Message from a Brother in the Lord ,Pastor, Friend

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Permalink Reply by Marion Clark Ingram on February 25, 2010 at 6:20pm

Larry, I second the motion concerning how your friend feels about the way that some of us "fellowship" here at Simple Church. I believe that this site should be a place where brothers and sisters (even seekers) can come and be refreshed or healed and encouraged regardless to where they find themselves on their journey with Jesus.

When you come here you have to be aware that you will come in contact with individuals at different places in their walk with the Lord...some true seekers, some expressing hurt and unbelief, some proselytizers, some debaters, and some just looking for community. It can be what you make it. Receive what you need or what you can assimilate at the time, and ignore what you do not agree with until you are ready to consider it, or not. You can come only as often as you like, and you don't have to allow yourself to be coerced into any discussion or debate. There is much knowledge to be gleened here just by "listening." You know, "eat the meat..."

Often you will "hear" others express your same sentiments and find that they have been exactly where you have been or where you are. There are many here that I don't agree with, nor they with me, but we try to honor and respect each other. Here you have the opportunity to pose a question and allow others to give their input and opinions. And when you're ready, you can share valuable knowledge and experiences with us that you have acquired since you have been following the Lord. Don't be intimidated nor put off by the "deep" discussions that sometimes go on and on here because eventually all things work for the good for somebody :-). Personally, I prefer to hear and to share what God is doing to us, for us, by us, and through us. God is moving by His Spirit, and it is definitely time for the Body to be manifesting the Kingdom of God in the earth as I share on my Facebook page.

You can initiate a group here with persons who have similar interests as you, announce your upcoming events, or share fun things on the forum appointed for that. Please feel free to read the posts on my blog page here.

Well, I need to return to my consecration now; so God bless you in your decision and be encouraged right where you are.

Blessings,
Marion

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Permalink Reply by Larry on February 25, 2010 at 7:12pm

Thanks Marion - I will share this with our brother -

Marion Clark Ingram said:

Larry, I second the motion concerning how your friend feels about the way that some of us "fellowship" here at Simple Church. I believe that this site should be a place where brothers and sisters (even seekers) can come and be refreshed or healed and encouraged regardless to where they find themselves on their journey with Jesus.

When you come here you have to be aware that you will come in contact with individuals at different places in their walk with the Lord...some true seekers, some expressing hurt and unbelief, some proselytizers, some debaters, and some just looking for community. It can be what you make it. Receive what you need or what you can assimilate at the time, and ignore what you do not agree with until you are ready to consider it, or not. You can come only as often as you like, and you don't have to allow yourself to be coerced into any discussion or debate. There is much knowledge to be gleened here just by "listening." You know, "eat the meat..."

Often you will "hear" others express your same sentiments and find that they have been exactly where you have been or where you are. There are many here that I don't agree with, nor they with me, but we try to honor and respect each other. Here you have the opportunity to pose a question and allow others to give their input and opinions. And when you're ready, you can share valuable knowledge and experiences with us that you have acquired since you have been following the Lord. Don't be intimidated nor put off by the "deep" discussions that sometimes go on and on here because eventually all things work for the good for somebody :-). Personally, I prefer to hear and to share what God is doing to us, for us, by us, and through us. God is moving by His Spirit, and it is definitely time for the Body to be manifesting the Kingdom of God in the earth as I share on my Facebook page.

You can initiate a group here with persons who have similar interests as you, announce your upcoming events, or share fun things on the forum appointed for that. Please feel free to read the posts on my blog page here.

Well, I need to return to my consecration now; so God bless you in your decision and be encouraged right where you are.

Blessings,
Marion

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Permalink Reply by michael on February 25, 2010 at 7:18pm

As Ish Ekhad (Hebrew for "one man") wrote years back: "It is in the lively arena of DISAGREEMENT that we exercise our spiritual muscles." When I read Scripture, I see a whole heck-of-a-lot-of debate. Abraham [rightly] did it with God, God through His prophets did it with Israel, Jesus did it with his various opponents (and disciples), Paul and the other letter-writers did with the various dissenters infiltrating the Church (plus with congregants), and on and on... The earliest post-Apostolic writings continue the tradition. So, when I read war-weary folks here whining about the debates, I respect that...so long as they exercise their freedom of choice to click on another thread that is more to their liking. Not everyone has the same taste or talent for debate. But when I read someone implying that debating doctrine is in and of itself wrong, I just have to speak up and remind people of our heritage...and duty...to contend earnestly for the faith. While all the while exercising love and unity.

...But not at the expense of truth. : )

Shalom from Manila,
--Michael

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Permalink Reply by Larry on February 26, 2010 at 8:44am

Another thought

Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

I hear what the Brother of Christ is saying. I believe that we do not have to get caught up in conversations about which way is the right or wrong way to perfection. We all know that God will be the one to complete each one of as an individual, and all of us as one body and one spirit.

Let me share...

Today I had a magistrate at one of the courts here in town ask me to come into his office when I was done with what I was doing. We had a discussion about a conversation he had over lunch with another attorney that was not a believer. The first thought that I had was, that he was out sharing his faith. He did tell me that the attorney had some great argument, but wanted me to give my insight about this attorneys argument. We tabled the discussion till another time to give the holy spirit and God some time to work.

Stay with me!

Then as I was walking back to the office after this conversation, a sister in Christ sitting in a van parked along the street called out to me and gave me a get saved tract. I told her that she must be a believer. She said that she was a born again sister in Christ. This was a complete stranger, but we had Him in common. Then we just shared some love in Him. She then asked me where I went to church and invited me to come and visit their church. I told her that I had been involved in an organic church for the past three years. She had no idea what an organic church was. I told her about the church that was forthcoming. Not a home church. Not an organic church. Not any church named by mankind. It will be the kingdom of Christ and of God.

What an awesome day in Jesus. My thoughts are that God has every body part of Christ right where they are to be at every moment in time. Everything is in His time and under His authority. We just need to stay out of the way of what God is doing. Do what we are called to do. Love God! Love our neighbor! Be less of the least! Be in prayer all the time. Come into His presence and draw nearer to Him. And what does the bible say, "He who has an ear, let him hear what the spirit says to the churches."

God will complete us in His time. God will bring together the parts of the bride in His time. Jesus will come for His bride in God's time. We will come to perfection in God's time.

I have been told that I am sometimes like a Jeremiah. Sometimes I feel like a Jeremiah. Since I was a very young man, I have been at war with the secular church. I was raised a Lutheran. I was brought up in the church that my grandparents were founding members, helped raised the funds and built the church. My head was sprinkled with water when I was a baby. That was my spiritual baptism according to the doctrine of the church. That is what I discovered later, after I came to know Jesus as my personal savior. But, when it came time to go through confirmation classes when I was twelve years old, there was war at my house. I told my parents that everyone, including my brother and sisters before me, all their friends, and other kids at school that went through those classes, it did not change them. The war went on for what seemed weeks. They gave in and I did not have to go through the classes for two years.

I saw back then that there was something wrong with the church. The war still continues today. I have seen people in the church get hurt more by brothers and sisters in the church, than they do on the street. On the other hand I have met some awesome brothers and sister that are hungry and thirsty for righteousness. We are working "together" as body parts of Christ. We understand that everyone is at different levels of faith. We are learning from one another, those things that God has given to each one of us individually. That is how God made us, an individual part of an awesome future body, to be covered with the "righteousness of all the saints." The individual righteousness is only ours for a short time, then we have to share it with the other body parts.

Sister Marcy wrote about the apostle Paul, in part, "seeing how he followed in Jesus footsteps in pouring out and laying down his life for the church." I could not have said that any better than how sister Marcy put it. Jesus laid down His life, Paul laid down his life, let us lay down our life for the church.

Laboring for the unity of the body of Christ,

Tom K.

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Permalink Reply by Seth Overdeer on March 28, 2010 at 10:01am

Dude, I agree with this. Debating doctrine is essential as long as it's done for the seeking of truth. I get what this guy is saying though, that there is so much debate that it goes to the point of disunity. I too look for a place that welcomes different opinions but at the end of the discussion, everyone is still united in Christ. I have yet to find this in a traditional church setting.

michael said:

As Ish Ekhad (Hebrew for "one man") wrote years back: "It is in the lively arena of DISAGREEMENT that we exercise our spiritual muscles." When I read Scripture, I see a whole heck-of-a-lot-of debate. Abraham [rightly] did it with God, God through His prophets did it with Israel, Jesus did it with his various opponents (and disciples), Paul and the other letter-writers did with the various dissenters infiltrating the Church (plus with congregants), and on and on... The earliest post-Apostolic writings continue the tradition. So, when I read war-weary folks here whining about the debates, I respect that...so long as they exercise their freedom of choice to click on another thread that is more to their liking. Not everyone has the same taste or talent for debate. But when I read someone implying that debating doctrine is in and of itself wrong, I just have to speak up and remind people of our heritage...and duty...to contend earnestly for the faith. While all the while exercising love and unity.

...But not at the expense of truth. : )

Shalom from Manila,
--Michael

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Permalink Reply by John Bennett on July 23, 2011 at 8:26pm

Did God ever contradict Himself?

No, so why do so many people hold so many contradictory beliefs within their own personal faith?

Because some are stubborn and are really not seeking the Truth all the time. Some of those beliefs are idolatrous and sin from which they should repent.

Stand firm in your faith fine, but when a crack in your dam is made evident, when you're believing two opposites, then you have a decision to make. Keep the two contradciting beliefs because you like them, or repent and ask God for wisdom.

"God is not the author of confusion." Everything He says agrees with every He says. So it should be with us.

Then our faith would get simpler, perhaps more sincere, then we'll probably have more unity, and less arguments.

-john

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