How do you give back?

[faithful quenga]

I am a sinner... "1 John 1:8"

What are you doing in your life that is giving back to God? How do you show God that you truly do believe in Him and are keep his commands? How are you helping further His kingdom?

What are you allowing to get in the way of doing God's work? Why, do you allow that to get in the way?

What are some ways that will help you to overcome those obstacles that get in the way?

...Saved by God's grace "Acts 15:11"

 

[Azkeel]

How can I give back if everything I have as well as my life is His?  

[faithful quenga]

I am a sinner... "1 John 1:8"

What I mean by giving back is like reaching out to other people and sharing what God has done for you with them. I mean giving your time/money/services to the less fortunate.

Do you do anything in your community that is glorifying to God and if so do you make sure that when you're thanked you say that all thanks, glory, and honor be to God? Are you involved in a local church where you offer up your time/services/money to help further the Word & Will of Christ.

Giving back what God gave us can mean so many different things. It's all about how we are using our gifts for His Kingdom. How are you using the freedom that God created us with to show others who it is that you live for?

...Saved by God's grace "Acts 15:11"

 

[Azkeel]

You mean the congregation? I do not call it a Church it's disrespectful. I AM the Church. The congregation furthers itself not the kingdom. You give money to the congregation thinking you're doing good. Do you not know money is debt based so you're giving them debt? Why not just give food? You do realize Yahu'shua destroyed the temple in three days and rebuilt it? What was the temple? It seems to me everyone going to a congregation is rather going to a temple. Throw your money in the wind and truly have faith in YHWH the He will deliver it to those who need. I do nothing. Anything good from me is from YHWH. You ask what I give? How can I give to my master? He is my master! I do rather then give back! How can you give something that isn't yours? All I do is submit.  

[faithful quenga]

I am a sinner... "1 John 1:8"

I am not talking about JUST a local body of the church. I am not here to debate beliefs on that subject.


Money is a needed thing of many people. Our time (well spent) is a needed thing for lots of people. God gave us gifts which are to be used to further His will. So my simple question is, how are you using them to do so?

Do you give to the homeless? Do you do ministry within the prisons and institutions so that those who do not on the Lord or are new believers can learn more about God? Do you clean up your neighborhood or serve on a neighborhood watch party to make the place that you live safer. Do you do volunteer fire fighting, or police work? How do you reach out to people in everyday situations to let them know that God loves them and that you are his servant and doing his will?

Also, on a side note may I ask what bible it is that you follow?

...Saved by God's grace "Acts 15:11"

 

[Azkeel]

Wait there are different bibles? I thought YHWH didn't change nor did His word. (You fell into that trap)

First off I do nothing YHWH does everything. My deeds are like filthy rags. But if you wish to know what I've been a part of think randomly. I took a man a hitch hiker to his destination 400 miles out of my way. Only because YHWH asked me to. I did that for another man as well but it was a little bit less in millage 380ish? Sure I've given to the poor? I give to anyone that asks. What's your point? Shall we compare our deeds because I have no deeds. Shall I boast myself and say I witness to everyone I meet and get to know? Shall I boast and say I did this or that? I can't give anything back to YHWH so why do you think you can? Are you fully submitted? Are you willing to give up your life right now and be a missionary? Go to Africa? Are you willing to leave the ones you love? Are you willing to choose YHWH over those you love? Can you leave on a whim and follow? Or are you still worried about rent...  

[faithful quenga]

I am a sinner... "1 John 1:8"

how is it that reading a certain version of a bible is a trap? I've read and use different versions of the bible on a daily basis because some of the words in one are easier to understand than in others but they mean the same thing. You still did not answer my question.


I'm not asking people to boast in what they did. I am just asking because I want to see what intuitive ways people may be using their gifts. I am not looking to say "way to go you" I want to say praise be to God for moving through a person.

I am fully submitted to God, yes. But not all people are called to do the same thing. That is why we all have different gifts that we use to help God's will move fluidly through out the world. If God called me to go anywhere I would go. I love my husband and my daughter and if I had to leave them because of God's will, then I would. That isn't to say I wouldn't miss them.

I do not worry about how my rent is going to get paid, I know God will take care of all my needs. There are many others out there in the world who don't know that though. We as the body of Christ are to reach out to those who don't know it, or are just learning about it.

Also we are all human beings who struggle with things in our own sinful natures. None of us are perfect and maybe sometimes we allow things to hinder our walk with God and the furtherance of his will. I asked a question about what those things might be for some people. I am not asking for a debate in this thread, I'm asking people to share how the gifts God created them with are being used for Him. Also I'm asking people to be accountable to what gets in their way of allowing God to fulfill His will. If you choose to continue to debate me on things, then please feel free to do so in a PM. This thread isn't created for that.

...Saved by God's grace "Acts 15:11"

 

[Azkeel]

King James is the one I use for the most part. This thread is misleading then. You're asking what we do for YHWH when in fact we can do nothing. The only thing we can do is submit.

The thing that hinders people is their lack of faith. If you truly have faith then you are guided and led. Trust in YHWH and He makes your paths straight. What is your gift then? What are you led to do? What do you do for Him?  

[faithful quenga]

I am a sinner... "1 John 1:8"

God leads me to the broken, struggling, disheartened people who have been abused and forgotten most of their lives. He brings me to the drunkards and druggies who don't realize that what they are doing is running from something they can never out run. Through me, God teaches, counsels, and shows others that those hurts are not wasted and that God did not take pleasure in watching them take place. I am so often overwhelmed with joy that God is using such a lowly sinner as I am to be a beacon of light.

The main thing I ever let get in my way, is laziness. I let things go at times and I see it happen and watch it all the way through but do nothing to stop it. that is a sin, I know that for sure and I pray about it and I am working through the main reasons why I let that happen. God is slowly delivering me from all my compulsive addictive behaviors. My faith is can be weak at times and all I have to do is go to His Word and my faith is renewed. When I feel that laziness set in I pray that God will cast out all that is not of Him from my body.

My main prayer is that He will become abundantly more and I will become nothing.

...Saved by God's grace "Acts 15:11"

 

[Azkeel]

Praise YHWH for that!!! w0ot! blaugh  

[Adella Demona]

faithful quenga

I am a sinner... "1 John 1:8"

Also we are all human beings who struggle with things in our own sinful natures. None of us are perfect and maybe sometimes we allow things to hinder our walk with God and the furtherance of his will. I asked a question about what those things might be for some people.

...Saved by God's grace "Acts 15:11"

Don't get me started about the struggle. I make so many mistakes. I let laziness get in my way. I let my sinful desires get in the way. The desire for my fiance, even though we are not yet married. I let the world get in my way. And trust me it's not without any level of guilt. I let that "worn out" feeling take hold of me and cover me like a heavy iron blanket I can barely breathe under. Let me give you a little back story if you don't mind.

I was brought up in Church and accepted Christ at 11 or 12, yes, but so much went on in my life as a child. I lost a baby sister the day before her second birthday. I was 4 1/2. Every child psychologist I went to claimed I witnessed her drown (at a crowded creek not far from our home). After my youngest sister was born, when she got about the same age as the middle child, my mother started drinking and we were in and out of church for years. My only solace was that there is a God and Jesus and that I might be able to go see my baby sister again one day.
I won't walk you through all of it, but I'll hit the major points. Mom is an alcoholic, (now recovered), Dad started yelling to vent his frustration and misery at mom's illness and the loss of his daughter, my youngest sister was the angel of the family. And I was me. I had my imaginary friends. I had my books. And I had God most of all. I wasn't a very pious child. I was stubborn and sullen. Morose and morbid. I was teased in school. My family is not well off, but we are not dirt poor either. In High School I was still picked on and tormented. I tried finding solace and friendship at our Christian Students gatherings. I wasn't accepted or welcome there either. What Christian love, huh?

By the time I got to college (A year early) I was starting to truly understand my faith, and my faith was challenged as well. My mom, by now a 'recovered' alcoholic, but dreadfully sick. She is still very sick from all those years of drinking and I know now she doesn't have very long left with us (but God can change that in an instant).

My faith grew a little stronger after I made a mistake and broke a promise to myself. I gave up my virginity. It's one thing to say "Oh I'll wait til I'm married" to a friend but another to whenever you're alone with a guy that's pressuring you and getting increasingly frustrated. I was scared. I was out past curfew and couldn't go back to the dorm without getting a fine. So I gave up. I relented. And i felt terrible.
Two...three weeks later he broke up with me. said a lot of hurtful things.

things started to look up when I met a friend i hadn't seen in a while. He made me smile, made me laugh, generally made me feel a little better about myself. We spent the day together one day, after he talked me out of skipping my last class of the day (first one had been canceled). By the end of the day he ended up kissing me. We started dating and a little while later I came to that choice again. I was in a bad mind frame. "damage is already done. why not do it again?" So I did. I didn't realize both he and I were running from God, or at least ignoring Him. We are both called in one way or another. To help, to minister, to spread the gospel. To be vessels for the Almighty God. "Ambassadors in Chains"

We have been together nearly 2 years now (oct 19.) and I have to say I truly believe he is the one God has put in my life to grow with mentally, physically, and spiritually. The only issue is getting over this hurdle of pre-marital sex. The world says it's okay as long as you take precautions, but God says it's not, as we are not of this world. Some say "why not go ahead and get married if you love eachother so much" but the issue is money. We don't have the money to do that right now, and he's the type that wants to do it right. And also, in a month or two, I have to move out of my parents house and closer to the university I'm planning on attending in the Spring. It's much cheaper and more economical just to move in with him. See my predicament?

Either way, I guess you can say I am a "new" Christian, or at least a "born again" Christian, where I don't know my bible or read my bible as much as I should, and for that I am ashamed. I know I make these mistakes and I repent for them frequently. I praise God and thank Him for forgiving me even though I don't deserve it. I am unworthy.

If you would like to know more of my story, more about my current situation, I am willing to share, I just don't want to complete overload you with information. I will accept any and all advice and especially prayers. smile  

[starry night-163]

YahuShalum pretty much said my answer, we can do nothing but submit.  

[Green_Fuu]

God gives us talents, what we do with them is our gift back to God.

What else is there? We can't really give anything to God besides our hearts. He is the one that gave us everything we have. All we can do is develop what he has given us and use it for his glory.