Food for thought.

[Pearl]

The following statements have showed up on my Facebook page and I think they are key to how the church should be moving closer to God.

1. Sometimes what your strategy needs is not more information, but more FIRE! A week ago I dreamt I met the Holy Spirit, and He came to me as a man of fire! I was asking God “What is the strategy God, will you give me wisdom?” Embracing me with His fire He answered “This is the strategy, this is the strategy”... WOW! His passion, power and presence is a strategy in itself! Let the MAN OF FIRE embrace you right now, and fill you with God’s FIRE!

2. I am concerned, not that Great Britain is in a post-Christian era, but that many Christians are entering a post-biblical era. Too many biblically illiterate "believers" are rating their opinions as more infallible than the holy scriptures.

3. What if we focused on presence more than performance; on welcoming the King, instead of doing our churchy thing; on following His voice, more than following the set list....? ... maybe, just maybe, we’d find churches full of glory instead of powerless programmes! Oh for a generation soooo dissatisfied with religion, we forsake all else for the immeasurable outpouring our Jesus longs to send! Someone, somewhere, let your longing take over!


4. Jesus hung out with prostitutes and drunkards and outcasts.
Here’s the thing, though - by the time Jesus was finished with these people, they weren’t prostitutes or drunkards or outcasts anymore. Jesus came to transform people, not indulge them. Christianity is about surrender, not comfort. We are to align ourselves with his standard, not the other way around.

 

[Pearl]

@Nancy, @Barbara , @Helen ,

 

[Pearl]

These statements have really made me think. Anybody got any thoughts?

 

[mjrhealth]

Too many biblically illiterate "believers" are rating their opinions as more infallible than the holy scriptures.

Seems far to many "literate", christians are making the bible more infallible than the truth Himself, Christ Jesus.. I read therefore I am...

cant disagree with the rest

 

[Pearl]

This is another one:

Church leaders, we can build a concert venue and we’ll draw a crowd. But if we build a home, we’ll create a family. Whatever your venue, put more energy into family than stage craft! We have a world crying out for mums and dads, fathers and mentors - that is something the #church is powerfully positioned to supply.

 

[amadeus]

This is another one:

Church leaders, we can build a concert venue and we’ll draw a crowd. But if we build a home, we’ll create a family. Whatever your venue, put more energy into family than stage craft! We have a world crying out for mums and dads, fathers and mentors - that is something the #church is powerfully positioned to supply.

An experienced and knowledgeable carpenter and/or contractor may be able to build a solid and beautiful house, but that structure is not yet a home, is it? Indeed it may never be...

Even if he were to get married and move into that house, would it automatically be a good home with a good family living in it?

What is good?

"And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God." Mark 10:18

None good but one..? So then how can that builder, that married man, be sure of having a good home and a good family?

 

[Nancy]

The following statements have showed up on my Facebook page and I think they are key to how the church should be moving closer to God.

1. Sometimes what your strategy needs is not more information, but more FIRE! A week ago I dreamt I met the Holy Spirit, and He came to me as a man of fire! I was asking God “What is the strategy God, will you give me wisdom?” Embracing me with His fire He answered “This is the strategy, this is the strategy”... WOW! His passion, power and presence is a strategy in itself! Let the MAN OF FIRE embrace you right now, and fill you with God’s FIRE!

2. I am concerned, not that Great Britain is in a post-Christian era, but that many Christians are entering a post-biblical era. Too many biblically illiterate "believers" are rating their opinions as more infallible than the holy scriptures.

3. What if we focused on presence more than performance; on welcoming the King, instead of doing our churchy thing; on following His voice, more than following the set list....? ... maybe, just maybe, we’d find churches full of glory instead of powerless programmes! Oh for a generation soooo dissatisfied with religion, we forsake all else for the immeasurable outpouring our Jesus longs to send! Someone, somewhere, let your longing take over!


4. Jesus hung out with prostitutes and drunkards and outcasts.
Here’s the thing, though - by the time Jesus was finished with these people, they weren’t prostitutes or drunkards or outcasts anymore. Jesus came to transform people, not indulge them. Christianity is about surrender, not comfort. We are to align ourselves with his standard, not the other way around.

I totally agree with all of the posts and your take on how far the church has moved away from truth. Yes...very "post biblical..." But, how can we all of us, shake out the cobwebs of worldly influences within the church? Prayer is IMHO, THE most powerful gift we have been given and, I believe God will still make the sun sit still in the sky if prayer is often and fervent enough.

"Jesus came to transform people, not indulge them. Christianity is about surrender, not comfort. We are to align ourselves with his standard, not the other way around."

This sums it up well.

God help us!
Good thread Pat, and so very real. As is the coldness of many Christians is some church's.

 

[Pearl]

Prayer is IMHO, THE most powerful gift we have been given and, I believe God will still make the sun sit still in the sky if prayer is often and fervent enough.

@Nancy I have heard many people say, 'All we could do was pray' or something similar, as if prayer was the last resort. Prayer should be our FIRST thought. We have that privilege of being able to talk to our God and know that he listens. Maybe using these posts we should commit to praying for the Church throughout 2021. When I read them I though 'WOW' and am going to try to remember to pray as often as I can. I will copy them and print them and tuck them into my bible. They have come, via a friend, from Jarrod Cooper. Have you heard of him? He is quite well known here.

 

[Nancy]

@Nancy I have heard many people say, 'All we could do was pray' or something similar, as if prayer was the last resort. Prayer should be our FIRST thought. We have that privilege of being able to talk to our God and know that he listens. Maybe using these posts we should commit to praying for the Church throughout 2021. When I read them I though 'WOW' and am going to try to remember to pray as often as I can. I will copy them and print them and tuck them into my bible. They have come, via a friend, from Jarrod Cooper. Have you heard of him? He is quite well known here.

Hi Pat,
No, I've never heard of Jarrod Cooper but, am liking what he has to say, Ty!
And yes, in total agreement with the "all we can do now, is pray" comment's...they make me cringe and, I even hear other Christians saying that...so many things, sayings and such have been driven into the everyday language of people anymore. I myself used to say that a very long time ago but, it has not even entered my mind to say that. It should always be our number one place we DO go to! And praying for the Church daily is something we should all be doing but, I also fall short of this every day. I shall make a conscience effort to keep this in the forefront of my mind so as to remember each day to lift the church and the leaders of the church's.
xx

 

[Rene Loup]

1. Sometimes what your strategy needs is not more information, but more FIRE! A week ago I dreamt I met the Holy Spirit, and He came to me as a man of fire! I was asking God “What is the strategy God, will you give me wisdom?” Embracing me with His fire He answered “This is the strategy, this is the strategy”... WOW! His passion, power and presence is a strategy in itself! Let the MAN OF FIRE embrace you right now, and fill you with God’s FIRE!

I'm usually careful about dreams. Whenever I have one, I always go to my trusted mentor to help me make sense of it. He has MUCH more experience with this sort of thing than I do.

2. I am concerned, not that Great Britain is in a post-Christian era, but that many Christians are entering a post-biblical era. Too many biblically illiterate "believers" are rating their opinions as more infallible than the holy scriptures.

As of 2011, Christians make up 59.5% of Britons, followed by 25.7% identifying as irreligious.[1] I'd say it's getting there if it hasn't already.

1. Field Listing :: Religions — The World Factbook - Central Intelligence Agency

3. What if we focused on presence more than performance; on welcoming the King, instead of doing our churchy thing; on following His voice, more than following the set list....? ... maybe, just maybe, we’d find churches full of glory instead of powerless programmes! Oh for a generation soooo dissatisfied with religion, we forsake all else for the immeasurable outpouring our Jesus longs to send! Someone, somewhere, let your longing take over!

I'd say focus more on the Holy Trinity and the teachings of the Bible instead of worldly leaders and the teachings of their political parties.[1][2][3][4]

1. Psalm 118:1-29, 146:1-10
2. Is the Christian Right Driving Americans Away from Religion?
3. Politics Corrupting Christians
4. Politicizing Religion - by Paul Marshall

4. Jesus hung out with prostitutes and drunkards and outcasts.
Here’s the thing, though - by the time Jesus was finished with these people, they weren’t prostitutes or drunkards or outcasts anymore. Jesus came to transform people, not indulge them. Christianity is about surrender, not comfort. We are to align ourselves with his standard, not the other way around.

Hence why being a Christian actually requires character development,[1] not just simply calling oneself a good person[3] because of things like voting for specific political parties.[2]

1. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, 13:1-13, Galatians 5:13-26, Matthew 5:1-7:29
   
2. Luke 20:20-26, Mark 12:13-17, Matthew 22:15-22, 1 Peter 2:11-25, Romans 13:1-7, Psalms 118:1-29, 146:1-10
3. 1 John 4:7-21, Matthew 7:15-23, Romans 3:9-20

 

[Truman]

Seems far to many "literate", christians are making the bible more infallible than the truth Himself, Christ Jesus.. I read therefore I am...

cant disagree with the rest

Far too many trust another's interpretation of God's word.
This is often an effort to avoid personal responsibility before the Lord.
So they gather teachers around them that teach what they want to hear.
They set men up as repositories of God's be-all and end-all of truth.
Only the Living Word is.
I depend on the Lord to help me understand what I read and to empower me to walk it out.
Love people.
Trust God's love.
God is love.
God's love is simple.
I'm a simple man.
Works for me. :)

 

[mjrhealth]

Far too many trust another's interpretation of God's word.
This is often an effort to avoid personal responsibility before the Lord.
So they gather teachers around them that teach what they want to hear.
They set men up as repositories of God's be-all and end-all of truth.
Only the Living Word is.
I depend on the Lord to help me understand what I read and to empower me to walk it out.
Love people.
Trust God's love.
God is love.
God's love is simple.
I'm a simple man.
Works for me. :)

I suppose depends how you put it. I trusts Him so show me what I need to know. I dont read the bible much, my faith is in the one who is the truth, if He shows me things in there than He does it so I can understand, more than a few times even things id never read.

I stil lto this day, many years ago, remember walking down the road, asking Him questions, than he tells me to stop trying to figure Him out, well probably a good point because we never can, our brains are not big enough.

 

[Truman]

I suppose depends how you put it. I trusts Him so show me what I need to know. I dont read the bible much, my faith is in the one who is the truth, if He shows me things in there than He does it so I can understand, more than a few times even things id never read.

I stil lto this day, many years ago, remember walking down the road, asking Him questions, than he tells me to stop trying to figure Him out, well probably a good point because we never can, our brains are not big enough.

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face to you and give you peace.

 

[mjrhealth]

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face to you and give you peace.

That He already has done. Thanks and same to you.

 

[quietthinker]

These statements have really made me think. Anybody got any thoughts?

yeah....I posted in another tread a scenario that arises....Imagine having all the doctrines right, no error and Jesus looks at you/me and says 'who are you?'