Sorry I am late to the tHread here Steadfast. I dont post much during family time.
I didnt read many of the middle pages so if this was missed please forgive me.
I really like what Ive read and so many make wonderful points on this subject...There was one thing that comes to mind that I didnt really see.
Fear. I know many people fear God which is the beginning of wisdom but they never learn to TRUST God. Fearinng God without trusting that his will is perfect is a recipe for disaster. those that leave over fear/trust issues, even when they return, unless they come to a place where they no longer fear that Gods will is perfect, and unless they can come to truely trust God, they will never really find there place with Him.
any way, I hope that helps.
God Bless.
__________________ If I do something stupid blame the Lortab!
Sorry I am late to the tHread here Steadfast. I dont post much during family time.
I didnt read many of the middle pages so if this was missed please forgive me.
I really like what Ive read and so many make wonderful points on this subject...There was one thing that comes to mind that I didnt really see.
Fear. I know many people fear God which is the beginning of wisdom but they never learn to TRUST God. Fearinng God without trusting that his will is perfect is a recipe for disaster. those that leave over fear/trust issues, even when they return, unless they come to a place where they no longer fear that Gods will is perfect, and unless they can come to truely trust God, they will never really find there place with Him.
any way, I hope that helps.
God Bless.
Very true and I dont think that was actually touched on the pages... might have been in some of the pm's he received but I do know that was one of my biggest issues too I was always taught to fear God and never to trust and trust wasnt something I learnt too well on my own, until the last few years of my life.
This a little bit of a thread-jacking but I thought of this when I was reading these posts. We have a little bit of a strange phenomenon going on right now at our church.
We have had a surge of people praying through who are the boyfriends and girlfriends of back-sliders. The backsliders aren't coming in, They don't want anything to do with it, just their partners.
It is just amazing to watch because these people don't want anything to do with church, and now the people that they are dating are coming to church and getting baptised and recieving the Holy Ghost! I've never seen anything like it.
You can try to leave God ... but he's even in your speech when you've chosen to deny him. These boyfriend and girlfriends are being influenced by the Spirit of God that still dwells in their companion. Hopefully these backsliders will have a face to face encounter w/ the blood soaked Lamb of God, as Peter did ... and it will produce GODLY SORROW -- and they will turn to God, once again.
67And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and said, And thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth.
68But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest. And he went out into the porch; and the cock crew.
69And a maid saw him again, and began to say to them that stood by, This is one of them.
70And he denied it again. And a little after, they that stood by said again to Peter, Surely thou art one of them: for thou art a Galilaean, and thy speech agreeth thereto.
71But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak.
72And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept.
I can say from my own personal experience; I let what I saw "man" do confuse me, instead of keeping my eyes on Him.
A minister friend of mine did a survey and said the key element he found was a lack of a prayer life.
__________________
Happy moments, PRAISE GOD.
Difficult moments, SEEK GOD.
Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD.
Painful moments, TRUST GOD.
Every moment, THANK GOD.
You can try to leave God ... but he's even in your speech when you've chosen to deny him. These boyfriend and girlfriends are being influenced by the Spirit of God that still dwells in their companion. Hopefully these backsliders will have a face to face encounter w/ the blood soaked Lamb of God, as Peter did ... and it will produce GODLY SORROW -- and they will turn to God, once again.
67And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and said, And thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth.
68But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest. And he went out into the porch; and the cock crew.
69And a maid saw him again, and began to say to them that stood by, This is one of them.
70And he denied it again. And a little after, they that stood by said again to Peter, Surely thou art one of them: for thou art a Galilaean, and thy speech agreeth thereto.
71But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak.
72And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept.
That is what I am praying for, that their hearts will be softened by these events.
Sorry I am late to the tHread here Steadfast. I dont post much during family time.
I didnt read many of the middle pages so if this was missed please forgive me.
I really like what Ive read and so many make wonderful points on this subject...There was one thing that comes to mind that I didnt really see.
Fear. I know many people fear God which is the beginning of wisdom but they never learn to TRUST God. Fearinng God without trusting that his will is perfect is a recipe for disaster. those that leave over fear/trust issues, even when they return, unless they come to a place where they no longer fear that Gods will is perfect, and unless they can come to truely trust God, they will never really find there place with Him.
any way, I hope that helps.
God Bless.
This reminds me of a chorus we sing at Christ Church:
No matter the storms that come my way
No matter the trials I may face
You promised that you would see us through
so I will trust in you
I will sing praise, I will lift my voice
I will sing praise, I've made my choice
I will sing praise in all I do
I will sing praise to you
Whereas I could give you several reasons why people would leave, I can't imagine why anyone would go back.
Let me help you out. For the Spirit of God
__________________
Happy moments, PRAISE GOD.
Difficult moments, SEEK GOD.
Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD.
Painful moments, TRUST GOD.
Every moment, THANK GOD.