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Post by rmcdra on Jul 29, 2014 12:27:56 GMT -5
This is isn't an article or sermon but a question. How do you know when you have faith or if you've just fallen into the gambler's trap? By gambler's trap I mean "the next one will be the winner". When do you know that you should keep going or quit and cut your losses?
Edit: This is not a foreboding about my role as a pastor. This is a question about life in general and how to approach it.
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Post by phantasman on Jul 29, 2014 16:40:18 GMT -5
It's human nature to use this "gamblers trap". The grass is always greener... Humans seek to gain pleasure and avoid pain. These two principles guide every person.
How many have married only to fall into the "there's something better" trap? Own a home. Buy a car. We desire more.......and better.
To me, faith is hope that there IS something better. In life, we are never sated, as my other thread shows. Is faith a gamble? Yep. We gamble with our life every time we get in a car, take medicine, eat food, etc.
The short answer is to quit when your desires are fulfilled. The longer answer is (as in my thread) that you are never able to be fulfilled materially.
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unix
Junior Member
busy with full-time studies
Posts: 82
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Post by unix on Jul 30, 2014 20:53:02 GMT -5
Many things are a gamble and a risk if You don't realize (and to same extent take into account) that You can't easily get rid of them, such as works on very narrow topics or frail goods that quickly loose value such as low-budget computers. Been trying to sell a desktop computer and I have to fix it first - which is a cost, delay and effort.
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Post by phantasman on Jul 31, 2014 22:03:02 GMT -5
But how do you know? Read this from Matthew 13:
10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
I can show people at CF Gospel of Thomas verses all day long. They know them. They see them. They decline to believe because the don't understand them. There is a difference. A child can know their ABCs. Yet not understand words.
And he said, "Whoever finds the interpretation of these sayings will not experience death."-Thomas
Is Thomas saying "whoever knows" these sayings? Or whoever understands them? To know them is one thing. To know what they mean,is understanding. Understanding feeds faith.
Just my view.
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