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KingJimmy
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Joined: 2003/5/8
Posts: 4419
Charlotte, NC

 Prayer Request

I would ask that you guys keep me in prayer. A major problem at church has arisen because of a word the Lord gave me, and it may result in me leaving... possibly not by my own choice.


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Jimmy H

 2003/9/4 18:04Profile
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 Re: Prayer Request

Quote:
I would ask that you guys keep me in prayer.


I have put a sticky on my computer monitor and will intercede on your behalf as the Lord requires me too. :-D

Quote:
A major problem at church has arisen because of a word the Lord gave me


Do you believe this was a word that had to be given to the whole congregation? I guess they didn't approve of it. But did they think it was NOT from the Lord? hmm intrested.

Quote:
and it may result in me leaving... possibly not by my own choice.


That's the bad part, I hope and pray that dif. of opinion can be settled.


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SI Moderator - Greg Gordon

 2003/9/5 0:10Profile
crsschk
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Joined: 2003/6/11
Posts: 9192
Santa Clara, CA

 Re: Prayer Request

We are with you brother.
Will pray for discernment, charity and understanding.
Mike


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Mike Balog

 2003/9/5 1:21Profile
KingJimmy
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Joined: 2003/5/8
Posts: 4419
Charlotte, NC

 Re:

Quote:

Do you believe this was a word that had to be given to the whole congregation? I guess they didn't approve of it. But did they think it was NOT from the Lord? hmm intrested.



Yes, it was for the entire congregation. The problem of the matter is that I was disobedient and did not speak because I was afraid to. The nature of the word was this (paraphrased):

I have called unto you and you have not taken heed, I long to disclose myself unto you, but you have not come. In order to get your attention I have tossed some of you into a bed of sickness so that I might discipline you to come to me.

Feeling guilty about not speaking as I was told, I told my pastor Wednesday night in private that the Lord had given me a word and I did not give it, and then relayed him the general message of the word (I didn't have the "unction" to speak as I would have on sunday, as I don't right now). My pastor told me the word was not of God, for God doesn't speak like that.

He says prophecy is for edification, exhortation, and comfort (quoting 1 Cor.), and told me it's not for rebuke (last I checked though, edification includes rebuke). He told me "these are my sheep and I am this church's shepherd, it is my job to rebuke the sheep, not yours."

The reason I was fearful of giving the word is because a couple days prior, my pastor (who is in his early-to-mid 40's) had come down with shingles after somebody spoke a similar "Come to me" message on the sunday prior to this. Also, a pregnant woman in our congregation had a seizure and broke her leg. I personally believe my pastor is one of those who been made sick. He told me "the first part of that message bore witness to my spirit", but strongly was against the second half.

Now I am going to be having a few "talks" and "studies" with my pastor. I'm hoping that we will work these problems out, though, I don't know if we will. I just wonder if the Lord is still going to call on me yet again to deliver this same message this Sunday.

There is more I could add to all this, but, I won't. It's enough for now. Continue to pray, and thanks for your prayers.


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Jimmy H

 2003/9/5 6:40Profile









 Re:

Jimmy,

You must obey God rather than man. If you are absolutely positive that what you spoke was from God then you have done well, BUT if it could have come from your own thoughts, or resonings, then you have not. Either way I can think of alot worse things than for you to be kicked out of a church that the Pastor wants such total and complete control. Rebuke does not belong to him it belongs to Christ and the Spirit of Christ, and the Spirit will use who He chooses even if it's an ass!(not to imply that you are one! :-)) I think your pastor needs to re-read his Bible. Especially all the prophets new and old. Rebuke is often the way God speaks. I'll be praying!

Kevin

 2003/9/5 9:54
crsschk
Member



Joined: 2003/6/11
Posts: 9192
Santa Clara, CA

 Re:

ex•hort \ig-"zort\ vb : to urge, advise, or warn earnestly —
(c)2000 Zane Publishing, Inc. and Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. All rights reserved

Dear PTC,
Thank you for your courage in sharing this. I would be the last person to give counsel on your situation, nor even my opinion means anything, only the Lord can guide you unto wisdom and I will continue to pray and believe that He will.

Having said all that I will share my thoughts.
As you surely are aware there is plenty of scripture to butress the words that you have stated,'chastise' comes to mind (chas•tise \chas-"tiz\ vb chas•tised; chas•tis•ing [ME chastisen, alter. of chasten] 1 : to punish esp. bodily 2 : to censure severely : castigate — chas•tise•ment \-ment, "chas-tez-\ n)

I do find it interesting that this word from the Lord that you recieved finds a place right along my thoughts in the past couple of days as I have been reading The Revelation of Jesus Christ or Revelations for short. This morning I was pondering all the woes that are to come upon this earth and contemplating the idea that maybe we have made God to much into our own image by trying to explain away some of the actions of His ways, in particular that God wouldn't do the very thing that you have stated,"toss some of you onto a bed of sickness so that I might discipline you to come to me." I am not trying to equate the two, the thought I have been chewing on lately is that as creatures I or we may have forgotten just how terrible and awesome God really is, that we have soft pedaled the fear of the Lord, into a sloppy doctrine of 'reverence'.

From personal experience I will emphatically state
that the times I had my attention arrested were when I had the most serve consequences imposed on me. About four years ago though I had 'become' a Christian, I was still struggling with a couple of drug habits, one being 'crank' or 'speed' and one day over lunch I was having a very heated argument with my wife over it, trying to explain away my addiction. I went back to working on the apartments where I live, seething with anger at my wife. Climbed up on a ladder right outside my front door to repair some trim boards, I was working away when all of a sudden the ladder came out from under me, I fell about 6 feet and broke my wrist, had to literally crawl back into the house. Now, did I take that as a 'sign' from the Lord? You bet I did. That was the last time I ever did 'speed', and I had attempted to quit many times before, the withdrawl can be brutal to an addict so you just keep going in a vicious circle. I tend to be very cautious in attributing something like this to God, that He 'caused' this to happen, but at the time I remember vividly that I was sure of it, that He was trying to get my attention, and regardless, it worked! Let me put it another way, I sure hope He did.
Another example, I also near that time was also struggling to overcome the other stronghold in my life, pot. I had been smoking the stuff for over 20 years and as I was growing in my walk with the Lord, this inner war was developing inside of my soul. This was not a dramatic turn around, but a long drawn out battle, daily, it was killing me inside, mentally, physically and more importantly spiritually. I was SICK in spirit for a long, long time. It finally got to the point were I could stand it no more, either the pot had to go or the Holy Spirit had to go, I could not be a Christian AND still do what I was doing. I decided that I couldn't give up on the Lord, actually it was more the other way around, He had a seed in me and it was taking root. I prayed and prayed and I recall that I sensed that the Lord was telling me 'slowly, I will take it from you'.For a long time I thought my nature was just trying to give me a cop out, but that is exactely how it ended up happening. The conviction would grow stronger every time I smoked, so I began to smoke less.."He must increase, I must decrease" applies here ;-) When you have these types of addictions, you realize the stupidity of it all, but it dosen't matter, the draw is just to strong. But as the conviction kept increasing, the inner pain, I could FEEL myself grieving Him, I couldn't stand it anymore, it was bad enough for me to feel it, but now I felt that I couldn't do this to Him any longer, it was finally over.

Over and over again in scripture we find the strong hand of God's discipline unto repentance. It would be so much easier if we were not a 'stiff necked people', stubborn, self willed, unyielding. But to be cast onto a bed of sickness can be the best thing that ever happens to us.

2 Cor 7:8,9,10 "For even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it. For I perceive that the same epistle made you sorry, though only for a while. Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death."

Quote:
I just wonder if the Lord is still going to call on me yet again to deliver this same message this Sunday.



I can only imagine your struggle with this as many will not take kindly to such a message as the examples in scripture show. But I find nothing in the words that were given to you that would contradict God's revealed word. You are not unwise in considering whether or not this is to be delivered as we are all susceptible to many shortcomings in our nature. I pray that the Lord will give you discernment and if it is to go forth, the courage and unction to do so.

Mike


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Mike Balog

 2003/9/5 10:49Profile
Chosen7Stone
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Joined: 2003/7/21
Posts: 268
FL, USA

 Re: Prayer Request

PreachingToCannibals:
You really seem to be on the right track now, despite your disobedience. You will DEFINITELY be in our prayers, brother...and know that whether you're allowed to stay with the church or not, God's got a purpose for you there.
It's a good lesson learned, though the consequences may be hard. We love you, and will pray for you. :-)


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Mary M.

 2003/9/5 12:12Profile
crsschk
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Joined: 2003/6/11
Posts: 9192
Santa Clara, CA

 Re:

PTC
Thought I would check back with you, see how you are doing. You have been on my heart daily and continue to pray about this. Just want to let you know that we are here for you brother.
Mike


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Mike Balog

 2003/9/7 15:03Profile
KingJimmy
Member



Joined: 2003/5/8
Posts: 4419
Charlotte, NC

 Re:

Thanks Crsschk. I'm pretty good actually. After a bit of prayer and fasting, and seeking the counsel of others, I am pretty sure as to what I will do. Next sunday I am having a one-on-one bible study with my pastor, and we shall see what happens from that.



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Jimmy H

 2003/9/7 15:51Profile
crsschk
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Joined: 2003/6/11
Posts: 9192
Santa Clara, CA

 Re:

Excellent! Will keep praying....
Mike


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Mike Balog

 2003/9/7 15:58Profile





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