To Blog or Not to Blog, Waiting on God's Guidance

I don't have any real Clear Direction in my Blog yet, but that's Ok.  Sometimes when we Wait on God, it takes a little time before we know all of the Answers.  So Far, I'm sensing that I should be writing about Spiritual Things, rather than Politics, at least for now, but I do not want to do so in a way in which Drives Non-Believers Off.

Two Posts Down I was having a Discussion with probably the most loyal of all my Followers, BB-Idaho.  We were discussing how the Blogging World can be Hostile at Times and the Discussions can appear to be quite Futile and because of this, I am Reluctant to Pursue some of my Old Followers by Visiting their Blogs.  Peace of Mind is a worth while thing to Preserve and I'm not so sure that Pursuing Lots of Hits is really what this is all about.  There has been a Slight Increase in comparison to the Hits I was getting when my Blog was Totally Inactive, but it's not enough to really brag about.

Anyway, as BB and I were discussing, "Whether 'tis easier on the mind to agonize over the darts and arrows of written argument or to press the 'escape' button and from the sea of troubles, by deleting, end them?" (Words of BB-Idaho)  I guess he was Paraphrasing Hamlet because of my Chosen Title, though I'm certainly not as Depressed as all that and I assure you that my life will continue to go on quite Contently, whether I decide to Blog or not.  Poor Hamlet.  If only he had known that Jesus and the Indwelling Spirit could have helped him through all of his Troubles.

Here's my Response, though, to BB and to all others who might be listening....

I'm not as Concerned about Injury as I am about Outcome.  If I could feel confident that the End Result would be that someone might actually be persuaded of at least a little something, then I will take "the Darts and Arrows", yet when it seems Fruitless, that is worse than any Dart or Arrow that is slung at me, so let's just find a way to not make it Fruitless, shall we.

This is why I want to be sure that God is truly the one Calling me to do this, for it is my Belief that He is the only one who can make anything that we do actually matter and this is why I simply will not Proceed with any Post until I feel sure that that's the Direction that God wants me to go in.  I feel at Peace about this Post, yet my Efforts to Pursue Followers is in Slow Motion, until I can sense some further Direction from the Lord.

I have Often heard it said that "God's Word will Never Return Void", yet how can this be if the one who we are Quoting Scriptures to does not Believe in the Validity of those Scriptures?

Just so that I could be sure that what I am saying is actually what the Scripture says, I looked it up.

"10) For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater, 11) So shall My Word be that goeth forth out of My mouth.  It shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."  (Isaiah 55:10-11, KJV)


Ok, now that I've read it directly out of the Bible, a Question comes to mind.  Does the Phrase "My Word....that goeth forth out of My Mouth" and "in the thing whereto I sent it" refer to any Scripture spoken at any time, or just to that which the Lord has Specifically Directed, Guided and Sent Out.

You see, there is a difference between a Christian that is simply going through the motions and another Christian that is actually Following the Direction and Specific Guidance of God and this is the Reason Why so many Christians are not Effective in what they set out to do, for even though the Bible says...

"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Philippians 4:13, KJV)

It also says....

"I am the vine, ye are the branches.  He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me, ye can do nothing." (John 15:5, KJV)

So Often when we Hesitate and are Reluctant, people think of things such as "Agony" and Fear, yet to Press On or to "Escape" is so much more Complicated than just the Question of Fear or Agony or of Considering what is "Easiest on the Mind".  The Appropriate Question to Ask is not "Will it be Hard?" or "Will I be Injured?", but instead, "Will it be Fruitful?", "Will there be a Positive Outcome?", "Will it be worth it?" or more Pointedly, "Is this what God Wants me to Do?"

To Truly be Effective, we have to "Abide in Christ" and Wait for His Direction, for the Bible also says....

"But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength.  They shall mount up with wings as eagles.  They shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."  (Isaiah 40:31, KJV)


So you see, being Hesitant and Reluctant is not a Negative Thing.  Quite the Contrary.  It is the Right Thing to do.

As I was Looking for that last Verse, I found three others that are encouraging in relation to Waiting on the Lord and then I thought of One More...

"Wait on the LORD.  Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart.  Wait, I say, on the LORD."  (Psalms 27:14, KJV)
"Wait on the LORD, and keep His way, and He shall exalt thee to inherit the land.  When the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it."  (Psalm 37:34, KJV)
"Say not, thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee."  (Proverbs 20:22, KJV)
"And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."  (Galatians 6:9, KJV)

In Closing, I just want to Pray that these Words will not Return Void and that God will Draw those to my Blog who Need to be Encouraged by these Words.  I also Pray that He will give me Direction as to whether or not I should Pursue anyone, by Visiting the Blogs that they Frequent.

Oh How Blogger.com has Changed.

Perhaps I will Change my Subject Matter Soon to Religious Topics, rather than Political Ones.  Hopefully I will find followers who have that Interest.  Feel Free, though, to Click on my Labels and Read whatever you choose to, for I have actually Posted on quite a large number of Subjects and Categories.

Before I Change Directions, though, I think that I will talk just a little more about the Subject of Blogging.  The whole Look of the Blogger.com set up has Changed since I stopped my Blogging on March 5 of 2012.  It is not as easy to Find Things.  When I'm Logged in, which I usually am while on my Own Personal Computer at home, all I see in the Right Top Corner of my Blog is "New Post", "Design" and "Sign Out".  There is no Link to my "Dash Board", which of course, includes my Feed to all the Blogs that I used to Follow.  In Fact, I no Longer know how to get to this Feed.  I Suppose that I'll Figure it out eventually, yet if anyone happens to Wonder by my Blog and knows how to help me, that would be really Appreciated.

The other thing that is weird is the Absence of the Tabs that use to be at the Top of the Screen when I'm on the "New Post" or "Design" Pages.  I actually have to Click on Close, in order to find my way to "Comments" and then "Comment Moderation".  Why so many Steps?  We used to be able to just click on the Tabs across the Top.  If you ask me, they have made their Program less User Friendly while I was away.

And as to how to Find the "Dash Board", I have yet do Discover that one.

Here's one other Thing.... I Understand that if someone decides to Follow my Blog, I can just Click on the Avatar and find my way to their Blog.  It is interesting if the New Trend is to ask people to "Please Follow Me", for it used to be "Please Add me to your Blog Roll".  I, personally, like to Limit the Number of Blogs that I Follow because if I don't, my Feed becomes so Cluttered that it is hard for me to make sense of it all.  But then again, it would be Nice if I could even find my Feed, now wouldn't it?

The Blog Roll Works just as well as the Avatars of those who are Following us, for the Blog Roll is made up of Links to People's Profiles and Blogs, just as the Avatars are a Similar Link.  The Difference is that we can Create these Links ourselves and do not have to Rely on someone else to Provide those links for us by becoming a Follower.

Yes, all that I just now wrote in the Two Previous Paragraphs was in response to someone who made the above mentioned Request of me.  I hope that this will help him, if he decides again to Drop by.

Meanwhile, can anybody tell me how to find my Dash Board Feed?  Thanks.

To Blog, or not to Blog, That is the Question?

I've been asking myself lately whether or not I should start up my Blog again and the Answer has not been Clear.  I wonder how many of those who are listed in the Column to the Right as my Followers are still around and are actually watching their Feeds.  The only reason why I know that there is a possibility that at least some of them are not is because I have listed myself as a follower on quite a number of Blogs and yet when I quit Blogging, I also stopped looking at the Feed that reports to me the Activity on the Blogs that I Follow.  So you see, I'm not really following those that I "Follow".

Anyway, I have found the Blogging World to be Hostile at times.  The Debates are often quite Futile and when I search my Mind and Heart for reasons to continue this Craziness, I am often at a loss for any Clear Direction.  It's just that I've began to Comment again on the Blogs of a few others and when they come to my Blog to check me out, I wish that I could come up with something fresh for them to read.

Not only that, but I also wish that I could offer them a Forum in which to Talk to Me and maybe that is all that this Post is.  It's a place to say hello and to talk about whatever.  Even if my Visiting of and Commenting on other Blogs is Minimal, I still Wonder if anyone is out there simply because they have decided to "Follow" my Blog.  Perhaps there is someone out there who is watching his or her feed who would like to show up again and talk to me.