DISQUS

Robin Meadows · 1 year ago

Is that REALLY the reason you're a Christian? Because of your parents?

First thing that comes to my mind: Jesus says, "I am the way, the Truth, ,and the life. No man comes to the Father but by me."

aaron · 1 year ago

of course not...but it's a thought.
We as Christians think we're right....Muslims think they're right.
The bigger question I was asking God yesterday was 'why do I believe in what i believe in?'

Robin Meadows · 1 year ago

OK - that one I get. It's a good thing to think about. One that we need to answer for ourselves on a daily basis. Looking forward to more of your thoughts on this! In the meantime, I'll be thinking about it for myself!

Linda1 · 1 year ago

Is that a little like "If I stood in a garage would that make me a car"? Many are born into "Christian" families but does that make them Christians? I heard that God doesn't have grandkids.

Sam · 1 year ago

That question is one of the reasons I walked away from my faith for a few years. I will probably always be ashamed of that. But even though I took many steps away it was only one step back. Jesus didn't care that I cheated, He just wanted me back. That's true love! And that is probably another reason that you aren't Muslim - The love of Jesus is real.

jimmy paravane · 1 year ago

Careful there. You are stepping all over some of our precious preconceptions. We all know that Muslims don't know the right Jesus and are going to hell. Right? Hello? Is this mike on?

Micah Daniels · 1 year ago

This is the dumbest blog I've ever seen.

Micah

aaron · 1 year ago

Micah thank you for making me smile!
I consider your words a true honor!!

Micah Daniels · 1 year ago

Why did I make you smile? Do you consider yourself such an authority on spiritual matters that the words of us "regular" Christians that are geared to be an insult really only make you smile? To be honest...I've never heard of you outside of this blog, and I hope I never do.

aaron · 1 year ago

an authority i am NOT!!
what is a regular "Christian?"
I'm not even sure I am a Christian.
Please feel free to insult and attack me...maybe it will bring things to light.
All I know is that I fail daily, and i'm trying to sit with God and be completely real.

you have my permission to continue eavesdropping if you would like

Micah Daniels · 1 year ago

If you're not an authority, then why are you writing anything? I'm not so sure you're a Christian either

aaron · 1 year ago

again I smile.
I write because this is aaronhavens.com (which is me)
and my blog is "permission to eavesdrop" (what i'm learning or talking to God about.)

Not to be rude but you sure visit and comment a lot on a blog that you think is "the dumbest blog you've ever seen." Don't get me wrong I like hearing your thoughts...but this blog is not about you, or even me...It's about pointing to HIM.

Again, you have my permission to continue eavesdropping if you would like.

Have a great night!

Micah Daniels · 1 year ago

You write because the site is named after you? That does sound like it's not about you at all...

aaron · 1 year ago

good point. Touché my friend.
Let me re word and say it's about thoughts i'm having about God during my lifetime.

Micah Daniels · 1 year ago

And what makes you feel the need to publish your thoughts?

aaron · 1 year ago

what makes you feel the need to return to read my thoughts?

"permission to eavesdrop"

Micah Daniels · 1 year ago

I knew you didn't have an answer

aaron · 1 year ago

Must you always have an answer...and i'm sorry I must have missed what the question was.

return to my first reply and lets start the circle conversation again.

You make me smile!!

Micah Daniels · 1 year ago

I must always have an answer...doesn't the Bible command it? And if you really did "miss" my question, it's still on here

aaron · 1 year ago

maybe an non answer is the answer. unsure is ok! only God has all the answers.

Micah Daniels · 1 year ago

Where did you get "unsure is ok" from the Bible? You have to be sure when it comes to spiritual matters. You have confirmed to us that you are not even sure you're a Christian. If that is true, why would you keep writing blogs and "maybe" sending people down the wrong path? Wouldn't you rather work out your own salvation with fear and trembling before you ever try to be a leader? Why give people "maybe's" and "uncertainties" when you can give them truth?

Beartracks · 1 year ago

Because Christ has Supremecy over Mohammad. There are many professing believers living in Muslim countries. Just because someone has Chrisian parents and grandparents doesn't make one a Christian...It takes an act of faith! I was was once a Bahai but whenthe gospel was presented to me I understood the truth and I took a step of faith and accepted Christ as my savior, and I left eh Bahai Faith never looking back.

aaron · 1 year ago

Micah part 44.....

are you trying to save my soul?
do you know me?
you seem to be very confident in what you believe....I once had the same confidence (years ago)
Are you trying to encourage me, or discourage me as I chase after God?

aaron · 1 year ago

oh I get "unsure is ok" by realizing it is impossible to fully know God and what He has, is, and will do. If I am sure about everything...then God is too small.

Micah Daniels · 1 year ago

I didn't say you need to be sure about everything anyways. I said you have to be sure about spiritual matters. Plus I didn't ask where you get "unsure is ok", I asked where you drew it from in the Bible.

jonathan · 1 year ago

When you asked where can you draw uncertainty from the bible, are you looking for a specific memory verse to add to your collection, or truths gleaned from the whole. Having everything figured out leaves little room for worship. It is the 'mysteries' that make God, God. It is 'trying' to comprehend with all the saints, it is not yet having attained, it is the certainty of the pharisses that nailed Christ to the tree, it is the searching and uncertainty of the dreamers that asked if He was the Christ, and allowed Him to reveal Himself to them. Is the Answer ever threatened by the question?

Micah Daniels · 1 year ago

Yes I'm looking for another verse to add to my collection. Do you know where to find it? I thought it was the sins of us all that nailed Christ to the tree. Are you considering yourself a pharisee? With all the talk of uncertainty, you sure are making pretty 'certain' comments. Again, I didn't say you have to have everything figured out, please read my comments and take them for what they are, not what you want them to be.

jonathan · 1 year ago

I thought it was the plan laid before the foundation of the world that nailed him to the tree. I thought it was His love that nailed Him to the tree. I thought it was Him rescuing His kingdom that nailed Him to the tree. I thought it was a roman soldier that nailed Him to the tree. I thought it was God's justice that nailed Him on the tree. I thought it was mans failure that nailed Him to the tree. I thought it was to reverse the works of satan that nailed Him to the tree. I thought it was for the joy set before Him that He was nailed to the tree.
Which 'spiritual' things must I be certain of?

Micah Daniels · 1 year ago

When I say "man's sin", and you say "man's failure" are we talking about the same thing? Because if so, you wasted time typing out all your other thoughts. But I know you have to type them out, not because you're a theologian, but because you're full of pride. That's also why you can't leave it that YOU nailed Him to the cross.

jonathan · 1 year ago

I can say my sin sent the entire cosmos into chaos. It was because of my one sin that Christ died. But I typed out all my thoughts to show you there is more than one pat answer to even the simplest of questions. Are any of the answers wrong. No. Are any of them right? Not completely. I think we are only brushing up aginst the whisphers of eternity. Have I claimed to be a theologian? If I did, i repent. I think that would actually be the most prideful thing I could have said...if I said it. So again, which 'spiritual' things must I be certain of?

Micah Daniels · 1 year ago

So you have said that you don't believe in absolute truths, again because of pride. No you didn't say you're a theologian, I said you weren't a theologian. You have nothing because you base your beliefs on your thoughts, not scripture. If you did, you wouldn't be arguing with me. I would even say, "if you truly believed in prayer you would never argue". I read that too, it was the worst blog I had read until I saw this one

jonathan · 1 year ago

Again, when did I say I don't believe in absolute truths?
So far you know nothing of my beliefs, which only are as valuable as the One in Whom they are placed.
Which 'spiritual' things must I be certain of? and are you avoiding this question because you are afraid we might agree on one or because you don't know which ones you really are certain of?

Micah Daniels · 1 year ago

I'm not avoiding a question, if you really wanted to know what you need to be certain of, you can just scroll up and see. I left it on the screen for everyone to read. You say "Again, when did I say I don't believe in absolute truths?" You didn't ask me that a first time, so there is no "again". If your beliefs are only as valuable as the one they are placed in, is a muslim's beliefs more valuable if he has a stronger belief in his god than you do in yours?

jonathan · 1 year ago

The entire reason that I said your believes are only as valuable as the one they are placed in, is because of responses like yours. It doesn't matter how strong MY belief is...its all dependant on the One it's placed in. My belief that a chair is going to hold me when i sit in it is completely irrelevant to whether or not it has the strength to hold me when I sit. If it has been constructed improperly or become weak over time, no matter how much faith/belief I have in it can change that fact. Belief and Faith or only as valuable as the ones that are being believed upon. So would i say a muslims beliefs are more valuable than mine because they are stronger? No. But how do you measure the amount of a persons belief? So just to make sure I'm communicating correctly...the amount of belief is a non-issue, it's the object of the faith that makes the faith/belief have value.

Micah Daniels · 1 year ago

Where did you find this in the Bible?

acidman · 1 year ago

Truths gleaned from the whole what?...specific memory verse?

“Having everything figured out leaves little room for worship. It is the 'mysteries' that make God, God.”

So there will be, as you say, “little room for worship” in heaven?...when we see in full. The mysteries make God, God? Wow I never heard that one before.

And why did you add “trying” to the verse you took out of context?

You could just as easily say it was the uncertainty of the Pharisees that nailed him to the tree.

Jesus’ followers were uncertain dreamers? What?
You’re not making any sense.

I have know idea what your final question was about.

jonathan · 1 year ago

You've never heard that mysteries are an aspect that seperates God from us. That makes God, God. Maybe you should read Job. But if you must have a specific memory verse here is one. "The secret things belong to God, the revealed things to us and our children." Also I think Paul talks many times about the mysteries of the ages, the church and many others. I also believe that Christ himself spoke in parables.

Jesus followers dreamers. Wasn't it John the baptist, the greatest man born of two earthly parents, that asked: Are you the Messiah, or should we look for another." Didn't he hear the voice of God say this is my beloved Son.?

Worship in Heaven. I do find it very interesting that the passage you quoted talks of seeing, not comprehending. That it uses the word full and not perfect or complete.

Trying. May have the strength. Can attempt. May be able. I used trying in the same way i would use may be able to.

If we have the Answer, Christ, then why would we be threatened by questions.

Micah Daniels · 1 year ago

Obviously you don't know God, because if you did, you would know that I cannot save your soul. I wouldn't even try, that's what I was saying earlier, you know, the whole work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. Yes I'm confident, but not in what I believe, but what I know. My God has called me His own. I'm trying to discourage you from the "chase" you're on.

aaron · 1 year ago

I smile.

John Otjen · 1 year ago

Great thoughts. It is very easy to get into a focused Christian world view and never think about how it could have been. I do however believe that I am a Christian for a reason and that God placed me on this path for a reason.

Thanks for being open and sharing your thoughts. Dialog is a great thing amongst fellow believers. It is nice to know that you are not the only one who does not have it all figured out.

Nicole Rosanelli · 1 year ago

Growing up (Christian), I wondered alot about those who are born Hindu, Buddhist, etc, who never hear about Christianity. Without turning this into an age of accountability argument, what happens when they die and have never heard of Jesus? Does God send them to Hell? Will they burn in the lake of fire just b/c they were unfortunate enough to have been born in the wrong circumstances? Or what if they do hear about Jesus, but blow it off? If a Muslim were to 'witness' to me today, I would listen politely and then blow it off. Because Christianity is also all I've ever known. What makes us so pompous as to think they should react any differently?

It is hard for me to think that God could send people to Hell based solely on that. God is just too big to be compartmentalized. He made us in His own image, and I think most of us at our core are uncomfortable with the idea that God sends good people to Hell. But how do we reconcile that to the Christian faith? We are all innocent, we are all guilty. Nothing is black and white. Ours is not the oldest religion.

Micah Daniels · 1 year ago

Who decides who is a "good people" and who isn't?