Getting burned out on church and Christianity. Never thought I would feel this way! Seems like all I hear in church is our country is going to hell! The world has turned it's back on God! The end is near! Now let's close with a prayer...... It's not that I don't agree with these statements, but now what?.
The world is doomed.... So now what?
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aspen
“"The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few
Great question! Fantastic thread!
I remember struggling with this myself. For me, I needed to refocus my attention on my sanctification rather than concerning myself with the opinions of fatalists in the church. We are called to love others, PERIOD. All else is a distraction - especially trying to read the scriptures like tea leaves and predicting the end of the world. All the evil in the world can be used for good if we use it to shape our hearts for love. Not saying evil will ever be worth the Fall, but God will bring us through it.
I remember struggling with this myself. For me, I needed to refocus my attention on my sanctification rather than concerning myself with the opinions of fatalists in the church. We are called to love others, PERIOD. All else is a distraction - especially trying to read the scriptures like tea leaves and predicting the end of the world. All the evil in the world can be used for good if we use it to shape our hearts for love. Not saying evil will ever be worth the Fall, but God will bring us through it.
Wormwood
Chaps
It's unfortunate that so many emphasize current events and try to determine God's stance at various political postures or nationalities. The Gospel is "Good News" and we as Christians would do well to remember that. The New Testament hardly deals with national issues or political postures. Rather, it emphasizes the incredible love of God in Christ and how believers can overcome sin and the world through the power of the cross. This grace is avaliable to all people no matter their political persuasion or nationality. I am convinced that God is much more interested in the heart of people who are more fixed on his eternal monarchy than they are on their political parties or the Supreme Court. I would encourage you to find a church that emphasizes the incredible treasures we have in Christ and the Good News we have to share with the world. Who are we to judge those outside the church? We have our own business to tend to. God will deal with the nations...let us deal with Christ. 1 Cor. 5:12
Cheer up Saul2paul and welcome to the forum!
You have two posts above mine with excellent advice in them.
You have two posts above mine with excellent advice in them.
Yep, S2P, it's a problem and (I believe) another sign of the times. So many otherwise intelligent believers are letting themselves be ensnared by the affairs of this life, with the dual threat of taking their focus off of Christ and letting themselves be yoked with unbelievers in the pointless socio-politcal causes of this passing world.
But politics isn't the only problem. Some weeks ago I endured a sermon, from a pastor I had respected, on how the creators of Superman lifted a lot of his attributes from the Scriptures. It was a waste of an hour with no real substance. I have not been back since.
But politics isn't the only problem. Some weeks ago I endured a sermon, from a pastor I had respected, on how the creators of Superman lifted a lot of his attributes from the Scriptures. It was a waste of an hour with no real substance. I have not been back since.
Now what? That's simple, and something you should be doing once you came to Christ Jesus. Study all... of The Word of God, line upon line, chapter by chapter, asking our Heavenly Father to help you in It, asking Him directly through His Son.Saul2paul said:
Chances are you are not really in a true Bible teaching Church. There aren't many of those today, for it means covering all of God's Word line upon line. That's the emptiness you're most likely feeling. One or two Bible verses each Sunday just ain't gonna' get 'er done.
Our Heavenly Father warned us about these days we're in, and revealed how we are to act and how to prepare our hearts for it. He even showed His very elect what they are to prepare for during the coming tribulation. Once you understand the times and the seasons of our Lord Jesus' coming, then you can 'see' the events unfolding just like He said.
Great feedback! It lifts me up to hear from fellow Christians! I used to have a close group of friends and we would have great talks on the bible and how awesome God is. I think this is my main struggle. Can't seem to find a church that focuses on the positives.
Remember Apostle John being told to 'eat the Book' in Revelation 10. It was sweet as honey to the taste and as soon as he had eaten it his belly was bitter. Thus the old adage of 'taking the bitter with the sweet'.Saul2paul said:
So to really... get to know and understand our Heavenly Father and His Word, we must seek to understand all of The Book, and that means the bitter parts too. That's what makes His Truth actually set us free like our Lord Jesus said. That way you won't be 'spiritually' subject to the things of this present world which is soon to be destroyed. Your spirit will truly be free, and that involves a type of inner peace that all the sages and wise men have long sought.
When Jesus spoke about the end times in Matthew 24 and Luke 21, He mentioned all kinds of terrible things would happen... wars and rumors of wars, famines, diseases, earthquakes, persecution, etc. But His instruction to us was, "Don't let it trouble you." (Matthew 24:6, Luke 21:9). He gave the reason for this in Luke 21:28: "But when these things begin to happen, look up, and lift up your heads, because your redemption is near." As the world falls apart, our expectation for His coming should grow stronger. What is bad news for the world is good news for us. So, if you find the world's events are getting you down, look up!
aspen
“"The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few
Jesus wasn't trying to warn us about a future time.......
There have always been wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes and persecution - He was trying to tell us that the end of the world could happen at any moment in history. I believed the end of the known world happen when Rome was Christianized.
There have always been wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes and persecution - He was trying to tell us that the end of the world could happen at any moment in history. I believed the end of the known world happen when Rome was Christianized.
Christianity isn't causing the kind of sermons that you have been listening to, and the universal Church isn't - as a whole - necessarily preaching such things.Saul2paul said:
Granted, pastors are not supposed to focus just on pleasing stuff, but it is possible for individual pastors to go overboard on the negative stuff.
Good point on Christianity not causing this! As far as the negative I just look at it like this; I see all this going on around me everyday as I am sure most of us do. By focusing on the negative and offering limited discussion on the hope we have in Jesus Christ it just turns me........negative
Important to realize the times we're in today. This time just prior to Christ's return isn't supposed to be a pleasure ride. Each believer today has work to do according to their specific calling. We as Christians are going to experience more and more persections as the times continue, and we are to understand that, which is why our Heavenly Father through His Son and His Apostles and prophets showed us about the times and the seasons for the end of this world.
I dare say, that in the majority of Churches today, if a God-gifted teacher of His Word were to cover His Word from start to finish, those congregations would almost have him burned at the stake. That's the kind of times we're in, many looking everywhere for The Word of God and not finding It like a famine, like God said through His prophet Amos for this time. And the reason is obvious, for many have left His Word and instead have tried to supplant it with the workings of this world. So I can grasp just why He has hid His Word from so many during this time.
I dare say, that in the majority of Churches today, if a God-gifted teacher of His Word were to cover His Word from start to finish, those congregations would almost have him burned at the stake. That's the kind of times we're in, many looking everywhere for The Word of God and not finding It like a famine, like God said through His prophet Amos for this time. And the reason is obvious, for many have left His Word and instead have tried to supplant it with the workings of this world. So I can grasp just why He has hid His Word from so many during this time.
Veteran, if you are going to make such negative claim against the majority of churches, then you might want to support you claim with evidence against the majority of churches. How am I to know that what you claim is true? You give me no reason to believe the claim.veteran said:
I believe he did reference Amos;Dodo_David said:
"Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it" (Amos 8:11-12)
And I'll add:
"Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it" (Matthew 7:14).
"For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things" (Philippians 3: 18-19)
"For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ" (2 Corinthians 11:13). Also Romans 16:18, 1 Timothy 6:3-21, Luke 12:16-21.
"Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition" (2 Thessalonians 2:3).
Dodo_David said:
None of that proves that the majority of modern-day churches have left God's Word.Dan57 said:
There's a big difference between your interpretation of what I said, and what I actually said.Dodo_David said:
I never implied all Churches have left The Word of God. I said "... for many have left His Word and instead have tried to supplant it with the workings of this world."
What percentage of Christian Churches today do you think covers all of God's Word The Bible line upon line, chapter by chapter? Does your Church? How many can you name just in your area? (I only know of one in my area, and they have a Biblical scholar that teaches only, with other ministers that preach The Gospel).
The Christian Church I was raised in does not believe in teaching Bible prophecy, only a little of the expecting of Christ's second coming and establishing of His Kingdom. So I never heard The Book of Revelation preached in that Church, nor the Books of the OT prophets in relation. That Church organization (which I will not name) is not preparing its members for the events to come in the end today by not covering Bible prophecy for today. It shows they simply do not want any consternations within the congregation which doing that might cause. That is in essence leaving that part of God's Word that we as Christians are supposed to know today.
A friend of mine once asked me how to tell what kind of Church he was in concerning Bible study. I mentioned that he might ask his Sunday school teacher if they would do a coverage of all of God's Word from Genesis through Revelation. He did ask them, and the teacher laughed at him, and said he must thought they had all the time in the world.
Isaiah 28 is the Bible blueprint for Bible study, line upon line chapter by chapter is how it's to be done.
But what are most preachers taught to do instead? Jump around pulling out a verse here, and a verse there, often applying it outside the Scripture's context depending on what Church organizational system it is.
And thus the Amos 8:9-11 prophecy is shown to be in fulfillment today, for many brethren are 'hungry' for understanding in ALL of God's Word, not settling for fragments, many of them not learned enough to want to do it on their own. I dare say, if it weren't for Forums liike this one, many brethren would never bother to crack open God's Word and try to study for theirselves, like the Bereans did which Apostle Paul commended.
aspen
“"The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few
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