Tenchi
Member
If I'm so spiritually blind why don't you take the time to open my eyes and answer my defense then.
"There is no man so blind as he who will not see."
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If I'm so spiritually blind why don't you take the time to open my eyes and answer my defense then.
They weren't meant for each other because marriage is NOT for everyone, a sustainable relationship requires commitment and investment, it's not given for granted as most people assume. It is a common misunderstanding that "be fruitful and multiply" (Gen. 1:28) and "leave his parents and join his wife" (Gen. 2:24) are a "cultural commandment", since marriage is ordained by God, it is our duty to fulfill it, that is conflating DEscription with PREscription and taking God's will in your own hands, that was one big mistake Aabraham made by mating with Hagar, so he could be the father of many nations as God told him.Hey
So yeah as an incoming freshman (I'm going to Biola University fyi), with this whole adulting process has been crazy. Anyways, I was just curious to hear what y'all think about certain signs to when you knew who was for you (friend wise), who wasn't, and particularly when you're looking for in my case, a future wife, what are some things to look out for.
I read this book and one of its advice is sort of "make yourself available" meaning don't expect that God is going to bring the one for you like an Amazon delivery package to your door while you're locked up hidden from society. And I've been told that for some reason I seem him standoffish.
I don't want to turn away what God has cuz of a face or posture.
So what do you think,
And a quick note, I know the "textbook" answer, such as like "be not unequally yoked" in 1 Corinthians I believe or Matthew 6:33 on seek ye first the Kingdom of God, or Psalms it says "delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart", etc. the college I'm going to, everyone is 100% professing Christians. So presumably, they're going to pass the initial Christian screening test. But of course it takes a bit longer to actually know the heart.
So what's a more practical ways I can put into action, or if you're going to give scripture, give me exact ways to apply in real time please. And what are some secondary things I should look out for that I may not catch on the initial screening test if that makes sense.
Since apparently you're not here to have a biblically intellectual conversation, (obviously because you cannot, we've debated before, and I seen you debate before since March of last year.), I'll just note down that heresy and vague insults you derive from secular sources, but won't back up (because you can't back it up or else you would have instead of using the "I don't argue card" which is a lie.)"There is no man so blind as he who will not see."
Sorry I didn't get back, I have to split my attention on getting my question asked and dealing with pride and heresy.They weren't meant for each other because marriage is NOT for everyone, a sustainable relationship requires commitment and investment, it's not given for granted as most people assume. It is a common misunderstanding that "be fruitful and multiply" (Gen. 1:28) and "leave his parents and join his wife" (Gen. 2:24) are a "cultural commandment", since marriage is ordained by God, it is our duty to fulfill it, that is conflating DEscription with PREscription and taking God's will in your own hands, that was one big mistake Aabraham made by mating with Hagar, so he could be the father of many nations as God told him.
My practical advice to stay celibate and not lust for any woman, you don't go to college for dating, God loves single people as much as married people; actually, celibacy is more of a blessing as it gives you the freedom to pursue what God calls you to do without the distraction of woman and burden of family. However, if you've made up your mind that dating is your calling and college is a good time for that, then take caution, 'cause although the book you read is more about why than who, the primary concern according to biblical principles is always who, not why. Dating a good woman is a blessing, dating a bad woman is a curse, marriage itself is a neutral institution.
Historically, the "why" is peer pressure. Previous generations were raised in such an environment where one had a lot of opportunities to meet the opposite sex in person, and they were usually surrounded by siblings and friends who engaged in dating, marriage and kids, and it feels good as the "happiness hormones" rages when you're bonding with other people; these days this environment doesn't exist anymore, everybody is hooked to their phones, everybody is entitled to their own truth, there's a general lack of trust in one another, and online dating is a scam; also, the societal attitude toward dating, marriage and kids has also changed, they'renot something you naturally experience as life progresses, but conscious lifestyle choices, and they're all optional. Dating is not meant to be an idol that you must worship and serve, you better figure out what you really want in your life and count the cost of energy, money and time for dating before you throw yourself into the dating pool. The way I see it, dating is nothing but a wild goose chase that'll leave you with nothing but a bruised ego, "making yourself available" is making yourself vulnerable.
He said to them, "All cannot accept this saying, but only those to whom it has been given: For there are eunuchs who were born thus from their mother's womb, and there're eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He who is able to accept it, let him accept it. (Matt. 19:11-12)
I suppose therefore that this is good because of the present distress—that it is good for a man to remain as he is: Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed. Are you loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife. But even if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Nevertheless such will have trouble in the flesh, but I would spare you. (1 Cor. 7:26-28)
Would I have given such advice if I had been married? To be honest, I didn't choose celibacy, celibacy chose me, I've just accepted my fate and made some reason out of it. In other words, I'm a content and peaceful volcel (voluntarily celibate) instead of a toxic and desperate incel (involuntary) as though God owes them a woman. Even if I had the opportunity, I'd missed it, that ship had sailed and it'll never come back, why would I torment myself by lamenting that? God cares about me so much, more than my own parents, that he doesn't want me to have "trouble in the flesh", then so be it. Amen.Sorry I didn't get back, I have to split my attention on getting my question asked and dealing with pride and heresy.
Anyways, I know the celibacy stance and a lot of people, especially older and even married people, advocate that for our generation. Knowing myself celibacy isn't an option as I will not be able to focus on God with rising passion. (1 Corinthians 7:9)
Theologians commonly thought Paul a widower.
Question are you married?
Ofc, I originally meant 1-2, in actuality in order to obey Romans 12:1-2, we have to know what 11 verses 33-36 say. Particularly in verse 36 where it says, "for from him and threw him into him are all things to him be the glory forever amen".
The scripture in 1st John and Matthew are perfectly cohesive, there was no contradiction within those two.
It is not possible to do God's will and neglect the first and greatest commandment. Idk what you're getting at.
Through Holy Spirit inspired obedience lol, it's not rocket science
It's quite easy to be honest, if you look at the verse just right above Philippians 2:13, you will see how it can easily co-align with James chapter 1 verses 22 to 23, all it is is God is actually the one who produces the work, we have the responsibility of not pressing override.
It is implied when you went on the rant about legalism and compulsory obedience, which is similar to what these new age progressive Christians try to preach, that we have to conjure up some something as a prerequisite to obeying God.
Granted some people can obey God immediately just based off of love, but if anyone is like me that didn't work, it first took for me to repent of my sins and have that spiritual blindness lifted from my eyes, in order for me to see that God's way is much better and that's when the love started to grow.
But while I was in the midst of my sin, I thought I was living the life and living for God was miserable, and if it wasn't for some of my brothers and sisters in Christ just shut me down and shut me out of my addictions, despite it how much I hated what they were doing at the time, I would not be a Christian today. Remember Nineveh repented because they feared the wrath of God, not quite cuz of the love of God
Congratulations on your extravagant journey in Christ, and I respect that, but age does not mean anything when it comes to Christ.
I know plenty of people who claim to be in Christ for 40 50 and even 60 years, but still don't know enough scripture to stop smoking weed.
And I find that those as such yourself believe that once you hit a certain decade and Christianity you know everything, pride takes over, and anyone who is Young is automatically wrong.
Never in scripture does it say age equals spiritual authority.
I don't see why you are here to debate on a topic that I didn't even ask about, the moment you started talking already know it was going to be about something irrelevant to my question, probably a theological rant in which you argued with several other people about.
Correction that isn't what you believe it teaches. Not only am I living witness, scripture proves it.
Matthew 4:17 says repent for the kingdom of God is at hand. It didn't say, fall in love with Jesus and then repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand. It also didn't say, "Jesus developed relationships with people, then he preached and said repent for the kingdom of God is at hand".
Your eisegesis of Scripture is self-idolatry.
That was me, I knew that God was the right way and I knew that my sin was the wrong way, so I attempted to repent, but I didn't take God that seriously, and I was still in love with my sin, even today I still face the seduction of my sin. Only this time I have the fear of God in me, which is the beginning of wisdom, and indulging my lust is far less worth it than to fall in the hands of an Awesome and Powerful God.
Apparently since there is no comprehensive answer to this, I think it's safe to assume that pride has blocked a productive admission to the fact that you refuse to admit to the truth.
Because it will hurt your pride too much, that someone who has serve the Lord for half a century, can be one-uped by a newbie who's not even legal yet
How about this you go conquer your side for Christ, I'll conquer my side, and we'll meet each other on the other side?
Thank you for realizing that, otherwise I wouldn't have bothered asking you for a Biblical response. And I personally don't see combativeness as the same thing as trying to get to the truth, if I didn't want the truth I wouldn't be asking you to provide it.Upon a second skimming of your posts to me in this thread, I developed a nagging feeling that, despite your combativeness, you might be looking genuinely for a biblical response. So, against my initial impulse, I'm going to offer the following:
That would be true, and it is true, but you have to also factor in, 1 John 4:19-21. This is not PEMDAS or order of operations, when you start loving God it automatically transfers to loving people. There is no period in time when you love God and then after you love God at a later point you love people.didn't ask you if there was a contradiction between the passages - which, obviously, there isn't - but an order of logical priority in which they should be arranged relative to one another. There is, of course, which Jesus described when he spoke of the First Great Commandment and "the second which is like unto it" in Matthew 22:36-39.
No disagreementAccording to Paul, if we attempt to love our neighbor apart from a pre-existing love for God that motivates our words (vs. 1), guides our knowledge (vs. 2), and prompts our self-sacrifice (vs. 3), such attempts are, Paul wrote, spiritually useless ("profits me nothing").
Ohhhhhhh, Ok now I see why you started talking about motives for loving God. I didn't connect the dots I thought you were talking about something separateman who approaches a godly woman (who, being godly, understands these things well) who himself is ignorant of the love-motive for Christian living will be of little interest to her. Such a man doesn't understand one of the most basic and essential features of what it is to know and walk with God. My advice to you in my first post to this thread was simply not to be such a man (if you want to marry a godly woman).
Oh yes indeed. The Greek phrase for "Walk in the Spirit" is peripateo pneuma. The word peripateō for "Walk" means to align oneself with, be in alignment with, conduct or regulate one's life with" then pnuema is "in the Spirit", which means the Holy Spirit.How, exactly, does the Holy Spirit "inspire" obedience in a Christian person? Since its not "rocket science," I'm sure you'll know very well what it is to "walk in the Spirit" (Galatians 5:16) and will have no problem describing from God's word how you do so every day.
Alrighty cool, I don't know if you will like my answer but it's still an answer. And I guess you're coming about you being surprised if I can say something about this shows how low, you think of me but nevertheless.it that "God actually produces the work"? What does this mean, exactly? How do you know when it's God doing so and not just your own fleshly attempts to do His work for Him? Since it's "quite easy," please explain how you know that what you do as a child of God is not just your efforts to be godly for God but is truly the work of the Spirit within you.
What do you mean by "not pressing override"?
In my experience discipling Christian men of various ages and experience, this area of "Who is doing what?" and "How do I know the difference between fleshly effort and the work of the
Not using my free will against God to willfully disobey.What do you mean by "not pressing override"?
Idk f you're actually asking me or you're casting a judgement.Do you know what the Bible says the other non-negotiables are? Your remark above strongly suggests you don't.
Hence why I shared in my testimony that and my original feelings to please God that's how I started off. But I would have never gotten to the right place, had I not start the obedience process at all. I'm telling you I wasn't, no of course as you said I was still in sin at that moment, but my current condition is not the same then when I was still trying to figure stuff out, when I shouldn't have been trying to figure anything out.Inasmuch as such love is essential, there can be no truly God-pleasing obedience to Him while in neglect of the First and Great Commandment
And that's what it did it brought me as a sinner to knowledge of the Savior. That's what I am referring to. And it was also useful for when I was backsliding and being lukewarm before I truly surrendered.The fear of God as wrathful Judge has its place in bringing sinners to repentance and faith in Christ. But such fear has no place in the life of a child of God, as the apostle John pointed out in
Well for one you have no scripturally basis to back up that, and two it is actually possible., it most certainly does. I know in this modern age, where young people are constantly encouraged in secular culture to think of mature adults as foolish, irrelevant and/or dangerous (and some of them are), that it's likely a reflex to imagine that you can, as a young person, have a better understanding of how to walk with God than one who has done so for fifty years but this is, I'm afraid, not reality.
But again your statement may be valid for you, but it's not all encompassing. And you can't biblically prove that beyond your conjecture. If you're going based off of your personal experience, I have a different ones.Yes, so do I. See above.
But I also know aged people who've walked well with God for many decades whose understanding of God and spiritual living is simply beyond what any twenty-something who loves God wholeheartedly can fathom.
You didn't have to go petty and attack the hyperbole. Again you are assuming something in which you have no idea of. You should check out John 3:11. Lengthier, sure, deeper? You have no idea.Know everything? Goodness, I've never said this. Spiritually-speaking, at least, I know more than you, having had a much lengthier and deeper experience of God than you, but this doesn't equate to me knowing everything.
I don't think you really thought I was referring to fear as in a scary feeling.Together, these passages absolutely rule out fear of God as an acceptable motive for obedience to Him. And by "fear," I mean a craven fear of God as wrathful Judge and Punisher of sin, not merely an awe-filled respect/reverence for Him.
Conjecture,This quotation is well in keeping with your youthfulness. I once thought in a similar way.
Now really think about that comment again Techni. I have two orientations coming up in 6 days, and on campus job that I'm trying to get, and a lot of family preparations and making a transitional move to college, do you really think that if I thought older people were "utter fools".As I already said, this response here demonstrates how much in need of what I've pointed out from God's word that you actually are. But it is in the nature of being young to think those older and wiser than you are utter fools. Time will alter this view - especially when, as an older man, you encounter the same sort of young buck that you are now, who tells you to get bent when you offer him God's Truth.
Well then you can't blame the public perception.As such, I have no obligation to defend myself against your charge that your Strawman is
If I'm being quite honest right now, and people should know this by now, 99% of the time I'm not asking cuz I don't know, I'm asking cuz I'm looking for other people's opinions and I like to hear what they have to say. I know what next steps to take, I just want to get other people's views on it cuz I like doing that.content of my "theological rant" is vital to finding and securing in marriage a godly woman, which I explained to you in my first post to this thread. So my remarks weren't irrelevant; they were simply beyond where you're at right now, which I hope your studies at Biola will help to change
Sir you just implied that with the comment I replied to just above. And another one earlier in that.is itself a Strawman of my words. I've never once written, or implied, that "age equals spiritual maturity
I'm curious on your take on the topic.We do appreciate the calmer demeanor in the last few posts but this discussion has gone off topic so how about we end this here and get back to the topic of the thread. Let's remember to follow Paul's teaching.
Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient[c] in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.
Romans 12:10-18 NKJV
Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
Colossians 3:12-13 NKJV
The the topic is still the "search", then go for a search for the meaning of life in God, not a search for the origin of life in a uterus.I'm curious on your take on the topic.
In my life experience it isn't about searching because searching makes one look desperate and that is generally an undesirable trait. Make friends first and let nature take its course from there because the best person to fulfill the role of a wife would also be one that is a very good friend.So yeah as an incoming freshman (I'm going to Biola University fyi), with this whole adulting process has been crazy. Anyways, I was just curious to hear what y'all think about certain signs to when you knew who was for you (friend wise), who wasn't, and particularly when you're looking for in my case, a future wife, what are some things to look out for.
Idk f you're actually asking me or you're casting a judgement.
Hence why I shared in my testimony that and my original feelings to please God that's how I started off. But I would have never gotten to the right place, had I not start the obedience process at all. I'm telling you I wasn't, no of course as you said I was still in sin at that moment, but my current condition is not the same then when I was still trying to figure stuff out, when I shouldn't have been trying to figure anything out.
And it was also useful for when I was backsliding and being lukewarm before I truly surrendered.
Well for one you have no scripturally basis to back up that, and two it is actually possible.
Experience, at a visiting church I was at they were putting on a gala and I saw a lot of familiar faces there. There was this one lady who for some reason I was always turned off by. So at this event, she went boasting and bragging about living a life from where she was serving the lord for over 40 years. Impressive right? When the gala was almost over, she asked me to put some stuff in her car for her cuz we were packing up, no problem. I go to her car and open the trunk, and behold, I could have passed out from how strong the stench of weed was in her car, and she's the only one driving it.
Draw your own conclusions.
You can say, "I've been on this road for 6 hours" and sound super impressive. That's until we know you've been crawling the whole time.
Then you meet someone who's been on the road for 45 minutes, and remember it's all to the same destination. But they're in a Porsche and covered far much more distance than the one who crawled. (Dr. Tony Evans used this example too).
So the length you been on the road doesn't really matter, it's more of the speed at which you grow. We can both be planted and rootef in Christ, but just because you've been in the ground for 40 years, and I haven't even reached 4 yet, if (and I mean IF) I can outgrow you in due time.
But again your statement may be valid for you, but it's not all encompassing. And you can't biblically prove that beyond your conjecture. If you're going based off of your personal experience, I have a different ones.
You didn't have to go petty and attack the hyperbole.
The fact that you conveniently ignored the fact that I adequately answered all your questions, which apparently you didn't expect me to be able to do, and also ignored the scripture exposition, logical examples, and proof against your position which I went out of my way to do.??? Sure I do.
Ephesians 4:11-16
11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,
12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,
13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,
14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.
15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,
16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
What does it mean that there is a growth continuum along which Christians move, as Paul indicates here? Among other things, it means that those at the beginning of that continuum will carry on in a way that indicates where they are: They'll be "children" spiritually, "tossed to and fro by the waves and every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes"; they'll be like the "carnal infants in Christ" that Paul wrote to in 1 Corinthians 3, who were fractious and jealous.; they'll be like those requiring spiritual "milk" rather than "meat," ignorant and so unable to teach others, "laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works" (Hebrews 5:11-13; 6:1-2).
Those who are at the other end of the spectrum, or, at least, much farther along it than the ones described above, will be marked as such by their knowledge and conduct. They won't be "tossed to and fro," they won't be carried about with every wind of doctrine, they won't be "milk drinkers." Instead, they'll be well-grown in Christ, able to teach others what it is to know, and walk in fellowship with, God, stable, knowledgeable in the word and spiritually discerning, daily "walking in the Spirit." (2 Timothy 2:15; Galatians 5:16, 25; Hebrews 5:14,
This growth process takes time. And so, it was almost two decades (17 years) after Paul's conversion that he began his missionary work to the Gentiles throughout Asia Minor that we read of in Acts and in his various epistles.
Galatians 1:15-22
15 But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace,
16 was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone;
17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.
18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days.
19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord’s brother.
20 (In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!)
21 Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.
22 And I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ.
Galatians 2:1-2
1 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me.
2 I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those who seemed influential) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain.
It's very clear to me in God's word that there are "infants in Christ" and "mature adults" in him and that one goes from the former condition to the latter through a process, not an instant. Those who are at the front end of the continuum of spiritual growth do not stand on par in their knowledge or experience with God with those farther along that continuum; they cannot; the fact of the continuum of growth prevents such parity. Just as a baby must grow into adulthood, a new Christian "baby" must grow into spiritual adulthood. This necessarily requires time, and education, and experience that cannot be gained in an instant, or by a couple of years at seminary, or Bible school. God intends we should live consistently and presistently in His truth, you see, not just know about it. And this is where many years are required in spiritual growth.
I'm not sure how this negates what I've observed above from God's word. There are many Christians today who are just like those described in Hebrews 5:11-13 and 1 Corinthians 3:1-3 who have been in the Church for a very long time. This woman appears to be one of them. But their poor conduct demonstrates that, whatever they claim, they have not actually been walking well with God, growing more and more like Christ. Instead, they've remained a spiritual "infant," refusing to become properly spiritually adult in their walk with God. That you've been able to see the incongruity between the woman's claims to spiritual maturity and service and her use of pot, doesn't mean that folk who have been TRULY walking well with God - which this pot-using Christian appears not to have been doing - for long periods don't occupy a place with God that cannot be immediately accessed by a person comparatively new to the faith.
In other words, if I'm, say, a youthful martial artist who has just begun to learn karate and I have a sparring match with a black belt who I thump badly, does this mean I can assume that I'm on par with every black belt in the dojo? Maybe the black belt with whom I just sparred has been ill, or injured, or is returning from a long hiatus from training. Will this be true of all the other black belts in the dojo? No. Some of them may have been training without pause and very hard for many decades and when I spar with them this will come out in how easily and powerfully they thump me, even though I'm much younger and more energetic. These senior karateka will have an understanding of karate that there is no way I can obtain except by the same effort over time.
Well, this is also the case in the Church. Not all the apparent spiritual "black belts" deserve to wear the belt. But some most definitely do. The difference is that the latter have been training long and well with God and the former have not. Those who have "trained" well for, say, six decades will be in a place with God no Christian of a few years, or even ten years, can understand and enjoy.
So, settle in for the long-haul with God and understand that there will be not a few believers who have truly earned their spiritual "black belt" and occupy a place with God only those who've done the same can occupy. These you ought to respect and learn from if you wish to advance well in your training.
Anywhoo, back to the "Search for a wife" question.
The fact that you conveniently ignored the fact that I adequately answered all your questions, which apparently you didn't expect me to be able to do, and also ignored the scripture exposition, logical examples, and proof against your position which I went out of my way to do.
Then gives me thinking are you really trying to have a dialogue about scripture with me, and let iron sharp and iron, or are you just here to uplift your views only.
Well anyway, what about the original question? Since like you asserted we got way off topic from to something that is unrelated.
the burden of proof is on you to back up your claim that what I gave you is unbiblical. Other than that it's just your conjecture, and it's in danger of heresy. Calling something that is of scripture, not of scripture, is almost blasphemous. Definitely heretical. The need to be right isn't worth it.But having provided an answer and having provided a soundly biblical one aren't the same. You've done the former, but not the latter.
And what does accusing mean of thinking that older people are utter fools have anything to do with it?I'm offering biblical advice and testing your answers and thinking in order to temper and sharpen both. Mostly, though, I'm explaining God's way to locating a truly godly wife and being worthy of such a wife.
I already acknowledged that, but just like you've been admitted yourself, and I've been trying to figure out why you deviated into a topic that no one was caring about until you brought it up here:Well, here's what I've written to you so far in direct connection to finding a wife:
The question I asked had nothing to do with age or whatever you were trying to prove.I'm telling you this as one who has walked with God for fifty years now and was once where you are, thinking the things you are about spiritual living. You can benefit from my experience and biblical counsel by heeding it, or you can act as most young men do and reflexively spurn what you don't understand because you think in your two decades or so of life you've come to know life with God better than those who've walked with Him for more than twice as long. In any case, why ask for advice when your "cup" is already entirely filled with your own ideas?