Surveying this page for the last 24 hours or so there is mostly prayer requests as contrasted with most times when there are commentaries on subjects with threads as the most common posting. I can relate to the individual with pressures taking care of his mom since both my parents are in their nineties; one physically in bad health and the other with dementia. It seems with many other prayers there are comments of witchcraft or general exhaustion because of the times we are living in. I would disagree with the statement that we are in the Tribulation however yet.
The desire for revival must be placed in balance with the understanding as others have brought out of the state of the church today. It is hard for those who are the remnant faithfully witnessing today to find a church for someone to attend quite often; as many who are faithful witnessing have a home church which in many cases may be the best thing today if after genuine effort no suitable place can be found with correct doctrine and showing love for the saints which the Lord expects of His people in fellowship.
It is HIS church; of course not our own invention and He stands at the door and knocks ( Rev. 3:20). This would be written to the individual in the lukewarm church as well as to anyone heeding the call of His soon return. The gates of hell cannot prevail against His true people ( Matt. 16:18). These days it is evident who is "on fire" in the Lord and who isn't; just listen to conversations before a church service to confirm that. I actually told a sister in the Lord that my struggles and her prayers along with that of a few others was actually making them stronger and to their benefit. We should be fighting spiritual warfare in our individual lives avoiding sin as well as pleading for others. If we seek Him we will find the victory as He has overcome the world. We do well to remember that fact because we are in the time of great falling away and apostacy.
We are in an unprecedented drought in terms of length where I live in Eastern PA and in fact much of the country. This is another year when tropical systems inundated some areas but were the only source of substantial rainfall in most areas.
Truly this is one of many last days signs whether we ascribe to current events as being the "birth pangs" of scripture or they are precursors. What is different now as I see it eschatologically is the fact that prayer can alter things in regard to drought as well as war; famine and other plagues which are so often in conjunction with each other during judgment.
Judgment begins with the house of God ( 1 Peter 4:17). Once again the subject of prayer as part of worship as seen from the example of Acts 2 as to the early church (foundations of the Word of God; Fellowship; Communion and Prayer were discussed).
It seems from what I have observed lately that there is little effort or even awareness of these type issues in prayers of many believers today. We can't simply hold to doctrinal truths without having compassion as Jesus does. To preach against injustice and to grieve for the effects of sins of a fallen world shouldn't have to mean we are compromising the truth to promote an agenda either.
It was once again brought up before we left the service that we are entering a hostile world. We should not only try to avoid places that attempt to make church more appealing to the world but also see too positive a reception as a warning sign. I heard something on K-Love the other day about someone who was witnessed to and wasn't interested but was a few years later.
Although seeing people enthusiastic about the Lord isn't something we should attempt to throw cold water on; we need to heed to verses such as ( Matt. 13:21). Discipleship is a necessary part of the Great Commission; notice "winning souls to Christ" isn't mentioned. God does the conversion; we deliver the message.
What really got me was the wimpy "altar call" that did not mention Jesus, His death and resurrection, man's sinfulness and need for salvation, nor one's need for salvation, what we were to believe in to receive salvation, and how one becomes born again by God with a new life that is not corrupted by the sin nature that is still within us. It was more along the lines of "If you feel down like Elijah you can let me know that you want your life to change." How sad I was to observe this happening. It has been a long time since I have been in a worship service where Jesus and the gospel was not preached or prioritized in the teaching. Nor having the call to sinners to turn to the Lord Jesus to be saved and be reconciled to God.
I know you and others have spoken about this often and I just wanted to speak to this experience as one who is not accustomed to such weak, watered down messages that do not cause any spiritual discomfort or sense of need for forgiveness in those yet to be saved. I have not had a steady diet of this type of "worship" and preaching to no longer know how defective it is.
I came away pretty heavy of heart. My friends did not ask me anything specific concerning the service. We went to breakfast and returned to their home and spent the rest of the day as if we had not even been in a worship service that altered how we spent our day. I know these friends as being many years walking with the Lord and mature in their faith. Perhaps they just don't realize how desperate unbelievers are in regards to their spiritual deadness and need to hear the true gospel, since the sermon spoke to them in a way that pleased them.
Please pray for them and this church. Pray that God will give me the right words to express my disappointment and concerns. And pray that God will shake up sleepy, worldly, churches that do not want to offend unbelievers or tell the truth about their condition before God and how Jesus is the only hope they have.
I would like to share my experience today with you since you have been speaking here about what is being preached in churches today.
I am visiting my friends this weekend. We have been friends for 43 years and met at church many years ago. The church was a 4 square church, small and not overly charismatic at the time. I was blessed there during my time. We moved to another city after four years but have kept up our friendship over the years. This couple has ran the gamut of charismatic experiences over the years and I have listened to them and agreed with what I could according to my conscience. But, over time, God led me more and more away from charismatic experiential church fellowships. However, I am respectful of them because they genuinely love the Lord and have raised 4 daughters up along side our 3 sons. We have supported each other through many of life's challenges and enjoy spending time together in a variety of ways.
Today we attended their church in town. It is the typical charismatic church with contemporary music, dressed down song leaders and lots of technology that is so prevalent now. All in all, the service was fine for me. However, I came away disappointed with the pastor's message. It was on 1 Kings 19 which tells of Elijah's flight to Mt. Horeb t escape Jezabel's hit squad and God meeting Elijah in the still small voice. I really love that account.
My disappointment was that the pastor did not focus much on God, His presence, and merciful encounter with a dejected Elijah. Rather, the focus was almost completely on Elijah. It was very man-centered and addressed Elijah's feelings and state of mind. The pastor did not speak of how Elijah was changed by his encounter with God. He spoke of what WE can do in times where we feel defeated, depressed, etc.
I understand that there are times when it is important to teach on such things, perhaps in a Bible class focusing on man's problems/solutions.
I prefer the Franz family rendition along with many other songs they perform.
I mention this because of my friend in Pittsburgh who talked with me last night; confirming along with others that it is God's will for me to be here in this situation at home. He asked me if I'm "suffering" in this situation as it being a sign of God's will.
As with anything else if our own weaknesses faults and sins are causing needless pain it is better to avoid that kind of trial.
The lyrics here and the song itself kind of say it all; as we want to get out of here but I know; as a woman of faith you will probably want to exhort me to be patient; not having an "escapism" mentality; etc.
What I am saying; I guess is that the hope of eternal glory as Paul stated in immense trials beyond anything I have ever experienced that the eternal weight of glory far surpasses our earthly trials. There is some consolation in areas of my life where I have endured decades of struggle that there will be at last recognition for things no one knows; and things I was unjustly accused of; times I was robbed; mistreated; etc. It is only worth it for His glory; I'll leave it to others to be icons such as Mother Theresa.
Part of my struggle was with a brother close to my aforementioned friend who had a bitter departure after visiting him this summer over a doctrinal matter. I'm praying forhim
I continue to keep you and your parents in prayer. I can tell that you are a bit weary of the effects of this situation and so I pray for God to strengthen you and uphold you today. May you be given much joy in the midst of this difficult situation as you seek God's will daily-even moment by moment-(as this is truly all we have as far as opportunities to love and serve God and others).
I look forward to hearing from you soon. I am sorry that you have had a split with your friend. That is always sad and weighs on us.
I am glad so many come here asking for prayer. It is an honor for me to be part of what God is doing here as He hears our prayers and calls others to pray for the requests here. He will answer each request in the best way according to His will and purpose.
I hope matters are proceeding well concerning your parents. I continue to pray for you and them.
And you are right, there has not been much topical discussion here lately with the exception of Jesse's postings and that of Bennymjke. I know that God does direct all of creation sovereignly and that He will bring to this forum what He wishes according to the timing He determines. I do think that it may be a good thing for some of us to make notes and list possible topics we may wish to be discussed and lay them before the Lord. We can think over these topics over days and not just as an immediate response to what someone posts. We should definitely pray for God to reveal to us what or how we are to introduce as a topic of discussion. I am confident that God is using this forum for so many good things and we are building each other up daily in our participation. Blessings to you tonight. Talk with you tomorrow.
Surveying this page for the last 24 hours or so there is mostly prayer requests as contrasted with most times when there are commentaries on subjects with threads as the most common posting. I can relate to the individual with pressures taking care of his mom since both my parents are in their nineties; one physically in bad health and the other with dementia. It seems with many other prayers there are comments of witchcraft or general exhaustion because of the times we are living in. I would disagree with the statement that we are in the Tribulation however yet.
The desire for revival must be placed in balance with the understanding as others have brought out of the state of the church today. It is hard for those who are the remnant faithfully witnessing today to find a church for someone to attend quite often; as many who are faithful witnessing have a home church which in many cases may be the best thing today if after genuine effort no suitable place can be found with correct doctrine and showing love for the saints which the Lord expects of His people in fellowship.
It is HIS church; of course not our own invention and He stands at the door and knocks ( Rev. 3:20). This would be written to the individual in the lukewarm church as well as to anyone heeding the call of His soon return. The gates of hell cannot prevail against His true people ( Matt. 16:18). These days it is evident who is "on fire" in the Lord and who isn't; just listen to conversations before a church service to confirm that. I actually told a sister in the Lord that my struggles and her prayers along with that of a few others was actually making them stronger and to their benefit. We should be fighting spiritual warfare in our individual lives avoiding sin as well as pleading for others. If we seek Him we will find the victory as He has overcome the world. We do well to remember that fact because we are in the time of great falling away and apostacy.
We are in an unprecedented drought in terms of length where I live in Eastern PA and in fact much of the country. This is another year when tropical systems inundated some areas but were the only source of substantial rainfall in most areas.
Truly this is one of many last days signs whether we ascribe to current events as being the "birth pangs" of scripture or they are precursors. What is different now as I see it eschatologically is the fact that prayer can alter things in regard to drought as well as war; famine and other plagues which are so often in conjunction with each other during judgment.
Judgment begins with the house of God ( 1 Peter 4:17). Once again the subject of prayer as part of worship as seen from the example of Acts 2 as to the early church (foundations of the Word of God; Fellowship; Communion and Prayer were discussed).
It seems from what I have observed lately that there is little effort or even awareness of these type issues in prayers of many believers today. We can't simply hold to doctrinal truths without having compassion as Jesus does. To preach against injustice and to grieve for the effects of sins of a fallen world shouldn't have to mean we are compromising the truth to promote an agenda either.
It was once again brought up before we left the service that we are entering a hostile world. We should not only try to avoid places that attempt to make church more appealing to the world but also see too positive a reception as a warning sign. I heard something on K-Love the other day about someone who was witnessed to and wasn't interested but was a few years later.
Although seeing people enthusiastic about the Lord isn't something we should attempt to throw cold water on; we need to heed to verses such as ( Matt. 13:21). Discipleship is a necessary part of the Great Commission; notice "winning souls to Christ" isn't mentioned. God does the conversion; we deliver the message.
What really got me was the wimpy "altar call" that did not mention Jesus, His death and resurrection, man's sinfulness and need for salvation, nor one's need for salvation, what we were to believe in to receive salvation, and how one becomes born again by God with a new life that is not corrupted by the sin nature that is still within us. It was more along the lines of "If you feel down like Elijah you can let me know that you want your life to change." How sad I was to observe this happening. It has been a long time since I have been in a worship service where Jesus and the gospel was not preached or prioritized in the teaching. Nor having the call to sinners to turn to the Lord Jesus to be saved and be reconciled to God.
I know you and others have spoken about this often and I just wanted to speak to this experience as one who is not accustomed to such weak, watered down messages that do not cause any spiritual discomfort or sense of need for forgiveness in those yet to be saved. I have not had a steady diet of this type of "worship" and preaching to no longer know how defective it is.
I came away pretty heavy of heart. My friends did not ask me anything specific concerning the service. We went to breakfast and returned to their home and spent the rest of the day as if we had not even been in a worship service that altered how we spent our day. I know these friends as being many years walking with the Lord and mature in their faith. Perhaps they just don't realize how desperate unbelievers are in regards to their spiritual deadness and need to hear the true gospel, since the sermon spoke to them in a way that pleased them.
Please pray for them and this church. Pray that God will give me the right words to express my disappointment and concerns. And pray that God will shake up sleepy, worldly, churches that do not want to offend unbelievers or tell the truth about their condition before God and how Jesus is the only hope they have.
I hope you are doing well today.
I would like to share my experience today with you since you have been speaking here about what is being preached in churches today.
I am visiting my friends this weekend. We have been friends for 43 years and met at church many years ago. The church was a 4 square church, small and not overly charismatic at the time. I was blessed there during my time. We moved to another city after four years but have kept up our friendship over the years. This couple has ran the gamut of charismatic experiences over the years and I have listened to them and agreed with what I could according to my conscience. But, over time, God led me more and more away from charismatic experiential church fellowships. However, I am respectful of them because they genuinely love the Lord and have raised 4 daughters up along side our 3 sons. We have supported each other through many of life's challenges and enjoy spending time together in a variety of ways.
Today we attended their church in town. It is the typical charismatic church with contemporary music, dressed down song leaders and lots of technology that is so prevalent now. All in all, the service was fine for me. However, I came away disappointed with the pastor's message. It was on 1 Kings 19 which tells of Elijah's flight to Mt. Horeb t escape Jezabel's hit squad and God meeting Elijah in the still small voice. I really love that account.
My disappointment was that the pastor did not focus much on God, His presence, and merciful encounter with a dejected Elijah. Rather, the focus was almost completely on Elijah. It was very man-centered and addressed Elijah's feelings and state of mind. The pastor did not speak of how Elijah was changed by his encounter with God. He spoke of what WE can do in times where we feel defeated, depressed, etc.
I understand that there are times when it is important to teach on such things, perhaps in a Bible class focusing on man's problems/solutions.
Talk About Suffering
Song by
Ricky Skaggs, Tony Rice
Talk about suffering here below
And let's keep a-followin' Jesus
Talk about suffering here below
And let's keep a-lovin' Jesus
The gospel train is comin'
Now don't you want to go
And leave this world of sorrow
And troubles here below
Oh, can't you hear it father?
And don't you want to go
And leave this world of sorrow
And troubles here below
Talk about suffering here below
And let's keep a-followin' Jesus
Talk about suffering here below
And let's keep a-lovin' Jesus
Oh, can't you hear it mother?
Now don't you want to go
I prefer the Franz family rendition along with many other songs they perform.
I mention this because of my friend in Pittsburgh who talked with me last night; confirming along with others that it is God's will for me to be here in this situation at home. He asked me if I'm "suffering" in this situation as it being a sign of God's will.
As with anything else if our own weaknesses faults and sins are causing needless pain it is better to avoid that kind of trial.
The lyrics here and the song itself kind of say it all; as we want to get out of here but I know; as a woman of faith you will probably want to exhort me to be patient; not having an "escapism" mentality; etc.
What I am saying; I guess is that the hope of eternal glory as Paul stated in immense trials beyond anything I have ever experienced that the eternal weight of glory far surpasses our earthly trials. There is some consolation in areas of my life where I have endured decades of struggle that there will be at last recognition for things no one knows; and things I was unjustly accused of; times I was robbed; mistreated; etc. It is only worth it for His glory; I'll leave it to others to be icons such as Mother Theresa.
Part of my struggle was with a brother close to my aforementioned friend who had a bitter departure after visiting him this summer over a doctrinal matter. I'm praying forhim
I continue to keep you and your parents in prayer. I can tell that you are a bit weary of the effects of this situation and so I pray for God to strengthen you and uphold you today. May you be given much joy in the midst of this difficult situation as you seek God's will daily-even moment by moment-(as this is truly all we have as far as opportunities to love and serve God and others).
I look forward to hearing from you soon. I am sorry that you have had a split with your friend. That is always sad and weighs on us.
I am glad so many come here asking for prayer. It is an honor for me to be part of what God is doing here as He hears our prayers and calls others to pray for the requests here. He will answer each request in the best way according to His will and purpose.
I hope matters are proceeding well concerning your parents. I continue to pray for you and them.
And you are right, there has not been much topical discussion here lately with the exception of Jesse's postings and that of Bennymjke. I know that God does direct all of creation sovereignly and that He will bring to this forum what He wishes according to the timing He determines. I do think that it may be a good thing for some of us to make notes and list possible topics we may wish to be discussed and lay them before the Lord. We can think over these topics over days and not just as an immediate response to what someone posts. We should definitely pray for God to reveal to us what or how we are to introduce as a topic of discussion. I am confident that God is using this forum for so many good things and we are building each other up daily in our participation. Blessings to you tonight. Talk with you tomorrow.
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