tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20184070.post3314370987527211753..comments2024-01-11T10:58:30.769-05:00Comments on Jesus community: "Palisade Cliffs - doubt" from L.L. BarkatTed M. Gossardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10580691315315271791noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20184070.post-52433136208094516492008-06-18T22:30:00.000-04:002008-06-18T22:30:00.000-04:00ESI,I think the right kind of doubts is just a dev...ESI,<BR/>I think the right kind of doubts is just a development of faith. We have to work through certain things depending on who we are as we grow into the authentic faith God wants for us as followers of Jesus. Of course beginning from that basic faith in Jesus, in which we first hear God's call and respond in faith to the gospel.<BR/><BR/>But we're going to have to work through fears, wrong ideas that have been ingrained in us, all sorts of things, in our growth in grace and faith. <BR/><BR/>And some doubts are probably directly good, because they may help us get rid of ways that stand in the way of faith. For example if I doubt that God can make a difference in an area of my life in which I need God's help, that becomes a crisis of faith that I need to meet. Like Jacob wrestling with the angel. Afterwards I'm hopefully a different person with a faith or quality of faith I did not have before. Something like that. <BR/><BR/>Just my thoughts here. Good thought you bring up to make us ponder.Ted M. Gossardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10580691315315271791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20184070.post-13812367267440772842008-06-18T22:24:00.000-04:002008-06-18T22:24:00.000-04:00Rachel,Thanks for all your good words.Writing seem...Rachel,<BR/>Thanks for all your good words.<BR/><BR/>Writing seems to help me, too, in sorting through issues. <BR/><BR/>I appreciate your testimony of faith, and how God has brought you through some most difficult times, bringing people into your life.<BR/><BR/>In a real sense, that is my life as well, though different, I'm learning to trust in God more and more as well, in Jesus. Trust and obey, as the hymn goes, and I'm learning more and more of what all that means, in the hard places of life myself, have learned, but still learing.<BR/><BR/>But doubting myself is certainly a major one I share with you. Doubting that God would be proud of me is a tough one, as I wrongly think- automatically- that God could never be proud of me! Yet it is a good thought you bring here (and I've read before from you), and I appreciate it, and I think in Jesus and in God's grace, why not? I'm after all his child. Why couldn't my life of faith in and obedience to him make him proud. A good thought for me. Thanks!Ted M. Gossardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10580691315315271791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20184070.post-27866321007310363952008-06-18T22:17:00.000-04:002008-06-18T22:17:00.000-04:00Martin,Good to hear from you again!You're just as ...Martin,<BR/>Good to hear from you again!<BR/><BR/>You're just as deserving as I am, Martin. We're all on the same plane that way, equally undeserving as sinners. But God is for us in his "amazing grace" in Jesus. <BR/><BR/>You're right, times are tough. I did enjoy a little beer myself this week on my vacation, a stay at home one, and I have my immediate childhood family (minus my father, who is gone) coming tomorrow (today already where you live).Ted M. Gossardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10580691315315271791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20184070.post-61420631978232241302008-06-18T22:12:00.000-04:002008-06-18T22:12:00.000-04:00Kinney,Thanks. You'll love it. L.L. is an exceptio...Kinney,<BR/>Thanks. You'll love it. L.L. is an exceptional writer, just a gift she has. And she's helping me to enjoy the more poetic side which you find all over in that book.Ted M. Gossardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10580691315315271791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20184070.post-61270215434030610402008-06-18T22:11:00.000-04:002008-06-18T22:11:00.000-04:00imac,Yes, true. Thanks for visiting. And those are...imac,<BR/>Yes, true. Thanks for visiting. And those aren't the only nice photos on your blog. But I certainly enjoyed seeing those butterflies, and miss seeing them where we live.Ted M. Gossardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10580691315315271791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20184070.post-7194396314057892582008-06-18T22:09:00.000-04:002008-06-18T22:09:00.000-04:00Nancy,Interesting, good words to describe doubt. A...Nancy,<BR/>Interesting, good words to describe doubt. And you're right that some doubts are not good in stopping us acting in faith.<BR/><BR/>So sorry to hear of your daughter. Sometimes the young go through that though for a period of time before eventually finding their own faith. Maybe that's what it's about for many of them; they need to find the faith for themselves.<BR/><BR/>But your faith can speak volumes to her, Nancy. Even in the midst of all your doubt. Real faith that is meaningful is often through times, events and problems that make faith all the more meaningful both to the person of faith and the people who know them.<BR/><BR/>Thanks.Ted M. Gossardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10580691315315271791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20184070.post-91350372332534603232008-06-18T21:06:00.000-04:002008-06-18T21:06:00.000-04:00I'd like to say that doubt is not a bad thing for ...I'd like to say that doubt is not a bad thing for a Christian...that to some degree it is "normal". I think of it as different from unbelief which is opposite of faith.<BR/><BR/>Yet, I'm not sure scripture supports my position since Jesus corrects his disciples at different points for doubting...so I'm not sure.Every Square Inchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11636924397725214300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20184070.post-68733975617386950272008-06-18T20:35:00.000-04:002008-06-18T20:35:00.000-04:00I have had many seasons of doubt, but I never doub...I have had many seasons of doubt, but I never doubted God's love or faithfulness. I doubted my ability to understand, my "importance" in the grand scheme of things, my understanding of the grand scheme of things, and my most difficult doubt to overcome is wondering if I make God proud. Through out all the doubts and my 40+ years on Earth, I have never doubted God and I cling even tighter to God. I usually don't share with a lot of people, I haven't really found christian friends who would understand. But my moments spent alone with God and writing seem to put the doubts into perspective. For me, God allowing doubts in my life helps me to build trust. I have a hard time with that word - trust. And I think trust can be seen as a cure for doubts. <BR/>God pulls me out of doubt by calmly and quietly putting people into my life, even briefly, who have been where I have been and made it through. I am amzed at how God works thru people in my life. God also helps me with doubt by my writings. What I can't seem to think thru or talk about, I can work thru writing it out.Rachel Mchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05422752225793715728noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20184070.post-26908681813037905862008-06-18T19:38:00.000-04:002008-06-18T19:38:00.000-04:00Howdy doody Ted!Wish Jesus would help me right now...Howdy doody Ted!<BR/><BR/>Wish Jesus would help me right now but I think there are far more deserving people out there and times are tough all around!<BR/><BR/>As long as I have my beer though ... hic!<BR/><BR/>Bye mate!Martin Sticklandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06988964235131249090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20184070.post-74030549667068210612008-06-18T17:59:00.000-04:002008-06-18T17:59:00.000-04:00Wonderful post Ted.I am waiting for the book and c...Wonderful post Ted.<BR/>I am waiting for the book and can't wait to read it.<BR/>I appreciate you sharing it with us. <BR/>You do a fantastic job as always. So does L.L. Barkat.preachermanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09922837614859997243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20184070.post-22021598407321027212008-06-18T17:52:00.000-04:002008-06-18T17:52:00.000-04:00I think Doubts come into everyones mind as some po...I think Doubts come into everyones mind as some point.Interesting reading.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for visiting my blog and your kind comments.<BR/>The butterflies were in a hothouse in Skegness Nature Land, they were very friendly and landing on quite a lot of people, hence the good photos as I could get close ups without them flying off.imachttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14533409255215440113noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20184070.post-31525800724871533062008-06-18T14:05:00.000-04:002008-06-18T14:05:00.000-04:00i also love LL's book.it was wonderful that she wa...i also love LL's book.<BR/>it was wonderful that she was brave<BR/>and kind enough<BR/>to share her life experiences.<BR/><BR/>doubt is such a part of our earthly life.<BR/>little wisps that flutter through our thoughts<BR/>like a butterfly<BR/>up to doubts that can be as persistent as a<BR/>bee on meat in august.<BR/><BR/>it is amazing how even a doubt that we are unaware of can keep us from doing certain things in faith. <BR/><BR/>it has taken my daughter's faith. i am just hoping that someday her faith will return to her.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com