

i was led to writing a book, which i did, but there other promptings that i find difficult to,do. i am beginning to redirect my steps now

[Old Jerry]

I have done something in response to God’s urging and stopped. I don’t that that God wanted me to stop but he found another way to get me motivated in the same endeavor. It is always time be renew your calling to God.

[Craig]

Q1. (11:32) Have you ever begun something in response to God's urging and then stopped? Did God want you to stop? Is it time now to renew your obedience and begin again? (Don't take this question lightly. Sometimes circumstances prevent us from doing what we once felt God wanted us to do. However, he is able to redirect you into his will for you now. Seek him diligently to learn his will.)

 

Throughout periods of my life God had/has urged me to engage in various missions or assignments.  Throughout the years, I stopped various ministries for one reason or another.  Sometimes at God's urging when my role was finished or the project was done.  Sometimes I exercised my own will or judgment regarding a ministry because I was tired, disgusted, or disillusioned.  When I have exercised my own will concerning a particular ministry God has always persistently urged me to pick  that ministry up again and  I do.

[shanth]

Yes, the Lord enabled our family to immigrate to Canada 17 years ago from India with the promise from Genesis28;15 which states that we would return back after some time. For quite some time the HolySpirit had been nudging us to return, but I was unable to

do so due to family situations. As a result, I suffered many losses. But last month I made a firm decision and obeyed and the

Lord has started blessing me! I feel this bible-study is tailor-made for me! Praise God!

[Ernie's Son]

A.

Yes.

I use to really be on fire for the Lord, but I sort of cooled down.  I had a series of operations, and my age probably didn't help.  The operations went well, and I seem to be in pretty good health considering my age.  The question seems to be, did I use the operations and my age just as an excuse for the cooling?  Probably.

 

I even wondered had I backslide?  I talked to a preacher friend about it, and we decided that wasn't the case.  I had not given up reading the Bible nor it's study.  In fact, I read and studied more.  I didn't give up the church by any means, just didn't take part as much as I should have.

 

My mind, at times, would dwell on Rev. 2:4 "Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love."

 

The NRSV puts it this way: "But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. (5) Remember then from what you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first.  If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent."

 

I know that this is for "the church of Ephesus;" yet, we are the ones who make up the church.  I could not help but to see the words: "fallen" and "repent" and "remove." The last three words, "unless you repent" sure gets my attention.  This is sure time for repentance (a change of mind), renewal, and to begin again.

 

B.

No.

I can't help but to believe that He is after my "first love" and will not be satisfied with anything less.  The ball is in my court!

 

C.

Yes.

It is time for my renewal, obedience, and to begin again.