Edification

[frienduff thaylorde]

3 hours ago, Dennis1209 said:

This subject is of great concern for myself and my church. As Christian's, we all know we are to edify and lift one another up. 

We are a small church and are losing members on a continual basis. I don't know if it's my business to contact some of those whom left our church and ask why. We only recently obtained an interim Pastor, as our previous full time pastor resigned for various reasons. I'm not positive about our problems but, I suspect a good portion of it is gossip? Gossip is slander, and slander is to hurt someone else and / or build yourself up. I believe it's the polar opposite of edification. 

Like many churches these days, I believe Satan has his foot in the door and is stirring us up. 

Is there a small group of you all that show up all the time .     You all can keep each other encouraged throughout the week with lil meetings in houses too .

Dennis , DO not let just any pastor come in and bring that church growth plan stuff in .      Its no good man .  It will grow a church , but its no good at all .

Cant one of the regular men lead the church .    It don't matter if its only five or six of you all ,  YALL JUST PRAISE THE LORD .     We in a falling away .

The mega churches are sadly the only ones staying large .    but they bad news .     Even if there is only ten of you all ,  JUST REJOICE IN THE LORD and feast on that bible

and let the HOLY SPIRIT LEAD .     HANDS UP DENNIS ,   AND PRAISE THE LORD . 

[turtletwo]

3 hours ago, naominash said:

Many believers on this forum have edified me when I was at my lowest.

I appreciate this so much! 

In my own life, I am trying to be someone who builds my husband up with my words. 

The right encouragement in a time of trouble can really strengthen someone. I've seen that firsthand.

I hope God continues to use me to edify my husband and those around me.

@naominash You already are edifying the body of Christ, including me! When I see the wonderful work God is doing in your heart and life, I rejoice. It is so encouraging! I have been praying for you a long time. To see you and your husband together in Him is such a blessing.Praise the Lord!

[Debp]

4 hours ago, Dennis1209 said:

I suspect a good portion of it is gossip? Gossip is slander, and slander is to hurt someone else and / or build yourself up. I believe it's the polar opposite of edification.

Dennis, thanks for bringing the subject of gossip up.   As Christians we should always watch our words and have love for one another, and be kind. 

[JustPassingThru]

4 hours ago, Dennis1209 said:

I don't know if it's my business to contact some of those whom left our church and ask why.

Brother, if your wife or children didn't come home when expected, ...would you go look for them?

I was in a small church, and when someone was absent the assistant pastor would take me after the service to visit them, he would never ask why, instead he would say we love you and noticed you missed church today, is there a problem, ...how can we help? It was the love of Christ manifested through him that touched their hearts and open their mouths. Also if they had children he would take the Sunday School lesson for the kids so they wouldn't be behind next Sunday and the bulletin for the adults, ...he would point out prayer requests and ask them to pray for them during the week. We would usually spend a minimum of 30 minutes with the family and before we left we would always pray with them for the Lord to bless them.

Just an idea.....,

Lord bless

[Dennis1209]

11 hours ago, JustPassingThru said:

Brother, if your wife or children didn't come home when expected, ...would you go look for them?

I was in a small church, and when someone was absent the assistant pastor would take me after the service to visit them, he would never ask why, instead he would say we love you and noticed you missed church today, is there a problem, ...how can we help? It was the love of Christ manifested through him that touched their hearts and open their mouths. Also if they had children he would take the Sunday School lesson for the kids so they wouldn't be behind next Sunday and the bulletin for the adults, ...he would point out prayer requests and ask them to pray for them during the week. We would usually spend a minimum of 30 minutes with the family and before we left we would always pray with them for the Lord to bless them.

Just an idea.....,

Lord bless

I've heard our new interim pastor is contacting some of them. Being a member there for almost three years, I'm not aware that was done by the previous pastor? As for myself; you're absolutely right, I should contact them and tell them I miss them and hope they will return. I tried it a couple of times and I'm of the impression there's an avoidance there? 

They may feel they owe an explanation or don't want to provide one? If they did confide in why they left, it probably might be a he or she said, or did. In which case I would be very uncomfortable listening to the one side, and I can't see what I could do to mediate anything? I'm not qualified or trained to referee between sides if you will. 

We congregate in the house of the Lord to worship Him, we need to stay Christ centered and remember we are all brothers and sisters in the heavenly Kingdom of God. This petty bickering and taking offense of one another is very painful to me. I too at times want to throw up my hands and leave to find a different church because of all the problems. But I feel the Lord placed me in this church for a reason. With the Lord's help, I desire to be part of the solution and not the problem. 

[JustPassingThru]

2 hours ago, Dennis1209 said:

I've heard our new interim pastor is contacting some of them. Being a member there for almost three years, I'm not aware that was done by the previous pastor? As for myself; you're absolutely right, I should contact them and tell them I miss them and hope they will return. I tried it a couple of times and I'm of the impression there's an avoidance there? 

Maybe you could tag along, ...a new pastor, who is only interim, ...I think could use any and all support he could have, ...sounds like he has his heart in the right place.

 

2 hours ago, Dennis1209 said:

But I feel the Lord placed me in this church for a reason. With the Lord's help, I desire to be part of the solution and not the problem. 

Could that reason be to befriend your brother in Christ? Personally, I ask the question, why would a pastor agree to come to a church that didn't want him, to be there only until they found someone else? 

Dear brother, maybe, just maybe, he is the answer to the problem and Father wants you to stay there to encourage him, to be his friend.

This is just me, old men dream dreams, looking on from outside, ...the Holy Spirit tells us He gives to men the ministry of pastor-teacher Eph 4:11, so if this brother has been given this ministry by the Holy Spirit, ...then we add to that, ...Jesus holds His pastors in His right hand Rev 1:16, 20, ...if that is true, ...then he is one of Jesus' pastors and has been sent by Jesus!

How exciting..., revival in your church could be just a spark away and possibly you might be the one to strike the match... 

I don't believe in chance, accidents or coincidences in Jesus' church, so even if it doesn't work out that way, you will of had a learning experience, ...Missler always taught, ...don't miss out on the lessens the Lord brings into your life.

Lord bless brother and have a wonderful, peaceful, restful and fruitful day in our Lord.

[Dennis1209]

3 hours ago, JustPassingThru said:

Maybe you could tag along, ...a new pastor, who is only interim, ...I think could use any and all support he could have, ...sounds like he has his heart in the right place.

 

Could that reason be to befriend your brother in Christ? Personally, I ask the question, why would a pastor agree to come to a church that didn't want him, to be there only until they found someone else? 

Dear brother, maybe, just maybe, he is the answer to the problem and Father wants you to stay there to encourage him, to be his friend.

This is just me, old men dream dreams, looking on from outside, ...the Holy Spirit tells us He gives to men the ministry of pastor-teacher Eph 4:11, so if this brother has been given this ministry by the Holy Spirit, ...then we add to that, ...Jesus holds His pastors in His right hand Rev 1:16, 20, ...if that is true, ...then he is one of Jesus' pastors and has been sent by Jesus!

How exciting..., revival in your church could be just a spark away and possibly you might be the one to strike the match... 

I don't believe in chance, accidents or coincidences in Jesus' church, so even if it doesn't work out that way, you will of had a learning experience, ...Missler always taught, ...don't miss out on the lessens the Lord brings into your life.

Lord bless brother and have a wonderful, peaceful, restful and fruitful day in our Lord.

I sure do miss Chuck Missler! It sure was hard sometimes watching him after the Lord called his wife home. By God's Grace it wasn't long before the Lord called him home also. I've learned (and still do) much from his wisdom and understanding. One thing in particular that stands out that I believe he was the first to discover that fascinated me was: Taking the literal Hebrew name meanings of the first ten generations; from Adam to Noah, and stringing it into an understandable English sentence. Man, that blew me away. 

God bless you.

[Willa]

Edification is building up, encouraging and strengthening our brothers and sisters in the Lord.  This definitely includes teaching the word.  

2Pe 1:5  For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge,  2Pe 1:6  and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness,  2Pe 1:7  and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.

2Pe 1:8  For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2Pe 1:9  For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.

2Pe 1:10  Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.

2Pe 1:11  For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Confirm means to firm up or strengthen.  So we strengthen our beliefs by practicing those virtues listed in 2 Peter.  

Praying in the Spirit also strengthens the believer.

1Co 14:4  The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church.

 

[JustPassingThru]

2 hours ago, Dennis1209 said:

Taking the literal Hebrew name meanings

Yes..., it works for all of the Hebrew names in the OT, ...for instance, when we look up the meaning of where the Philistines were camped in 1 Sam 17:1 and we understand David knew Goliath was already defeated.

Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle, and were gathered together at Shochoh, which belongeth to Judah, and pitched between Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephesdammim.

First off they were trespassing in God's territory, Judah which means Praise

Shochoh means bushy, the root word means to entwine or shut in, ...so while they thought they were hiding they were actually trapped.

Azekah means dug over, while the root word means to fence in, they were trapped.

Ephesdammim means edge of blood, with the root word meaning, cession of blood.

So when David (beloved) came to the camp with supplies for his brothers and heard the giant making threats he looked around and saw the Philistine army trapped in the bushes where they were camped and they were trapped by their location, ...and the shedding of Israeli blood would stop there.

Yes, I enjoyed Chuck Missler and he taught me many things about studying the Bible, especially his Through the Bible in 24 Hours series, ...he is now with the One he desired to be with. 

  Lord bless

[turtletwo]