Bible

[plugger]

I was moved both by Steve"s post and your reply here....Falling away, a subject that has often caught my attention, please do not allow my thoughts to the idea of falling away seem trivial----I have no idea why or how someone who has experienced God's saving grace could ever turn away. Scripture tells us that Jesus said that whatever God put in His hand nobody could ever take away, Scripture says that once we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior the Holy Spirit comes and lives in us and also teaches that we are led by the Holy Spirit. I suppose we just do not know God's full plan, but we do know He can take something ugly and make it beautiful. How many folks do we have here on this Board who were brought up in the church, were baptized, who memorized Scripture then for what ever reason decided to take a walk on the wild side of life. Did God forsake them? Did Jesus turn His back on them? Did the Holy Spirit desert them? I don't think so. I choose to believe that somewhere along the line through prayers from a mom & dad, friends and the church something happens to bring this lost one back into the fellowship, then God will use this person with all their down falls to witness to others who are in need of guidance of the way back to Christ......I don't know exactly where in the Scripture it says, I think maybe Proverbs, not sure where, but along these lines it says to bring you kid up in the way and if they stray, later in life the return....something to that degree.....I suppose that our jobs as christians if to be faithful in our prayers and request to God. I always like to think of the mind as a computer. a lot of stuff is stored in there and rarely ever used, but then when needed a button I pushed and instantly the forgotten entry is brought to the screen......likewise so our little ole brain works. I suppose a lot of my personal thinking comes from personal experiences------I was brought up in the church, one of those ole churches where folks would stand up and give a testimony and thank God for whatever, a church where youngsters memorized Scriptures, a church where folks believed in the power of prayer----then one day I drifted away, or fell away and then one day years later I started my trip back to the faith and one day I found myself in the presence of God, the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit and found myself going to the alter and asking forgiveness........I never forget that experience-----I know how far from being right I am today, I slip, I fall, I get all dusty, then I ask for forgiveness, I get up and carry on. One day when I take my last earthly breath then and only then will I be made right.-------I know others may think different than I on this subject, but I often ask God to teach me, to grant me the wisdom in understanding and I ask God to allow His Holy Spirit to do what I can not do. jus a passing thought or 2