9 replies to this topic

[Thinker]

You've probably heard someone say, those kids had to bring themselves up, because their parents didn't know how. That's a sorry state of affairs. When a church is not bringing up its own, that is also a sorry state of affairs. Many churches assume that the regular diet of preaching that they offer is certainly all that's needed for growth. In far too many instances, it is not. Why do many of those who professed faith become atheists or become involved In false teaching. I contend that churches that equip their people to defend their faith are the exception, not the rule. We naively assume that they know the basics but a clever cultist can confuse them in just a few minutes. We need to teach the basic doctrines and how to defend them, give them practice in refuting error, show them how to study Scripture, lead them to an understanding of prayer, help them realize the difference between genuine Christianity and religion and help them understand how to walk closely with God. Doing these things would be a major move in the right direction and save more than you might think from being deceived. Let Acts 2:42 be our goal and experience: These new converts, "....continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers." Selah! If I hadn't been in that kind of church, I would have been a victim. Grounding in the faith provided stability and confidence. Thinker  (Ron)

[Charles Miles]

Ron,   You hit the nail square on the head!  I`m not certain about what all churches do, but for years I was Southern Baptist, and we never had any classes or study about what Christians need to know about our beliefs are and how to dig into them in depth.  Now I`m certainly not saying that such study and teaching did not occur somewhere or at some time and I certainly do not want to say that the Southern Baptist Church is the only one with this problem because I guess many of them do have classes, but just I never knew about it or was ever introduced to it.  Many, if not most churches, ask you to profess your faith and join, but then, after a handshake, simply expect you to be well grounded in Christian theology and to understand how and why you are "saved", and by the way, please send money.  I think the parable about the house built on the sand is an apt picture about what we have here.  Most people who have an encounter with Holy Spirit need to appreciate and understand more fully what has happened to them and just what the road is that they need to walk.  Oh that someone had taken me under wing at the age of 9-10 and taught me about the kingdom, the relationship, and the assurance give to me.  Maybe I would not have understood, maybe I would not have taken the time to go to such teaching,.....but maybe I would have.  Oh, my.  My life might have been sweeter, filled with more peace, devoid of fear, contained more joy, or maybe I would have understood gifts of the Spirit more clearly and used them in my daily life.  I will never know.  I`m so blessed and my life is so full now.....but maybe, what if.....  Well, you get my point. 

 

God bless all those that seek for those things, and may He bless all those that don`t know that they NEED to seek those things,

 

Charlie

[Ginger]

God bless you Ron and God bless you Charlie.... so good to read your words....  This very day I was in the midst of writing a Dear Abba Father note as I began to do whatever... well, first off, I was distracted by something.... came back and resumed my pray writing apologizing sort of or whatever.... Well, my Abba Father is whom I began pray writing to and as usual I come to be putting words to Jesus and to the Holy Spirit.  All in all God is bigger and in all believers because He just saved and saves us and it's way over my head except by coming just as I am at any given moment.  This morning I was reminded to Seek ye first the kingdom of God.... and little by little began to think about righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost as the KJV says.  So I come to the Lord and it is just as I am, the Holy Spirit is working in me to will and to do so I needed to be like a little child, you know how there is  someone who is a crossing guard for children at some places.  The crossing guard holds up a Stop sign and cars on either side of the crossing stop and the crossing guard stands to one side so all the children can cross over to the other side of the street safely.  Then the traffic is allowed to resume. This is what the Holy Spirit reminded me of this day.  As I pray write and have something come mind that I'm to do now, so I stop and I do it.  It's sort of a personalized 'how to' from the Holy Spirit to me to live moment by moment. 

 

Sometimes life seems like an impassable sea is in front of me and a lot of clutter behind me and on either side of me so it's sort of like God just gives me the Holy Spirit and an illustration that I can comprehend and have peace and joy trusting in Him ... Abba Father, my Lord Jesus, and the Blessed Holy Spirit (Triune God always with me, with us)..........  Trusting and "Only Believe" ... God does show us at the level we are.... A kind and loving parent does not give a child more than he/she can understand.... 1 wee thing at a time ... God graces me to be and to do..... A thought of past finding out came to mind so a Bible search gave me 2 verses. We make choices and many times don't even come to you to seek ye first the kingdom of God. .....So I pray.... O Abba Father, Lord Jesus, and Holy Spirit please help me to seek ye first the kingdom of God. And to just trust you in me doing more than I can ever figure out …. WOW… I do remember a Scripture saying something about you are past finding out….

 

Job_9:10 Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number.
Rom_11:33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

 

Well,  God's ways are past finding out and I have a commentary selection checked with the verses and copy/pasted it automatically and  then the thought came to check to see what was posted here and here are Ron and Charles posting and sharing their thoughts.... 

 

So assuring to have a topic on 'personal growth'...

 

Thank you Ron.  Thank you Charlie.

 

Just automatically came to writing a reply and can only hope or faith that the Holy Spirit is having me to share too... And I pray that I've shared His love.  ....So thankful to have others share faith, hope and love, thank you!

 

God bless.

 

Ginger

Edited by Ginger, 25 April 2014 - 02:01 PM.

[CHRISTOPHER310]

This subject is sadly true in many churches. Many churches have the right heart and bind, but are too blind to themselves to see the truth. These kind of churches I find frustrating at best and tend to stay away from. However, because I recognize this issue in these kind of churches, am I not suppose to address it to help heal it and not ignore or walk away from it. Yes, churches like these do sadly live, but as we know this and the truth, are we not apart of the problem instead of the cure?

[Ginger]

..woke up went online and read Christopher's post in Personal Growth. I see the church as the body of Christ and think on what Jesus said about building His church. The gates of hell will not prevail against it. If each person that has been born anew seeks first His kingdom and is in Him and He in each born anew person wherever any Christian goes is a potential for Jesus to be given glory and for Him to be lifted up and draw all men to Him, even if it be one person at a time. Wherever two or three are gathered together in His name there is His church. Corporate church can be a group of people getting together without being together and yet we are to love one another as Christ loved and loves us. I just question the questions about churched and non-churched people. Christ died for us. The Gospel is the Good News. Can a sentence or a paragraph be read as an Epistle of Christ, wherever we go, when we gather with another person or with a group, be it a family gathering or an assembly or what we call church? What does the Scriptures say about there being a falling away before Jesus comes again? Today I pray and ask for Jesus to be my focus, our focus, and the body of Christ be considered as we think of another, speak to another and perhaps come together in His name and have a service of service. Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added… what are we seeking as an individual this day? How are we loving another person this day? Is my opinion in union with Christ's? If this were my last day can I have church with coming together with at least one person and Christ in us do as He will? Jesus said, "I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Who is building what today? Today is the day of salvation. Now to look up the Scriptures that came to mind and to pray for the ministers in the local bodies and the persons' who are His body…. Christ in you the hope of glory….. Jesus, please live in us this day and it be You that live …. And it no longer be I but Christ who lives in me…. Christ building His Church … we one on one with Him, in Him, by Him and for Him…..to have a personal growth in Christ and Jesus going and being Christ in each born anew person this day…. If this is my last day may Christ be shared and experienced... Thank you Jesus, moment by moment, this day, thank you, amen.

[Ginger]

Please forgive me for posting thoughts as I muse and try to focus a bit better.  Your posts Ron, Charlie, and Christopher have helped me to stir up what is in my spirit that was not focused or needed to be refocused.  Thank each of you for posting and I thank God for gracing me with His tender mercies and for making hope in me stronger and helping me to think about what it means to personally grow in Christ and embrace the body of Christ with an enlarged view beyond the church I attended.... CMA is a blessing and helps so very much.  Thank you all... and please know my musings may not seem related to the topic very well and trickle into whatever comes from my wee brain trying to live by faith, hope, and love the best I know how to and sometimes my know how is at rock bottom so I come here and don't post on a topic beyond my personal experiences... So I'm responding to a private message in a public sort of way and ask for forgiveness if my posts have not been respectful of my brothers and sisters in Christ... Perhaps at this moment I may make less sense and only God knows so I go lay me tired old body down and listen to some audio.  Thank you Ron, thank you Charlie and thank you Christopher.... God bless. Your sister in Christ, ~ginger  PS: reason for this post is sort of strange perhaps, If I've posted here or elsewhere and any person felt as thought I'd taken issue with what he/she shared I want to attempt to make an amends in a public sort of way.  I have issues that have to do with my life and how I tend to react.... If I cause another person discomfort I hope to give comfort two-fold.  This post may not make a lick of sense... please say a prayer for me... thank you so very much.  Love & Prayers, g

[Meema]

Ginger, dear, I can only speak for myself but I can’t recall a single thing you have posted that was offensive. You are a lovely representation of one who expresses true devotion. i love your posts.   

For Him,

Meema

[Charles Miles]

Ginger,

  Of course you have my prayers, but I do think you are in the right place and looking to the right Lord for your life.  We all go through difficult places and we all understand.  May God bless you beyond anything you can imagine.  BTW, your posts are fine.

 

In Christ,

 

Charlie

[Ginger]

Thank you very much..... God blesses us and you have blessed me. The thoughts that anyone can have .... well, thank you for your prayers and assuring and encouraging too.  Sometimes well, God Knows how all things are with each of us and like Charlie wrote in another post about  praising the LORD for what He has done... can't remember exact words but the very idea of folks being together and led to worship and pray while being afraid in a storm.... tis enough to make a body smile all over and want to make God smile like a very pleased Father... thank you ... makes me want to us sing .... ...... Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, sweetest name I know....  ..... He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today.... He walks with me, and talks with me along life's narrow way...... rejoice, rejoice O Christian lift up your hearts and sing eternal Hallelujah to Jesus Christ our King.... well.... I'm imagining us all singing together wherever our bodies are geographically.... and I'm also LOL... and chuckling about my humor being what it tis....  welp, reckon close with singing or rather making a joyful 'noise'....       ............Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord... ........ and 1 more.  To God Be The Glory, great things He has done....... ..... Thank you Lord for saving my soul, Thank you Lord for making me whole ... thank you Lord for giving to me .... 
 well going to go look this one up .... thanks again!

 

Wanted to make sure of having the words right...“Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul. Thank you, Lord, for making me whole. Thank you, Lord, for giving to me, Thy great salvation so rich and free.”

 

and found a good read too....

 

http://www.gofbw.com/news.asp?ID=15623

 

Well, went way too personal to even be on topic at all.... and hope that I grow up before I die if not ... Well, reckon the Dear Lord knows just what ta do....

[robo328]

I lurk more than I post, but I really enjoy the posts on CMA's Deeper life.

 

I was raised in a Lutheran Church:  Luther's Catechisim, etc. but it wasn't until I was in my late 20's before I was saved. Then, I was a devotee of Christian Radio. Preaching and teaching, from Warren Weirsbie, Charles Stanley, J.Vernon MacGee, and more recently, Ravi Zacharias, and Alistair Begg. They turned me on to writers like Spurgeon, Oswald Chambers, and Tozer(which led me to this site). I believe this education, kept me away from the "fluff" that now passes for Bible curriculum, these days. I read the Bible on my own, for about a year before ever attending a worship service. I'd love to say that's the way to a well-rounded Christian Discipleship, for everyone, but probably not.