Quote:
Originally Posted by Sam
When people knelt on the street and asked Jesus to come in -- He did what they asked--He came into their lives and changed them. But, not everyone had exactly the same experience. Some were delivered completely from sin (drugs, alcohol, the gang style of living) and had no desire for the stuff. Others had to spend nights in "drying out" while they shook and vomited while Teen Challenge workers held them, wiped them off, and prayed for them. Some never had the desire for drugs and some had to fight the temptation daily to go back to the old life style. Some did go back and would ask forgiveness and start over. Some had to make several tries before they were stabilized. These are just different ways God works, saves, and delivers. We need to lift someone up when he falls even if it seems he just keeps on falling more times than we think he should. We need to let people lean on us when they can't stand on their own. Some people need to be carried. We need to be willing to pray with people while they shake and chill and vomit. None of this is pretty and it's not a neatly wrapped "church package" but it is real life. And this, in my opinion, is how God works with His Body/Church in saving people. This is how we "loose" those who have life but no liberty.
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You put this very well Sam.
You just can't decide "ok, that's it, you've slipped up too many times, this time you're on your own." Well, I mean, you can....but being on the receiving end of that isn't pleasant and it creates an awful lot of problems with trusting people, and most of all God, in the future.
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