I choose to believe, not because there is not room to doubt, but rather because there is not a better alternative.
I have tasted of the blessings of God, and they are trustworthy. I find over and over my life just works much better when I pray and mediate on the Word!! When I don't things get all balled up and difficult! So there!!
"So there!!"?
__________________
Hebrews 13:23 Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty
Nope. Not always, anyway. And the times it seemed to have worked, there's no way to distinguish between it actually working and things just happening either by my own effort (gasp!) or by random chance. It rains on the just and the unjust, after all.
when you pray for your child, who has a growth on his shoulder, and the growth falls off
when God speaks a word to you personally, and it comes to pass just as he said
when God gives you a scripture, and it jumps off the page at you, as if it was lit up, and you go to church and the preacher preaches what God showed you
your faith begins to soar
and true, there are times when your faith is tested
when the state trooper comes to your door and tells you your son was killed in an accident
when the doctor tells you that you have cancer
when you are in a fog of depression and despair, but you know God is real, because he has proved himself to you, and you keep putting one foot in front of the other by faith
when your friend's child dies and you are the only one who can speak words to comfort her
when another friend has cancer and you can say, I'm a survivor, and you can be too
I know that my redeemer lives and I will stand with on that day.
__________________
Are you worried about what 2026 will bring?
I think it will bring flowers. why?
because i'm planting flowers 🌹
when you pray for your child, who has a growth on his shoulder, and the growth falls off
when God speaks a word to you personally, and it comes to pass just as he said
when God gives you a scripture, and it jumps off the page at you, as if it was lit up, and you go to church and the preacher preaches what God showed you
your faith begins to soar
and true, there are times when your faith is tested
when the state trooper comes to your door and tells you your son was killed in an accident
when the doctor tells you that you have cancer
when you are in a fog of depression and despair, but you know God is real, because he has proved himself to you, and you keep putting one foot in front of the other by faith
when your friend's child dies and you are the only one who can speak words to comfort her
when another friend has cancer and you can say, I'm a survivor, and you can be too
I know that my redeemer lives and I will stand with on that day.
I don't want you to walk away from all that. If it works for you, that's wonderful. I just wish folks would stop telling others that it will work for them, too, if they put enough effort into it.
__________________
Hebrews 13:23 Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty
Oh, I'm sure that explains it. 50 years in it, speaking in tongues, praying for the sick, serving as deacon, teacher, youth leader, etc. Not enough effort.
Not enough effort is not the problem, I think. Most apostolic circles make that same mistake that most other movements make. They understand Rmans 5's justification by faith from sins but jump pover charts 6 and 7 and go to 8 where it speaks of not condemnation. They think more commitment and more effort is the requirement. Not so. Understanding Rmans 6-7 is the need. We are informed that we are dead to sin, not just justified from sins, and must appropriate that fact by faith. Is gives the faith for victory to God that he requires to empower us to live in victory. It is NOT more commitment.
__________________ ...MY THOUGHTS, ANYWAY.
"Many Christians do not try to understand what was written in a verse in the Bible. Instead they approach the passage to prove what they already believe."
Nope. Not always, anyway. And the times it seemed to have worked, there's no way to distinguish between it actually working and things just happening either by my own effort (gasp!) or by random chance. It rains on the just and the unjust, after all.
This is where faith comes in. If it apparently worked, and one wonders if it is just random chance or self, then give God the benefit of the doubt. When it happens over and over again, then it is beyond random chance.
__________________ ...MY THOUGHTS, ANYWAY.
"Many Christians do not try to understand what was written in a verse in the Bible. Instead they approach the passage to prove what they already believe."
I don't want you to walk away from all that. If it works for you, that's wonderful. I just wish folks would stop telling others that it will work for them, too, if they put enough effort into it.
It is not effort. It is faith.
__________________ ...MY THOUGHTS, ANYWAY.
"Many Christians do not try to understand what was written in a verse in the Bible. Instead they approach the passage to prove what they already believe."
Thanks. But I don't have a problem. Not anymore. And I'm not going to hell for walking away from that problem, thank you very much.
Believe what you want. It's a free world. But why be on a vengeance to prove to people that the bible is wrong? I just wish folks would stop telling others the bible is wrong since they feel it did not work for them.
__________________ ...MY THOUGHTS, ANYWAY.
"Many Christians do not try to understand what was written in a verse in the Bible. Instead they approach the passage to prove what they already believe."
Ummm, time out. The "effort" I put forth has nothing to do with "physical" effort. I don't care if you were superintendant somewhere.
The "effort" I referred to was in Spirit. Faith as Blume has said.
So, do you see and/or feel no difference what so ever between then and now ?
__________________ You can't reach the world with your talents. People are sick and tired of religious talents. People need a Holy Ghost annointed church with real fruits to reach out and touch their lives. ~ Pastor Burrell Crabtree
In fact I think that the insinuation of "hateful" Pentecostals is coming mostly from the fertile imaginations of bitter, backslidden ex Apostolics who are constantly trying to find a way to justify their actions. ~ strait shooter
Timmy, I don't think I have the right words to say but here 
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