Apostolic Friends Forum - Backslidden Brethren

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Backslidden Brethren

Whenn I attended a UPC church in the city I live in, there I met an evangelist. We became acquainted , and throughout conventions we would see eachother and fellowship . I lost his whereabouts and often wondered what happen to him. He was an awesome preacher and well known by many. Today I was chatting with a friend from this evangelist home town, and learned this evangelist left his wife and children to indulge in sin. In your prayers tonight, remember the fallen pastors, evangelist, saints, etc.
I'm so shocked. I wish I had his contact
information.

Re: Backslidden Berthen

This is sad,but it happens and yes we should pray for these dear people ,so many times people blow it off and say well I knew they never were right to start with.
We all have the potential to sin.

Re: Backslidden Berthen

I offer my condolences and prayer to the fallen brother. May he come to his senses before all is lost.

Re: Backslidden Berthen

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stephen Hoover (Post 651268)

I offer my condolences and prayer to the fallen brother. May he come to his senses before all is lost.

Amen!

Re: Backslidden Brethren

I offer this thought when remembering these brethren...

Quote:

During a service the other night I began to think about Samson.

Samson was a judge.
Samson was anointed by God with much strength.

Some picture Samson as some huge muscular individual because of the tales of his great strength. I don't think that was the case. Samson didn't have this strength until the Lord came upon him. When Delilah deceived him and his hair was cut he rose up and began to fight not realizing that the Lord had not come on him as before. He was easily overtaken.

If Samson had possessed rippling bulging muscles there wouldn't have been much question as to where his strength came from.

But the thoughts I had about Samson were less about his beginnings and more about his end.

Samson had taken a bad path and it led him to a bad place. It led him to a place where he found himself slave to those he had conquered so many times. Those who had been the conquered he now found to be his conquerors. Grinding at the mill with blinded eyes he appeared to be a broken remnant of the man he used to be.

As if forcing him to push a grinding mill around and around all day wasn't humiliation enough they brought him into the temple for their big festival to show off the great Samson who they had defeated.

There is a reason the temple came down on the day of Samsons death. When they brought Samson in they "set him between the pillars". If they had remembered who Samson was they would not have set him between the pillars. They had forgotten who this man was that they scoffed at and gave praise to their god over his downfall.

Samson was a judge.
Samson was anointed by God with much strength.

And on top of their forgetting who Samson was there was another crucial element to the temple coming down that day. God did not forget who Samson was. Oh yes, Samson had fallen. Samson had taken wrong paths that led him to a bad place. But God never forgot 2 things.

Samson was a judge.
Samson was anointed by God with much strength.

That day, in spite of all of Samson's wrongs and all of his human weaknesses, God remembered who Samson was and God gave Samson more victory in his death than Samson had experienced in all of his life.

That day...

Samson was a judge.
Samson was anointed by God with much strength.

The last thing written in the story of Samson's life recorded in the book of Judges is this...

Then his brethren and all the house of his father came down, and took him, and brought [him] up, and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the burying place of Manoah his father. And he judged Israel twenty years.

Samson was still counted a Judge even during his time of imprisonment by the Philistines.

The gifts and callings of God are without repentance.

Some you know may have fallen. Some you know of may have failed. Some you have seen may have taken bad paths that have led them to a bad place.

Don't ever forget who God called them to be because God doesn't.

Re: Backslidden Brethren

Quote:

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth (Post 651784)

I offer this thought when remembering these brethren...

Awesome quote, Bro.! Is that yours, or do you know who wrote it? I might want to use that.

Re: Backslidden Brethren

Just because a brother is on a journey squandering his inheritance does not mean he is forgotten or disowned by the Father. He is still a son, a brother and stands in the need of prayer.

I too have many friends from back in the day that are no longer serving God - but I pray they remember the love, the security, and the safety in the Father's House.

Blessings, Rhoni

Re: Backslidden Brethren

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaamez (Post 651789)

Awesome quote, Bro.! Is that yours, or do you know who wrote it? I might want to use that.

It is one of my blogs and you are welcome to use it in any way you would like.

Re: Backslidden Brethren

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rhoni (Post 651791)

Indeed... so very true.

And should bad times come their way hopefully we will find our heart hoping that this will remind them of that security and love you speak of rather than being SO very un-father-like and being quick to point it out as God's punishment and disfavor.

ALL that God does... He does in His love for us.