With So Many Denominations...

[BarneyFife]

I understand. Less than two years ago, but well before the onset of this lockdown situation I had stopped belonging to and attending regularly one particular physical assembly [church] for reasons I won't go into here. Before that happened for many years I thought I needed to have such a place. In the last few years there I was having some doubts, which I believer now were coming from God. I had tried hard in different places and more than once with a new one [assembly or church] I was believing or hoping that is was really finally the one where I should be.

From leaving that last place to the start oft he the lockdown situation, I was visiting different places [offline] but while I was knowing that a coffin was needed, I could not or would not drive those last nails into it [the coffin]. God helped me out by stopping my visits by closing [to physical visits] all of the places I might have visited...

Do you think it was a sign?

 

[user]

Why would it offend me?

1 Corinthians 3

Sectarianism Is Carnal

1And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. 2I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; 3for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? 4For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?

Watering, Working, Warning
5Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? 6I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. 7So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. 8Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

Glad to hear your not offended. Does this also mean that you have a change of heart regarding Paul, which wrote to the Ephesians in Chapter 4 The Five-Fold Ministry. The Fruit of the Spirit to the Galatians Chapter 5, and the Gifts of the Spirit to the Corinthians Chapter 12. Whereby your reply in post#27 was, "Sounds awfully Pauline-centric."

God Bless!

 

[amadeus]

I can't say as I've ever experienced that kind of fire from any man. I have, however, felt it in association with one woman, and I'm still trying to find her again after several years.

You are, I would guess, speaking of a woman of God. In this I relate to my wife. On many things I strive to follow God myself, but since we came to the Lord together in 1976, we have changed 'churches' a number of times. Each time it was through my wife that God gave us the confirmation of the need to 'come out of her' and move on to another place. In that sense the fire has been in her and I needed to hear what God was speaking through her.

But then again there is the fire inside of each of us that burns up the garbage and polishes up the ingested gold of our new man.

Like the two edged sword cutting two ways, the fire burns two ways. When the work in us is done, we will be like Him, will we not? No more chaff at all! No more dross! No more dregs! For some that in the end leaves nothing, but others who have something good within, the fire will not burn that which is of God:

"And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed." Exodus 3:2

 

[Taken]

You're really not actually addressing my point.

Any person can persecute an other...harm, oppress, abuse, etc.

The Righteous; aka Converted, who are specifically persecuted FOR their Belief in The Lord God...
God Himself will Avenge (aka Inflict harm) upon others who have persecuted the Righteous For Believing in the Lord God.
Gods Avenging IS His VENGENCE (aka Retribution).

That Takes place...nearing the end of the BOWLS/VIALS poured out ... God pours out:
His Cup of INDIGATION upon those ON Earth who persecuted Believers.

Remembering, indignation upon Jesus, stripped, beaten, paraded naked to His Own Crucifixion ... Indignant treatment of Jews ... of Christians through the centuries.

Glory to God,
Taken

 

[bbyrd009]

You?

Naaaah!

what can i say? You are a truther, and i am a liar :/

 

[bbyrd009]

I

I’ve struggled to find an Acts 2 church/believers, and I’ve been in most denominations, over four decades. I’m currently de-churched. Been curiously looking at Protestant convents and the Amish more recently, out of desperation more than anything.

always believed in ‘A G_D’, but didn’t realise Jesus’ divinity until reading the N/T and academic study over the last twenty years.
Was only religious/backsliding before.
So...I still haven’t found what I’m looking for either, but hope springs

Ps had a great minister who would say ‘if you want to know The Lord’s will, read The Lord’s Word’ !
the congregation wearied him, and he took early retirement. Until I find another like him...

"The best cure for Christianity is reading the Bible" SClemens

contemplate you not finding a good fit bc there is not one where you are looking, maybe

 

[bbyrd009]

I always get a little confused when people use that word, troll, with regard to forums like this one. I have looked up the word several times, but it never sticks very well. My first understanding of a troll came the first time I read the Hobbit probably back in the 1960's. When the sun comes out and they are still out, they turn to stone. Is this similarly to Lot's wife looking back at Sodom and turning to salt?

ha, dunno. i picked that term bc it strikes me as a perception rather than a reality, as you sort of splain there

 

[Jane_Doe22]

Any person can persecute an other...harm, oppress, abuse, etc.

The Righteous; aka Converted, who are specifically persecuted FOR their Belief in The Lord God...
God Himself will Avenge (aka Inflict harm) upon others who have persecuted the Righteous For Believing in the Lord God.
Gods Avenging IS His VENGENCE (aka Retribution).

That Takes place...nearing the end of the BOWLS/VIALS poured out ... God pours out:
His Cup of INDIGATION upon those ON Earth who persecuted Believers.

Remembering, indignation upon Jesus, stripped, beaten, paraded naked to His Own Crucifixion ... Indignant treatment of Jews ... of Christians through the centuries.

Glory to God,
Taken

A person can also be specifically persecuted FOR their incorrect beliefs.

The fact that Group A is persecuted does not mean that Group A holds the most correct beliefs or is the most righteous. Incorrect/unrighteous groups are persecuted too.

 

[bbyrd009]

If he doesn't want me knowing to begin with, I'm not one for prying into people's business. His name shall remain safe with me : )

oh well fwiw that is strictly my filter, and he may not care at all ok. He even strikes me as someone who imagines he would like to be famous maybe. His email is listed there, along with some rather unusual "hurdles" tho

No. But it was probably something along the lines of "Can you please talk like someone from planet earth?" LoL.

yeh lol, whaddya do with generalities like that? I suggest putting me on ignore tbh, but if you asked for specific clarification id do my best ok

 

[marks]

and the pastor seemed warmer and closer to God.

The church I've been in the past 10 years, though our pastor had a stroke last month, and is with the Lord, I've seen some things I've thought were error over the years. But this man has shown greater Christian love then I've known in a person. His love was the real deal. And that's what I wanted most! To learn of his love, and God's love in the process.

Much love!

 

[bbyrd009]

Spooky? I guess some ppl would say so. Like I mentioned, my wife's hair used to be maroon, and rather than spooky, kind of nice would at least for her have been the description.

ha i know all i seem to be for you is bad news farouk, but you mighht explore the connection between dying hair and breast cancer

 

[bbyrd009]

The church I've been in the past 10 years, though our pastor had a stroke last month, and is with the Lord, I've seen some things I've thought were error over the years. But this man has shown greater Christian love then I've known in a person. His love was the real deal. And that's what I wanted most! To learn of his love, and God's love in the process.

Much love!

iyo doesnt him having a stroke constitute any kind of um sign or anything?

 

[amadeus]

Do you think it was a sign?

Oh yes! My wife had already left some time before me.

We were drawn by God to that assembly definitely but for an at the first unknown reason. We guessed it was due to one elderly widow who lived alone. We were wrong. It was for the pastor and his wife. We had been there for several years when the pastor's wife died in 2012 after 66 years of marriage. She left her husband a widower, a man who scarcely knew how to come in out of the rain, unless it related directly to his ministry. He was and is a man of God. [He is 95 now and I'll be visiting him tomorrow morning. He continues living alone and ministering, but that is a whole other testimony.]

His wife had handled all things secular and stood by him in every physical or spiritual need. My wife helped his wife closely during those painful final months of her natural life. When she was gone he was an old man who needed a whole lot of help, and for the most part that fell to me. For that man alone, God had me stay in the church even when my wife could no longer tolerate what they were trying to do to that frail, but always dedicated to God, old man, the pastor. He was under attack because someone wanted his position. The attack was not directed at me... until I stood up in his defense.

Under pressure he was out in October of 2018. That was the end for me as well... but only the end in that place. One of the two instigators against him wanted me to stay. The other one was willing for me to stay if I would keep my mouth shut about the situation.

Had my pastor died any time after his wife did, I would have been gone along with my wife. God had already let me know that much. I stayed on for the old pastor. God required it of me. I could not be a part of the even fellowship group that had allowed the event... even though only the two I mentioned, a man and a woman, were the direct instigators.

 

[marks]

iyo doesnt him having a stroke constitute any kind of um sign or anything?

Of what?

 

[amadeus]

ha, dunno. i picked that term bc it strikes me as a perception rather than a reality, as you sort of splain there

Even so! Some use the word, troll, apparently knowing just what they mean, but I usually don't know what they mean and I usually don't ask unless it really somehow might make a difference to me and how I would or should react.

 

[bbyrd009]

Of what?

well, nothing i guess, if that means nothing to you eh

Death More Abundantly tho?

 

[BarneyFife]

Glad to hear your not offended. Does this also mean that you have a change of heart regarding Paul, which wrote to the Ephesians in Chapter 4 The Five-Fold Ministry. The Fruit of the Spirit to the Galatians Chapter 5, and the Gifts of the Spirit to the Corinthians Chapter 12. Whereby your reply in post#27 was, "Sounds awfully Pauline-centric."

God Bless!

Sorry, I'm into Christo-centric. No offense.

 

[rockytopva]

My denomination is Pentecostal Holiness. In visiting the area churches....

1. Some are more Charismatic
2. Some are more Holiness
3. Some are more Pentecostal
4. Some are more spiritually dead
5. Some have only a few grey hairs in the congregation
6. Some, as so many go to Liberty University, are more Baptist and I have even heard the phrase, "Pente-Baptist" in our conferences.

Even in my denomination there is a wide variety within the church. My advice is to pray and let God lead you to the church that is best for you. I would at least make sure that the church is Bible believing, Christ centered, and Holy Spirit encouraging.

 

[bbyrd009]

Even so! Some use the word, troll, apparently knowing just what they mean, but I usually don't know what they mean and I usually don't ask unless it really somehow might make a difference to me and how I would or should react.

strikes me as another term for "opposer" usually? Although another good def seems to be that of ppl who are just harassing, wont answer direct Qs, deflect, worm, etc maybe

 

[marks]

well, nothing i guess, if that means nothing to you eh

All it means to me is the confirmation that people die, but I kinda already figured that out.