It seems lately I have been on the defensive and that is not where I want to be. On one hand it is easy to respond to criticism and a lot harder to be creative but that kind of stance leaves others in control of what goes on my blog. For one thing my posts on being a prophet will become a page on the header so that I can refer others to it in the future rather than continually fighting the same fight over and over again.
I want people to understand I am not here to condemn them or judge them on their choices. People get so defensive when they think their ideas and preconceived notions are challenged. What I am asking people to do is take a good hard look at what they believe and ask themselves “Is this G_d’s will?” or “Is does what I am being taught line up with the whole of scripture?” How many times have any of you sat in your pews and listened to what has been taught and never thought to check it out to see if it is correct, or if you did and found it not to be correct, did you challenge what was taught? I personally have lost count, much to my own shame. I remember sitting in a pew at a church that I had come to love, listening to a female evangelist during a “revival” only to hear her disparage her fellow brothers and sisters in Christ because they were of a different denomination. I sat in stunned silence when I should have denounced her. Nobody else said anything either. This was also the church that reinforced to me the idea that doctrine was more important than the Word. This was not said but was the practice. It was this kind of thinking that allowed this woman to say what she said about fellow believers and why it was that my wife and I could only be visitors at their church and never actually be members. It was more important for me to agree with ALL of the doctrine of the denomination than for me to be in fellowship with them. It is funny because I only disagreed on one element of their doctrine.
There is also the matter is that early in our walks we are usually taught through example not to question or challenge the status quo. The incident that is burned in my mind happened in Sunday school. My wife and I were in our very early twenties and one of the youngest couples in the class. We were discussing the good things the Lord was doing so when it came my turn to share I started talking about the miracles being reported coming out of China. You could have heard a pin drop on the carpeted floor of that classroom with the astonished looks I got right before the class leader lead a barrage against me on why it was that miracles were not happening anymore, and that I needed to put these foolish ideas behind me. Not once was the Word consulted or even mentioned, just an implicit warning that that kind of talk would not be tolerated. Being young and naïve at the time I learned to keep my ideas to myself and not rock the boat. I got involved in several ministries at that church form working with the youth to the audio and video ministries. That was until I inadvertently crossed the elders of the church. That is another story for another time though.
The point is that we need to start looking at what we think we know is true and find out for sure without a doubt that it is or change our views to line up with those in scripture. At that point we need to share the love we find in Him with everyone else.
2 comments:
Eaglewood is matured, no longer grasshopper. Now teacher. Should seek a grasshopper.
I am also a prophet in the sense that Eaglewood professes to be. I am a Southern Baptist as defined by the 1689 Second London Confession fo Faith. I would argue that as Jeremiah, Isaiah, Joel, and Amos proclaimed this country is in ruins. This country has abandoned its firm foundation and has committed itself to the shifting sands of moral relativism. In the NT, those with the spiritual gift of discernment are given the admonition to test the spirits. I have tested the spirit of Eaglewood and have not found him wanting. I do on the other hand find your associating him in the last few sentences with charlatans is by far and away over the top and not of the spirit.
I do not associate my Christianity with the country or American nationalism. It is a deplorable box to put the God of the universe in when we try to wrap Him up in our American Flag. Spiritually, we do not have offensive weapons in the faith; we have defensive weapons with which to defend ourselves.
To be hurt while in a church is nothing new. It has been done throughout the centuries. This country is no exception either. Our puritanical fathers could never be called faithful to the scripture when they burned witches at the stake, but that is what you are doing in the last paragraph to Eaglewood.
It is apparent that those called to the ministry of prophecy in the New Testament sense are not welcomed too often in the local church. By the way, I find your doctrine of universalism in describing the "church" is outside the covenant doctrines of the New Testament as well as the Old Testaments.
I will not continue in this conversation past one more post concerning you. I have read your many posts, I do not find you in agreement with me on the essentials of the faith, and therefore I cannot and will not waste any more time arguing with a Universalist.
Eaglewood, I know you do not need defending and I will not continue with this after this post. I find this person not to be within the constructs of the 1689 Second London Confession and therefore I do not consider him within the tenants of the faith as a believer.
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