Christians?

[missed mallards]

Long story short, I just had a series of questions asked and I'm in a whirlwind.

Let me start off by saying, the one asking the questions, wanted an answer. The tone in her voice, the way she asked, and everything about it was directed to receive an answer, a "Matter of Fact" answer.

Question 1)
What is God's plan for me?

Question 2)
How do I know I'm living the life God planned?

I've asked several people, and will post on Facebook to get other replies also, but I'm wanting to know "How" you answer these 2 questions. The young lady has had a ruff life, one of which she fights daily, and one of which she has began to convert over to the good lord for help with. Can you even answer these questions?

Thanks for any replies,

Tom

[cwink]

I don't think any one can answer those questions. At least no one here on Earth. I have asked that question many many times and have yet to get the answer.

The only thing I would tell her is that to have faith, pray for quidance and wisdom and try to make the best decisions she can. I think if she keeps an open heart that God will nudge her in the right direction..

[Bonecollecter1111]

tell her to ask herself these questions

does her path in life help further Gods word??(not just her career, but the way she interacts with others, the way she lives her life etc etc etc) has she turned from sins she was living in?? (yes we all fall back into them) some times you have to part ways with friends so that you don't lead other down the wrong road (sometimes God does this by Force)
Does she pray often?(Prayer is vital in a relationship with God and will help your understanding of God wishes for you and in understanding the scripture) Does she read the Bible regularly (this has helped my marriage more than i would have ever thought, and my Granddad told me that it was the best thing a married couple could do together to strengthen a marriage)

i don't mean to be vague or harsh to your questions because it sounds like this person is at a decisive turning point in her life, but at these points in life we all either listen to that little voice in the back of our head thats constantly telling you NO and we either choose to listen or ignore it, the more we ignore it, the less often it speaks. the closer relationship you have with God and the more often you ask for His Guidence, the clearer you will hear his answer. (i will caution about asking for patience or guidence, you will often not like the answers or the methods in which God choses to teach )

You need to make sure she knows the path of salvation and that she has accepted Christ. and remind her of Christs sacrifice for her Salvation and what he really did for her

and if she has questions, tell her to think about the cost Christ paid (1.) GODS SON BECAME HUMAN (think about that, a GOD humbled himself to become human for our sake (2.) HE DIED THE MOST HUMILIATING DEATH OF THE ERA POSIBBLY OF ALL TIMES (3.) ) HE WAS GODS SON AND COULD HAVE AVOIDED IT, BUT DIDN'T FOR OUR SAKE (because it was the only way for our salvation) 4.) HE DEFEATED DEATH AND ROSE FROM THE GRAVE. (That right there is awsome, a man with a crown of 3-4 inch thorns cramed on his head (this often caused death), flogged near to death (Jewish law permited on 39 lashes because 40 was a death sentence), carried his own cross, nailed to a cross breaking both wrist and ankles (he lived three hrs using his back to breath), was run through with a spear and bleed water becase he had no more blood to bleed (talk about much MAN) And then this man that was very much DEAD rose from death and was seen by hundreds of people rose up to meet his farther. AWSOME, Just awsome. and to think he did that for my sorry self's salvation, i cherish the day i meet him

I am NO BIBLE scholar, and am not a promotor of any denomination, however I believe that there is the ONLY WAY TO HEAVEN, and that is by believing what Christ did was for you,


i know in todays way of thought that alot of people believe that if you are a good person you will go to heaven, but thats not in the BIBLE! there are alot of good people in Hell today ( and thats in the Bible)

God expects perfection! he will, by his mercy, grace, and sacrifice except us if we except his one and only plan of salvation. thats the only way layed out in the Bible. he is a loving, meciful, and gracious God, however he is also a very jealous God and a vengful God and he excepts no one except through His Sons Sacrife.

[Wingman]

I would say:

#1 is between her and God.

#2 is to read the Bible, pray and associate herself with other Christians. One sure fire way to know you aren't living in God's will is to weigh everything against his Word in the Bible. If you are doing something that isn't Biblical, it ain't from God.

[cockandlock25]

No one knows what God's plan is for their life because it's HIS plan and not ours. Our human instinct is to make our own decisions based on what feels good to US. Our job is to simply trust Him and seek his guidance with all we are. Then, He will reveal His plan to us in his timing and we will know if we are following His path based on the peace we feel.

[sevenhead]

I've been told that I've had a tough life myself. Just for a little background when I was 16 I was living with my mother and my step-father when my step-father committed suicide. Not barely a week later my father was killed in a car accident. That same year my grandfather died of cancer. A couple of years later my little brother passed away at 13 from huffing gasoline. After all of this I must say i was pissed with the world and mad at god. I wanted answers and wanted to know why this happened to me. Earlier before my brother passed I went to christian festival in Atlanta with my cousin and heard this little boy speak. Long story short he had to watch as both of his parents had been beheaded and their bodies drug off behind a truck. All because they wouldn't deny Jesus Christ.

After I heard all this it totally changed my outlook. I told myself "and I thought I had it bad."

My point is that no matter how bad you may think you have it, there is always someone who has it worse. I tell myself this every time I'm down. It's not about how you have fallen it's about how you pick yourself back up.

You have to have faith in yourself that you are making the right decisions. Do what's right and know that's the path he has chosen for you. The good Lord will not put you through anything that he doesn't know you can't make it through.

Hope this helps you out some.

[mossyisland]

I would say by prayer and by prayer i mean earnest prayer.

Read the bible. (God's owner's manual to life.)

Surround yourself around mature Christians.

[farmweather]

God's plan for all of his children is a life the glorifies him. Understanding that helps me to filter out a lot of opportunities.
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men. Colossians 3:23

[missed mallards]

Thanks for the replies Gents.

As I said, it struck me as odd, and a question I couldn't or didn't know an exact or factual answer for. After I left the young lady, I made several calls to friends and family asking them "How" they would answer. It just had my stomach in a twist of sorts as I've had hundreds of conversations w/ questions, and this one stumped me.

Anyway, I answered as best I thought/think. I enformed her of the power of prayer, and sat and talked to her for quite a spell about the good lord, religion, and her life. I even expressed the reasonings of my relationship, and how he's blessed me. She seems to be wanting/asking for help, and I was just there to listen today (almost like it happened for a reason type of deal?). I'm hoping she takes the time to visit our priest and talk to him. The poor girl seemed to have no guidance, no track, and had more why's than I (which is odd LOL). She seemed to be uncertain about her decision to help herself, and in a weird way, seemed scared. I hope one day she can look back and understand "Why" she is doing what she is doing. I know, I've had those moments later in life and finally understood.

[mfalkner]

Tom,

Sounds like you answered the unanswerable in a way that represents a real relationship with God. It's not by accident that she asked YOU these questions, maybe for her and maybe for you, but instead of giving her a pat line, sounds like you showed her what He means in your life. Good on you.

I've had some experience with missions in other countries, not all of which were open to the gospel, and the absolute best way I've found to get people to listen is to talk about what God has done for me; not judging them or criticizing their beliefs, even when my soul wanted to do just that.

I'll pray for this lady; it takes guts to open up about these things but it sounds like (a) she really wants to know and (b) Satan is trying to keep her from knowing by keeping her scared. Whatever Satan be agin, I'm fer it, as Sgt York would say.

[Seymore]

There are some things that just get down to faith. The Bible says faith like a child. If someone is trying to approach the Bible using the scientific method they are in for a bad outcome. Doesn't work that way. Saw a show on History channel this weekend that was trying to do that very same thing. Everything that has been said is good stuff but when it gets down to brass tacks it's faith.

One of the worst things I see are these TV preachers who are using the give to get approach. They are wearing $1,000 suits with $100 haircuts preaching that those watching just need to “sow a seed with them and God will multiply it 1,000 fold”. Then they read these fake letters from people whose life was in the toilet and then they sent their last cent to the TV preacher and now they are multimillionaires That sort of stuff just really bothers me.

[the doctor]

[RNAIL]

Just because we can't see the air doesn't mean we should stop breathing; and just because we can't see God doesn't mean we should stop believing.

I think God's plan is for us to believe in Him so we can be in heaven with Him in the end.

Why did Jesus come to earth, die and rise to heaven,,,to give us eternal salvation.

[driveby]

We people often over complicate things that are rather simple. I consider myself a simple person so I'll give you a simple answer.

Question 1)
What is God's plan for me?
Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

Question 2)
How do I know I'm living the life God planned?
2Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

If you do only those 2 things in life, nothing else matters.

[C-MAN]

Great answers. The only thing that I would add is that her asking you these questions was no accident. God put her there. Please don't assume she will go to the priest for help. Get back in touch with her and share some of your learnings. What a great testimony to led someone to Christ! Great job!