God Opened My Eyes

[Apostolic1ness]

In reality Satan has blinded your eyes, deceived your heart, and lead you astray.

[brotherjason]

Originally Posted by Esphes45

No.

I'm waiting on God to direct my path.

I'm going to tell you due to my experience in my old church I'm very careful about going to any church again. I visited a church awhile back and because I what I know is right I'm picking over everything with a fine tooth comb. I'm not going to make excuses for a church just so I feel comfortable there. I'm not trying to waste my time.

Please be careful. I know personally of whole families that were hurt by a church (and it was by very definition a cult!). Instead of being handled easy with "kid gloves" so to speak, they ended up under another authoritarian preacher.
They're now out of church, as worldly as worldly can get and sadly, unless God intervenes, they're probably on their way to hell.

There's a reason we are told to assemble the more as you see the day approaching(Hebrews 10:25). We as the body need one another more than most of us are willing to admit. I hope your search ends in a truth telling church somewhere soon.

[LOVE JESUS]

Originally Posted by Esphes45

No.

I'm waiting on God to direct my path.

I'm going to tell you due to my experience in my old church I'm very careful about going to any church again. I visited a church awhile back and because I what I know is right I'm picking over everything with a fine tooth comb. I'm not going to make excuses for a church just so I feel comfortable there. I'm not trying to waste my time.

I hope and pray you find a good church. I don't know if you have family - married, kids or just single, BUT if you have family, please remember you are setting an example for them. I don't know how long you have been searching for a church, but I ask you to please continue looking. There isn't a perfect church or pastor. You might need to put up the fine tooth comb and maybe even look in LARGE churches where it doesn't seem like it would be as much control over the people. I don't mean to sound like a know it all or criticizing you. The enemy would like to see you miss out on all the benefits of a good pastor and church. God gives us all an opportunity to witness and we really can't effectively witness to someone if we aren't going to church. How can we tell them to go when we can't find a good church? Do you have a calling on your life to be a preacher or start a church? Just asking..
I once had a pastor who was dominaring. I can understand your feelings. We ended up leaving his church (and he was family). He tried to turn some of the church people against us. He ended up loosing his mind and church. But we forgave him and would even take him food. It is a long story but he is dead now. Church is still struggling with just a handful of people. Sad because it was a good church at one time.
Will be praying for you brother. Thank you for sharing.

[1 God]

Originally Posted by Esphes45

Wow. This is exactly what I'm talking about. You don't even know me and you are jumping to conclusions.

The bible says "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.."

If anyone studies the bible they should come to a very basic conclusion. God didn't mean for the road to heaven to be difficult or confusing for those who diligently seek him.

See here is water...

I'm not training to be an apostle, I just want to see God in peace.

I agree Apostolic Pentecostal might be the closest thing but it makes things way too complex. This is because of these control hungary, pride filled pastors.


Thanks for the encouragement!

Maybe God is showing you a few things, but He wants you to be a reformer and not a quitter. God has no rehab program.

[KeptByTheWord]

Praying for you. The struggle to find truth is very real. But it is found in this one answer... Jesus said, I am the way, the TRUTH and the life.

Most importantly, seek out relationship with the body of Christ. Do not allow yourself to go without fellowship with the body of Christ, other believers. The Lord will lead, guide and direct you on this pathway, but I cannot stress enough the importance of being around other believers, and to know that Jesus is the TRUTH you are searching for.

Man is imperfect, and in every denomination and church culture, there are mistaken doctrines. It is hard to sift away the meat from the bones, and many times, we just have to chew a few bones along with the meat. There is no perfect church, no perfect ministerial body, and no perfect human beings either.

I wish you well on your journey, you will be in my prayers.