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RobertW
Member



Joined: 2004/2/12
Posts: 4636
St. Joseph, Missouri

 Re: Set for defense of the Gospell

Quote:

Psalm73 wrote:

2 Corinthians 2:5-11 (1526 Today tindale N.T) ¶ If any man hath caused sorrow, the same hath not made me sorry: but partly, lest I should grieve you all.
6 It is sufficient unto the same man that he was rebuked of many.
7 So that now contrarywise ye ought to forgive him and comfort him: lest that same should be swallowed up with overmuch heaviness.
8 Wherefore I exhort you, that love may have strength over him.
9 For this cause verily did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye should be obedient in all things.
10 To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also. And verily if I forgive any thing, to whom I forgave it for your sakes forgave I it, in the room of Christ,
11 lest Satan should prevent us. For his thoughts are not unknown unto us.



It is believed by many that this passage is in reference to the restoration of the young man who was front and center of the [i]fornication[/i] that Paul told the Corinthians was not as much as heard among the gentiles. The fornication, of course, was adultery and incest with his father's wife. The young man apparently repented and was restored. had the people allowed him to be 'put out' for too long he may have been swallowed up by over much sorrow. So they are told to retore the young man with the same zeal that they put him out. The point, so it seems to me, is that folk get discouraged because they are dealt with too harshly or for too long. Then enemy gains advantage and brings the person into despair or possibly faithlessness.


_________________
Robert Wurtz II

 2007/5/25 16:02Profile
narrowpath
Member



Joined: 2005/1/9
Posts: 1522
Germany NRW

 Re:

A couple of months ago I left our congregation with my family after many years of committment. There were some real issues with the leadership and doctrinal issues. I got too intense and felt I had to withdraw myself. We wondered around looking for a fellowship and found that there were no real better options around in the vicinity of our home. On a Sundat we then went back to our old church and had a communion service. I had not taken communion in our old fellowship for a couple of month prior to our departure because I was unsure if it stil was the table of the Lord.
A brother approached me, knelt down before me and handed the bread to me saying: "This is my body which is given for you"
I looked around in assembly and saw my brothers and sisters and it was as if the Lord reverberated "This is my body which is given for you"

I was dumbfolded. The Lord told me that this very church that I felt was in such a disorderly shape
WAS HIS BODY!!!!!!!
How dare I contradict him? I am still in this church and we still have issues and there are hurting an disillusioned people and there are still doctrinal issues.

We sometimes are too quick to shout "Ikabod". The prophet can only speak out against the temple when he can weep over Jerusalem.
We must learn from Israel's rebellion. The Lord dealt with them in accordance with their sin, but he never withdrew his promises. A remnant will be saved.

Don't we learn from the parable of the wheat and the tares? Do not root them out before the time.

While I believe that there are congregations that have abandoned the Lord and the Lord abandoned them, he will make sure to withdraw his true servants from such places.

Quote:
Rev3:19Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. 20Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.



I believe this is Jesus knocking at the church door from OUTSIDE, because he left. Laodicea is still called a CHURCH!!

If we were saints of old, we'd say I'd love to be in the church in Philadephia. What would you have done if you had lived in Laodicea? Did John ask the people to leave Laodicea and go to Philadelphia? Certainly not!

There is a difference between Laodicea and Babylon, we are not to confuse the two.

Quote:
1To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."



Laodicea is a sick church, but Jesus died for them.
Don't we see the magnitude of his grace? Have we not learned from Hosea?


Quote:
Matthew 12:20 A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he leads justice to victory.



Let us be overcomers and minister to or from within Laodicea.

Narrowpath

 2007/5/25 17:47Profile
wallbuilder
Member



Joined: 2007/2/15
Posts: 44


 Re:

Amen, I agree with you wholeheartedly about what you are saying here. Laodicea is still the Lord's church, even though it is sick. And we need to weep over the the sickness, and intercede on her behalf.

BUT we also need to be on guard and not succomb to the sickness- because it will kill us. This is a very subtle and tricky thing that can happen to genuine followers of Christ. I think one of the ways of not giving in to Laodicea is to continue to be a voice against spiritual apathy/dullness NO MATTER WHAT people's response is. Be a light-an example of what it really means to love God. Be on fire!

And watch the status quo persecute you for it. But nevertheless be light and salt IN THE CHURCH anyways. Even thought there's issues, and conflict that will result. Jesus said, "Don't think I came to bring peace, I came to bring a sword" to actually turn people against each other, for a greater good, the truth upheld and lived out-so that people would turn to Him and know truth and have eternal life.

It's all worth it, even though it's difficult.

Peace

 2007/5/25 18:09Profile









 Re:

Quote:
Narrowpath said: I was dumbfolded. The Lord told me that this very church that I felt was in such a disorderly shape, WAS HIS BODY!!

Thank you for sharing this Narrowpath, I want to add one scripture to cement your words together in that the Church that your attending is His body.
Quote:
Acts 10:34 Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: 35 But in every nation [church] he that feareth Him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with Him.

[emphasis mine]

 2007/5/25 18:39
ADisciple
Member



Joined: 2007/2/3
Posts: 835
Alberta, Canada

 Re:

Quote:

narrowpath wrote:
I looked around in assembly and saw my brothers and sisters and it was as if the Lord reverberated "This is my body which is given for you"

I was dumbfolded. The Lord told me that this very church that I felt was in such a disorderly shape
WAS HIS BODY!!!!!!!
How dare I contradict him? I am still in this church


I believe this is Jesus knocking at the church door from OUTSIDE, because he left. Laodicea is still called a CHURCH!!


Let us be overcomers and minister to or from within Laodicea.

Narrowpath



I've just quoted a few fragments from your post, Narrowpath. I liked what you shared.

I think you did the right thing, returning to your church when the Lord showed you it was His Body.

Many people these days are agonizing over this kind of thing. Do I leave? Do I stay? There is no formula that fits all cases. Each one must walk intimately with the Lord, and follow His leading.

For one thing, it's not an easy thing these days to leave and find another church that is giving the Lord of the Church His rightful place. Leaving may very well mean walking alone for a season, maybe for a long season.

Robert W in an earlier post expressed his concern for the ones who aren't even part of a "house church" these days. If it's because they think they are too "spiritual" for such gatherings, well... they've got a very hard lesson to learn, then, don't they. But maybe it's because these days it's hard even to find a home group that's vital. That's my case. I walk more or less alone. It's very difficult. I love the people of God. I love fellowship. I need fellowship. I need accountability.

...So if God has called you to remain in your church for now, you've done the right thing. I pray He will impart to you the anointing you need to be a true witness there.

You are right about Laodicea, and the picture of the Lord standing outside the door, knocking, wanting to be invited in. Maybe that is your message to that church you are in? Maybe you need to be sharing with them about this, that the Lord has shown you He wants IN, not as guest, but as Lord of His House.

And then, if He is refused, if He is not asked in, well, then comes the time to ask, "Where are you going, Lord? I'll go with you, if you can make it clear to me where you are going. I'll suffer with You outside the gate. I'll go with you outside the camp, bearing Your reproach."

AD


_________________
Allan Halton

 2007/5/26 11:25Profile
awakenwithin
Member



Joined: 2007/1/31
Posts: 985
AZ

 Re:

I think one of the ways of not giving in to Laodicea is to continue to be a voice against spiritual apathy/dullness NO MATTER WHAT people's response is. Be a light-an example of what it really means to love God. Be on fire!

And watch the status quo persecute you for it. But nevertheless be light and salt IN THE CHURCH anyways. Even thought there's issues, and conflict that will result. Jesus said, "Don't think I came to bring peace, I came to bring a sword" to actually turn people against each other, for a greater good, the truth upheld and lived out-so that people would turn to Him and know truth and have eternal life.

It's all worth it, even though it's difficult.

I agree... Yes Jesus brought the sword, turn people against each other for the greater good. This were I am. I holding to truth of God, His holiness, and people don't want to be holy, and want to friends. They don't want to talk about Sin, but call it honoring to God, when they come to worship with all their lovers. I agree we msut speak with love and grace, For Christ glory.
For his truth, By his truth we are set free.
There is real power in preaching the Gosple of course with the Holy Spirit. But God says preach Christ.

In his love
charlene


_________________
charlene

 2007/5/26 11:50Profile
narrowpath
Member



Joined: 2005/1/9
Posts: 1522
Germany NRW

 Re:

Being back to our church is not easy. I have but a handful of people that I can share my heart with inside the congregation. Listening to many of the featured preachers here on sermonindex.net awakened me to the state of the church. The awakening was rude - thanks to David Wilkerson, Art Katz, Leonard Ravenhill, Paul Washer and many others. Somehow I discovered that the discernment that I believe the Lord has given to me is not primary to safe my own spiritual skin and criticize everything wrong but for the benefit of others who are trapped in false doctrine and apathy. If I put my church off through a judgemental or unkind attitude, I would spoil God's calling and make things even worse and harden their hearts further for God's true prophetic message.

Oh how I'd love to retreat into a spiritual enclave and sit under the ministry of great men of God with a bunch of likeminded saints. I resolved that I would seek such fellowship every now and then but do stay within my present church.

Yes, people said some nasty things to me in my church, but I can take it with God's grace.
I have to die to my assumption to be acknowleged and understood. I tell you I have learned a lot more about God through these trials. As much as I would like to "teach them a lesson and tell them the truth about their true state" the Lord is teaching me lesson after lesson of patience and redemption through his rejection and suffering. He is making me aware of my own sins first before he can make use of me.

Quote:
Ro2:17 Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and brag about your relationship to God; 18if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law; 19if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, 20an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— 21you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? 22You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23You who brag about the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? 24As it is written: "God's name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you."



God needs very refined vessels to minister to a week church.

I wonder how many of God's servants with discernment have disqualified themselves for this prophetic task, they never kissed the live coal in Isaiah 6.

This is why true prophets are so rare, I think.

Philip

 2007/5/26 18:10Profile





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