I can handle most even all things about Faith or what is reffered to as 'the faith' that would be all things Christian as laid out by the Apostles as far as doctrine and our resposibility (my need to give out to people even when they are getting at me or persecuting me).
There is one thing though that has got to me and that is an ignorance of those around me concerning one particular thing: it's about admitting faults to one another for the purpose of praying for each other and getting healing/forviveness/repentance; which encompasses all those other aspects such as ceasing backbiting (if there is not way of admitting to each other a fault then the only alternative is to ignore it or talk about it behind someones back someone if afflicted by me they will talk about it behind my back). I was healed of a back injury supernaturally and it turns out that it happened because someone had talked about me behind my back and it turned into a back. Well I have trodden a hard road as far as people afflicting me and we all know that forgiveness is the only way out of that bitterness in the heart thing. I pray I let it go over and over it happens: there is not outlet being used so it happens over and over. It is very comlex this whole thing: the scriptures say it plainly, they reveal we need to admit our faults to one another, the Apostles were told by Jesus that if someone if offended they should go to that one and tell them of their fault and if they do not admit if then to get witnesses and if they still do not admit it then take the person before the whole gathering of beleivers and if they still do not admit it then treat them as not being a brother/sister. I beleive it is as much for the other person (the one being accused as the person that is afflicted byt the behaviour whatever it is. At the end of that passage (in Mark I think it is) Peter asks Jesus Lord how many times do we have to forgive one another at an offence is it seven times or seventy times: Jesus says something like you need to forgive them 70 times 77 (what a pain it would be trying to keep accounts like that best to just go to the person huh?).
Anyway I find that no one is actually doing that or anything like it going to one another always it is talking behind the persons back the Holy spirit always tells me if someone is talking about me behind my back so I am able to deal with it in prayer but the problem is that now I am out of fellowship because it happens so often: nobody is telling each other face to face and neither do they seem to have the knowledge that all we have to do to get repentance for someone is to pray for them that the Father will forgive them and mend them in their hearts (give them repentance: repentance cannot come from ourselves you see it can only come from God it is a gift only he can give). We are seated in Heavenly places with Christ Jesus for this one purpose to pray for one another that we may be healed of that fault: this is also the perfect gift that our heavenly Father has given us. It s a position of great authority where we can ask God himself day and night to dissovle wrong and not hold it against someone: it is in fact the complete opposite of what Satan does (he being also a Son of God goes to God day and night to do the opposite telling him this or that about us accusing us). We are supposed to be doing the opposite to satan and excusing one another before the Father day and night: it is our greatest most profound right and privilege and what we are to do as Sons of God. Yet is is not being done but instead those who should know better do the opposite and talk about one another behind each others backs: This has become a terrible vexation for me because though I am doing it myself (praying the Lords healing on this or that one saying things like 'Father please forgive them they are my brother/sister) no one understands this or does it and it has become a stumbling block for me and hurts: I cannot have fellowship now because people are so decieved going about cursing one another and being taught to do so. Being alone is a very dangerous place to be I am loosing my faith because of the stand that I have made and getting bitter which is not good.
It really hurts a lot: just just this morning I had some one curse me after I wrote to them admitting my fault they wrote REPENT (instead of praying for me although I prayed for them that the Lord would not hold this agianst them) then they followed by mocking me when I tried to explain what they need to do in praying to the Father that I can be healed. They followed that by writing back to say that I was going to be lonely for the rest of my life (they cursed me instead of blessing me). Now I have prayed only blessing on them asked the Father to bless them and for them to have somebody and know compassion and all of that. But only got their cursing in return. This whole thing is destroying my faith: I am like a fish gong agianst the flow and all because i am going by what the apostles taught. Even when I go to one of their gatherings the first thing I am asked is where do you fellowship? to which i reply now because no one does what Jesus taught us. They then say a quote from the scriptures "don't forsake the gathering of yourselves together. To which reply but that is what I mean Jesus said "when 2 or 3 gather together there I am in the midst of them and whatsoever you agree on is done" ( ab it of a paraphrase there but much like it is said just a bit chopped out about whatsoaver you bind etc). Anway to this they reply NO! it happens every time these people actually dissagree with Jesus. They more or less call him a liar and it really bothers me and it happens with all the other scriptures they deny the whole message of fellowship and what it really is disagreeing with what Jesus taught to boot (no chance of agreement in amongst that for any binding and loosing anyway).
I think I am loosing hope definitely lost a lot of love a respect today to a great degree though it's not that it is any new experience just somethng repetitive. Now of the last of these as I have just mentioned loosing hope and love: yes I am loosing faith it is being warn down. All my effort is amounting to nothing. And I do put in a lot of effort: last year I fasted for 49days having one meal per week for 7 weeks while working on a project to teach these things that Jesus and the Apostles taught but modern Christianity is overlooking. When we need to admit our faults one to another (in the light of us being seated together in heavenly places with Christ Jesus) and also then going further and praying for each other that each other may be healed. Instead we do the opposite and gossip to one other about one another and even get taught to do that by Pastor and those in authority as they set an example and pretending to be concerned about this one or that one as they talk about one or another behind those ones backs. And those new believers hear this and do like wise perpetuating these actions and never able to learn otherwise even when it is in the scriptures before their eyes.
In a way i am glad to be able to speak out here in this forum and hope it will help me in some way. I am loosing hope and faith and love. I cannot compromise now it is way to late for that going to one of these so called fellowships does not help what kind of fellowship is that? Having a form of Godliness but denying the power thereof no thanks I would rather be alone than in with some gang of horrible (compro)misers. Worshiping God then cursing those who are with them. The worst thing about this healing of my back is that I usually know who it is that has spoken behind my back and have to forgive them for doing it. It happens all the time simply because I talk about the things that Jesus and the Apostles taught: re - the reason we are seated in heavenly places with Christ Jesus, that it only takes one other person and we are in a gathering, to stop talking about one another behind their backs, that tithing is not good for many reasons not the least of these is that it teaches people to curse others (we are supposed to choose how much we give (its a personal individual thing) and not give out of obligation which the false doctrine of tithing teaches). Most times I speak of any of these things it is the other person who bought the subject up and if I do I would expect acknowledgement of the scriptures and if not definitely not back biting which is a cursing of someone (you see it actually give satan permission to attack that one so is the authority of privileged we have in Christ): of course I am going to be enthusiastic about the things i believe, I am enthusiastic about most things the Apostles and Jesus said (it is my faith after all). If I fellowship with others it is extreme to the point of vexation it is persecution only not from unbelievers but those who can effect me and my future by what they say. It's not like persecution from unbelievers, that can only effect the physical body or pride: this if effecting my soul: at times i feel like the back is like a pin-cushion and I find that when I do open up and admit a wrong I get it worse curses spoken what i say mocked even when it is what Jesus himself has said.
My faith is at rock bottom right now
I don't have much strength left
Being at a low ebb in personal life and goals does not help
Yes sometimes people are the stumbling block but do not be discouraged. You are an ambassador for Christ when you become a christian. An ambassador cannot expect to receive more honour than the one he represents. Jesus Christ was abandoned by his followers. One of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, betrayed him with a kiss. Peter denied knowing him, three times. The people who one day called him King of the Jews and put their coats on the ground for him to walk, some days later shouted crucify him. They spat on him, beat him, gave false evidence against him.So people speak about you behind your back...bless them that curse you.That's biblical Matthew 5:44-48. We are human. In our own strength we will fail. If we rely on our own understanding we will be confused and lose hope.Trust God. Hold fast to Proverbs 3:5,6.
Generally people are fickle because we are human. The difference with some of us is that we met Jesus. Because of the relationship we have with God we try to live up to our calling to be holy even as God is holy.(1 Peter 1:15) Obedience is hard especially when it seems that even the pastor or leader is on the wrong road.Yet even if it is only for the new converts, if it is only for you at the midnight hour, obey the word of God. You do as God requires and let your faith be renewed as you reclaim your mission. Your calling is not to judge but to go into all the nations and spread the good news of Jesus.The wheat and the tares must grow together until the judgement because you don't want to accidentally root out/discourage someone with the potential to be a great worker for God. This is advice from Jesus. Find a fellowship where you can forget about yourself and concentrate on worshiping God.It may mean going out of your district or starting over with people you don't know. Don't expect them to be perfect. They won't be but do not forsake the assembling of yourself together with other believers.It is in this fellowship that we build up our faith and our hope to keep going. The songs we sing remind us that God inhabits the praise of his people. We defeat the devil by the words of our testimonies telling everyone what God did for us or how he used us in some situation. We also learn more about what God wants us to do when we explore the Bible.
Be thankful to God for your healing.So what if he uses spit in mud as Jesus did to give sight to the blind man. Or maybe like Naaman the river you must bathe in is not as clean as others you know about. The person who spoke about you did not heal you. Your healing came from God. Don't cloud his glory in discontent, disappointment or annoyance. God knew your need before it was voiced. Ask yourself rather, what message am I meant to receive from this experience.God used the enemy's bad intention towards Jesus when he was crucified and changed it into a glorious victory at the resurrection.
I have encountered much of what you have, even on christian message boards, people do not want to hear the truth of the word or to do the truth, they are comfortable in their lukewarm or backslidden state :excited:
And I have been talking to another brother in Christ, about fellowship among christians where is it.. We go to church and its pretty much sit down and shut up. Oh, you have a testimony, give a short one, oh you have something to say no time we're on a schedule remember.. No time to fellowship, there are not many things planned that I can attend as I work the evening shift. But if I'm not there when the doors are opened they suspect I'm backslidding? I realize exactly how you feel, gossip is rampant and I found myself falling prey to it, and had to separate myself from it, because I was speaking to a sister about getting shunned in the church???
To many things are happening in the church building I do NOT believe the Lord is happy with. And now I am not sure what the Lord wants me to do about Church or where to go. I do fellowship with brethren online and listen to worship music and study the word and watch and listen to sermons. I don't have the answer for you, but Jesus does. But, I can encourage you to keep in the word of God and pray to him for the answer! For he sees the end from the beginning.
Oh dear sister, what awesome encouragement from the word you gave to this brother.. So we know the wheat and the tares are growing together, we are to find the wheat and rejoice in Christ our Savior. But testing the fruit has become very tedious and often times it takes much time to see the fruit as satan comes in like an angel of light. By then we are sliced and diced in the spiritual battle, but we are never to give up for it is Jesus who strengthens us to go on..
Keep pressing on saints of God and don't give up, for we have crowns waiting for us in heaven!!
I had this on my profile page for some time recently and just took it off and thank any who prayed for me because it was a big cry for help and only prayer helps with something like this which I was aware of and that is the reason for this post what i had on my profile is posted here below and can say that it is mended or well and truly on the mend at this time.
Ummmn JUst today I seem to have come to the realization of something I do that is wrong (it's the 4th of April 2013). I seem to have a history of very often getting to a point in my life where I am on the brink of success in a big way and I just let it go: what I mean by just let it go is I don't continue on to a successful state. I conclude that this is because I have been hurt deeply by all the people that mean anything in my life. I think underneath it I simply hate you all and want you to suffer or something like that. Sorry I can't say more and don't know how to resolve it. This has only just dawned on me earlier today and believe I need to confess it so it will be out in the open, I wish to be more conscious of it but most of all be healed of it.
In the word of God, hatred is the same as murder. We cannot allow our disappointments and the spirit of rejection to cause us to hate those the Lord has created. Hate evil yes, that is correct but we must continue to pray for those who need to truly know of who the Lord is. I pray you lay it all at the feet of Jesus, daily we must all do this, so we can be a vessel of honor unto the Lord.
what i think is cool is ,when we get to that point where we can look back and see that our tumbling blocks were actually stepping stones,vis versa :applause:
I fell into the same pit, and struggled a lot -still am struggling at times- to get out and find the right path to walk on again.
The best thing about salvation, is that you can never lose it! Thank you Lord!
Anyway, in my case I learned that in order to 'fit in', I had to shut up, and let go. God will judge. Not me.
Speaking out, honesty, humor even, ... are in many cases not appreciated by fellow Christians. The only way to tell someone he/she is maybe not entirely right is to give and live the better example and pray for them.
People can be very dissappointing. Luckaly God created more then man alone. :) which reminds me to let the dog back in..
I'm new here and going through with a lot of reading about peoples ideas. What you read has got me thinking. I wonder if you made it out of your state of mind. I read it three times and could not help but wonder if that was a depressive man speaking or just that your hared had started from a long time back. I hope that you have found a way out of your darkness and that new experiences had shown you god love. Maybe you have even found the lady of your heart in here. I sincerely hope so. I hope that you don't mind my comment so long after you posted but am fairly new here. I have been going sifting through a lot of what's real and what's not in here and it's exhausting. Have a great day if you still in here let me know how you are.
They may hate you as well. then what have you got? Hatred of the demonic sense of the word. Not something that you want but will attract into you soul. Seek only people who love you and tell you so. That is your message from God. god loves unconditionally. You need to seek that love in others. Not something that will happen over night, but healing will eventually take place. All you need to do is open up your heart to the love that others provide you. It's there , everywhere, maybe you are shoving it away. I have been through something similar and I was able to love and be loved through the name of Christ
