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I listened to your recent sermon. sounds good. how do you do it? i tried. let me hear how YOU did it. specifically. then, maybe, i'll try again.

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"How do you do it?" What do you mean by the "it"? Do what? Please be more specific.

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Hi seeker35,
I'm honored to be able to respond to your question. If you haven't already accepted Jesus into your heart as your personal Lord and Savior, you need to do that before you can die to yourself. Only the Holy Spirit can help you change from the inside out. And the only way the Holy Spirit can live in your heart is if you accept Jesus.

After that, I don't think there's any formula to follow in order to die to yourself. I think part of it is simply reminding yourself to let go of the things that are causing you anxiety and asking Jesus to take them and do with them as He Wills. Like for instance, right now my landlord is trying to sell the duplex that I live in and I don't know if the next owners will want to rent out to me or not. But if they do, it's more than likely that they'd double my rent. So, I have to look for a new place to live. I'm looking to buy a condo or townhome, but that's going to cost me a lot in monthly payments. But I figured that I'd be paying almost that amount anyway if I had to rent somewhere else. I just wish this wasn't happening. It's really stressful and I don't want to have to move since I've been here for 6 years. But, it's sort of out of my hands. And since it is, I'm putting it in God's hands. I'm doing my part and have been working with a real estate agent and looking at places, but ultimately, I'm relying upon God to give me peace and guide me to make the correct decision about where to live. If I didn't have God to do this for me, I'd probably literally have a nervous breakdown, because I'm not very knowledgeable about finances and all the little intricacies of loans and homeownership.

My dad is not a Christian, so he stresses himself out about every little tidbit of information and he doesn't trust anyone. In the world, that's smart. But he's missing the most integral part of the equation - God. God can make things happen, that would otherwise not happen. God can lead me to the right person to help me, the right place to live, for the best price. I still have to use my brain and be discerning, but once I reach the point where I just can't figure out something, I give it to God to take care of. If I couldn't do this, I'd be living in fear and anxiety. That's not how God wants His children to have to live. If we die to self and give up all these things to God, we can live life to the fullest, knowing that in the end, none of these things will matter in God's Kingdom. Even if I managed to make a mistake in the here and now in regards to purchasing a condo or something, in the end, that problem won't follow me into heaven. So, I can let it die within me.

Is this making any sense? It's a bit long. I hope I was of some help though.

Tigress

The Angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers them.
-Psalm 34:7

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Oops! In writing this, I'm not presuming to speak for Greg Boyd or anything. I saw and heard his sermon on Sunday, and am here only attempting to explain it as I understood it, especially pertaining to my own life. So, please don't think I was trying to be patronizing or condescending or anything. I just wanted to give my two-cents.

Tigress

The Angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers them.
-Psalm 34:7

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That person I see has infinite worth before God. Bless them Lord Jesus.

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So many times when someone wrongs us, our first reaction is to respond in kind. And we rationalize. "Well, I believe in love, but I don't think God wants us to be a doormat."

This is worldiness. It is merely an excuse to not be responsible and give up our rights. We want to have a perfect corner of the world. No disturbances. Perfect relationships. No work. It is the failure to see that even the most beautiful of relationships bring some of the deepest pain. Wheels break off of new toy wagons.

Who do we think we are anyway? Are we so untouchable? When we give up our "right" to NOT be hurt, we cast down graven images of ourselves. One of the greatest things is knowing that I'm not Superman. Bullets don't bounce of my heart filled chest.



Brandon

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So, in this afterlife everyone talks about so much, we’re not ourselves? I don’t want that. I want to see individuals. I thought God did too. So, can anyone explain that to me?

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I think the idea is to let the moral qualities of Jesus shine through each individual personality. You're right, God made us unique individuals. I think He wants to see billions of individuals infused with the life of Jesus.

For example, car mechanics with a sense of humor are now car mechanics with a sense of humor that exhibit the fruits of the spirit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

And so on.

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So many times when someone wrongs us, our first reaction is to respond in kind. And we rationalize. "Well, I believe in love, but I don't think God wants us to be a doormat."

This is worldiness. It is merely an excuse to not be responsible and give up our rights. We want to have a perfect corner of the world. No disturbances. Perfect relationships. No work. It is the failure to see that even the most beautiful of relationships bring some of the deepest pain. Wheels break off of new toy wagons.

Who do we think we are anyway? Are we so untouchable? When we give up our "right" to NOT be hurt, we cast down graven images of ourselves. One of the greatest things is knowing that I'm not Superman. Bullets don't bounce of my heart filled chest.

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But, are you living there? Cause I’m not. Trying, but not doing. It’s impossible.

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