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 The Loneliness of a Christian

I am sure many have read that article by Tozer, curious to know how many feel this article speaks of them?
http://www.crossroad.to/Bible_studies/sermons/devotions/loneliness.htm

Do others feel alone in their church? You long for spiritual awakening in others, but it seems to be to no avail. Do you find yourselves becoming hard to the "American Christianity" today? And if you dare share your convictions people think your a zealot. Are we Pharisees? Zealots?

Where do you draw the line? Others don't understand you. You seem to notice things in the church that would be deemed as CGM or EC styles. The mega church mentality and the water down teaching. And when you see it, it grieves and angers you, but what do you do? Ignore it and move on?

Just some thoughts in my brain?

:-)

 2007/9/24 23:27









 Re: The Loneliness of a Christian

"And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, [b]Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.[/b]" (REV 18:4)

"[b]...to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word...[/b] I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not. [b]Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed... Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of [i]a man child...[/i][/b]" (ISA 66:2)

In other words, stand up, be a man, and get out of that whore before God's wrath falls on her.

Quote:
Where do you draw the line? Others don't understand you. You seem to notice things in the church that would be deemed as CGM or EC styles. The mega church mentality and the water down teaching. And when you see it, it grieves and angers you, but what do you do? Ignore it and move on?



Yes. Move on and "let the dead bury their dead" (LUKE 9:60).

The Lord said a great apostacy would come. He did not say any of us would be able to stem the tide. He did not say He would stem the tide.

You can't save the present "church system", much less the world. Just get out while there's still time - like He told you to:

"[b]When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation[/b], spoken of by Daniel the prophet, [b]stand in the holy place[/b], (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then [b]let them[/b] which be in Judaea [b]flee[/b] into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but [b]for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.[/b]" (MATT 24:15-22)

Remember that the human body is the Temple now, and that the Shikinah now lives within us as the Holy Ghost. The "holy place" is not within a physical building, it's within you. Learning false doctrines and practicing hypocricy will pollute it.

You need to decide who to believe: the Gospel or the System.

[b]"Remember Lot's wife."[/b] (LUKE 17:32)

Hope this helps.

 2007/9/25 1:55
poet
Member



Joined: 2007/2/16
Posts: 231
Longview WA

 Re:

EZEKIEL 9.
God may be starting to see who notices, and who will respond correctly.
The Lord shows us as perceivers what were to do.
Pray, intercede, be a watchman, stand in the gap.
Me personally. Im so immature sometimes I forget and just complain, and wine about it. Im not saying you are, you were just asking a question. So,,,
Thank God, he's patient with all of us.
So that we should endure until the end.
My 2.5 cents.


_________________
howard

 2007/9/25 2:39Profile
rowdy2
Member



Joined: 2007/1/21
Posts: 528
Southern USA

 Re: The Loneliness of a Christian

Greetings to all


I have suffered with this same question for months and yesterday (Sunday) was as bad as the first day. When I read your post I wanted to hear more responses. Is this loneliness coming from our spirit or our flesh?



_________________
Eddie

 2007/9/25 7:00Profile









 Re:

Quote:
Is this loneliness coming from our spirit or our flesh?



great point, I guess my thought on that would be the motives. The motives would indicate if it be the spirit or flesh. For me if I don't still have joy and feel more sad and depressed, then maybe its my flesh?

You stumped me on this one, I have to give this more thought and search the scriptures. Who can know the heart, its wickedly deceitful.

 2007/9/25 7:15









 Re:

Quote:
ou can't save the present "church system", much less the world. Just get out while there's still time - like He told you to:



Corey it is good to hear from you, I knew that this thread would get your interest. I know we had our discussions about this matter. But I am not sure about not going to church at all, If I found a sound doctrinal church I would go. But I am not willing to stop unless the Lord of Heaven tells me so clear that it echoes through to my wife and kids.

Rowdy does bring up a great point is this our flesh or spirit? It is easy to feel that we have some great knowledge about the church and others don't see it. There is a pride in that, thinking we know something the Lord has shown us and others haven't be privy to this revelation. I have often felt this way about others in church, not so much in feeling superior but more so on feeling angered and hurt that they don't recognize or willing to disagree with the church system. it has become to corporate in church.

I must go to work, I will finish this thought later.

Blessings
Mike


 2007/9/25 7:28
Onesimus4God
Member



Joined: 2006/1/16
Posts: 398
Cyber Space

 Re:

It is very lonely out here. If it were not for the internet, it would really be lonely.

I've been struggling with how to deal with this for some time now. I think there are those, as I'm sure you are, that God allows us to feel some of the grief He feels about things that are amiss here on earth. I think it is a prophetic anointing. The church has most assuredly lost it's way, and the prophets know it. Trouble is, the church is ruled by the pastor who is not about to give any room to the voice of heaven.

Currently, I am homeless, jobless, and churchless. But I'm not burdened. We are staying in a motel for a week, and I do have a non church job lined up.

I have learned over the years to really watch what I say to pastors and church elders. It doesn't take them long to feel threatened. I try not to be harsh, just truthful in a very tactful way. But as soon as they notice you are "different", they give the stiff arm, or they pry around trying to find some weakness to attack.

A few years back, this one pastor and I started out with great fellowship. We were alone one day and I opened up to him and shared something personal. He used it against me for the next 3 years. This was a man who I was praying with every morning at 5:30 and we saw God pour out upon us His Spirit. Yet, he was scared to death of me.

I don't covet pastor's jobs. I could easily function as a pastor, but I know that is not what I'm about. I have remnant church contacts all over the world, mostly developed from here on the net. They encourage me. I have grown accustomed to just making myself available to God and allow Him to use my fingers. It's the only voice I have.

I've preached in other churches, but few ask me back. I visited one recently that I had previously preached in. The pastor, whom I really love asked me to sing. When he brought me up he said, "he's a good preacher and he gets real serious when he preaches". Well, I guess I do. But there is so much at stake, I have to take it real serious.

I don't try to arrange engagements. I've learned that that does not work either. The most successful opportunities I've had have been unexpected and of the moment. I call them "divine appointments" where God places supply and need together. All of a sudden I realize that what is happening is much bigger than I am. So I just kind of have this "out of the body" experience in that I let God do what He's doing and try to pick up on when He is finished.

A.W. Tozer was such a man as this. I'll close this with a quote from him about the new modern churches that are packed each time they are open.

"Any objection to the carryings on of our present gold-calf Christianity is met with the triumphant reply, ”But we are winning them!” And winning them to what? To true discipleship? To cross-carrying? To self-denial? To separation from the world? To crucifixion of the flesh? To holy living? To nobility of character? To a despising of the world’s treasures? To hard self-discipline? To love for God? To total committal to Christ? Of course the answer to all these questions is no."
-A.W. Tozer

God bless you all real good today. Thanks for listening. It always helps.

"O"


_________________
Lahry Sibley

 2007/9/25 8:33Profile
Mirac
Member



Joined: 2007/8/12
Posts: 9


 Re: The Loneliness of a Christian

I found myself searching church after church disappointed time after time in the spiritual maturity level and watered down preaching. BUT during this time and drawing near to God and searching for Him. I found Him. He spoke to me very clearly, to dig in where I ended up. So, rather than complain or be negative about others who to the best of their current understanding are pursuing God the best they know how, I felt God speak to me to shut up, quit looking down on others and go to work for Jesus here and love those people. Thats what He said to me, but you will have to find your own answer.

Now a few months down the road...God has so blessed me to have connected with some awesome seekers of Jesus who have authentic relationships with the Lord. And yes, He is moving here.

Just do as Jesus commanded, love others as yourself. Learn and work and pray at humbling yourself to not think so highly of yourself and just love on these people. God makes us all different. What turns me on and lights my fire, probably is no secret formula that can be used on every single believer.

Hopefully that encourages you as it has me.

Love brother, let us grow togther with one goal, Jesus and loving others as Jesus has loved us. We have the choice in free will to impact this world for the positive, for love, for Jesus. We have been granted much liberty in America to pursue God with all we have, let us remind others not to take this liberty for granted.

 2007/9/25 20:28Profile









 Re:

Quote:
I found myself searching church after church disappointed time after time in the spiritual maturity level and watered down preaching. BUT during this time and drawing near to God and searching for Him. I found Him. He spoke to me very clearly, to dig in where I ended up. So, rather than complain or be negative about others who to the best of their current understanding are pursuing God the best they know how, I felt God speak to me to shut up, quit looking down on others and go to work for Jesus here and love those people. Thats what He said to me, but you will have to find your own answer.



Yes you are right, we must love others where they are. I try not to have a proud heart and I am sure I put of a vibe, but I look like I am one of those guys who look mad, I'm Italian and German! Two worst combinations. :-) I am praying that I would soften, and my heart not to be harden. It just angers me and times that others will see some inconsistencies in the church, and just say, 'well thats church.' I wonder if instead of ignoring it, if we focused on what God wanted truly for the Church, what would happen?

There is a danger when preaching from the pulpit is more about getting the leadership point acrossed in the church, instead of speaking the truth. A pastor said one time from the pulpit, that he would rather have you not go to worship service and than not go to Sunday school class. I think that is a big error. things just bother me, but I trust that it is for a purpose. And God will reveal Himself and I trust that the Holy Spirit will convict me of sin.

I don't want to be a prude and look down on others, i am praying that God will help me.

 2007/9/25 21:51









 Re: The Loneliness of a Christian

Brother hmmhmm posted this piece, that I thought was quite good.

https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=19734&forum=34&0

 2007/9/27 20:53





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